Ernie Els Wines takes on new investment partner
Friday, 30 October, 2015
Ernie Els Wines
Ernie Els has taken on an investor in his wine business in order to take the brand to the “next level” in quality and capability.
Ernie has been quoted as saying: “I am very pleased to announce that I have joined hands with an external investor who shares a common vision to make Ernie Els Wines one of the foremost wine producers from the new world. The objective of this partnership is to add more resources to the brand and improve our capabilities to grow the potential of Ernie Els Wines. I am excited by the “meeting of minds” and the new opportunities it will bring for our wine business. I am looking forward to my ongoing and active role in the company, and seeing the brand grow and fulfil its potential. This is a very positive step forward.”
The Ernie Els Wines business was established in the year 1999, but significantly has seen very strong growth over the last 5 years. This new support will allow the brand to continue that growth and ensure that the quality will remain as high (and go higher) as ever.
The new investor, Baron Hans von Staff-Reitzenstein, is a German wine lover and connoisseur of note who was impressed with the quality of the Ernie Els Wine portfolio and has seen the greater potential in the brand. In his private capacity, he has built up an amazing personal wine collection from around the world, and as this passion has grown it has urged him to become involved on a hands-on basis in the wine industry. He shares a common vision to become one of the finest producers in our industry on an international level.
Louis Strydom will continue to be head winemaker and lead the business as Managing Director, and there are no dramatic changes envisaged from an operational perspective. Louis and his team will be working with the same worldwide network of importers, distributors and sales teams that have been part of the brand’s journey to date.
“You can expect more great things to come from Ernie Els Wines now that we have the ability to invest in our production capability, whilst maintaining a focus on quality” Strydom comments.