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	<title>Design News &#187; Vinimark</title>
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		<title>Getting to know Liandra Kotzé, Vinimark’s Brand Portfolio Director</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/getting-to-know-liandra-kotze-vinimarks-brand-portfolio-director/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/getting-to-know-liandra-kotze-vinimarks-brand-portfolio-director/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:26:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liandra Kotze]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10873</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When Liandra Kotzé joined Vinimark as Brand Portfolio Director at the start of 2026, she brought more than 25 years of experience in the wine industry, spanning finance, brand strategy, commercial leadership and customer marketing. But beyond her extensive industry experience, Liandra brings a thoughtful perspective on where South African wine stands today and where it needs to go next. From evolving consumer expectations and innovation to the enduring power of storytelling in wine, we sat down with Liandra to learn more about the person behind the role, her vision for Vinimark’s portfolio and what she believes the South African wine industry needs to embrace to stay relevant. 1. Why did you want to join Vinimark? Vinimark represents some of the most respected and diverse wine brands in South Africa. What drew me in was the opportunity to work across such a powerful portfolio and to influence how these brands grow. After years of working within brand houses, the idea of shaping a portfolio at this scale, with a strong commercial lens and close connection to both producers and the trade, felt like a natural next step. Vinimark is also a business that understands the importance of relationships, a value [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Chenin Blanc: From workhorse to world stage</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/chenin-blanc-from-workhorse-to-world-stage/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/chenin-blanc-from-workhorse-to-world-stage/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 10:18:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chenin Blanc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Darling Cellars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DeMorgenzon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spier Wine Farm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10860</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[South Africa’s most underestimated grape has become its greatest global statement For decades, Chenin Blanc was treated as an afterthought. It was the grape you planted for yield, not for legacy – cropped heavily, sent to co-ops, often destined for distillation. Reliable, yes. Respected, no. And yet, today, Chenin Blanc stands as South Africa’s defining varietal, not just locally, but on the global stage. It’s a wine of precision, place and potential. What changed was not the grape. It was the belief in what it could be. At Vinimark, we see this as one of South Africa’s most compelling wine stories. From workhorse to opportunity For much of its history, Chenin Blanc served a functional role in the industry. As Winemaker Anthony Sanvido of DeMorgenzon puts it, it was ‘the workhorse’, often cropped for volume and diverted to distillation. But that same history created an unexpected advantage. Many of South Africa’s most prized Chenin vineyards exist today because they were never replanted – and growers who couldn’t afford to replace them preserved what would become the backbone of the country’s old-vine movement. The real shift came in the 1990s. Winemakers like Ken Forrester began challenging convention by tasting together, sharing [...]]]></description>
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		<title>In 2025, Vinimark’s International team explored fresh frontiers for South African wine while adapting to shifts in the global market.</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/in-2025-vinimarks-international-team-explored-fresh-frontiers-for-south-african-wine-while-adapting-to-shifts-in-the-global-market/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/in-2025-vinimarks-international-team-explored-fresh-frontiers-for-south-african-wine-while-adapting-to-shifts-in-the-global-market/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Dec 2025 07:34:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10721</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In 2025, Vinimark continued to explore fresh frontiers for South African wine while adapting to a global market that has become more competitive and more unpredictable. Even as conditions shifted, Vinimark felt a renewed sense of momentum. South Africa’s wine story continued to resonate beyond the country’s borders, and Vinimark leaned into that energy with purpose. This year marked an important evolution for Vinimark’s international portfolio  under its dynamic new director De Bruyn Steenkamp who took the reins in August 2024 with vision and verve. In tandem with Vinimark celebrating its 40th year and crystallising its position as a wine company that supports brand development and distribution, the team has expanded its focus beyond export logistics to support a growing portfolio and make its broader expertise and experience available to Vinimark’s Brand Partners. Significant new additions to the Vinimark International portfolio, such as Vilafonté and Kasteelberg, joined established global favourites including Krone, Reyneke, Barista and Robertson Wines. Together, these brands present a clear and compelling view of modern South African wine that blends heritage with innovation and authenticity. By the end of 2025, and with 2026 firmly in sight, Vinimark’s international offering was centred on curiosity, quality and long-term brand [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Vinimark named South Africa’s #1 wine distributor and top 3 alcohol distributor at 2025 Advantage Awards</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/vinimark-named-south-africas-1-wine-distributor-and-top-3-alcohol-distributor-at-2025-advantage-awards/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/vinimark-named-south-africas-1-wine-distributor-and-top-3-alcohol-distributor-at-2025-advantage-awards/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Oct 2025 12:15:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10657</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Vinimark, South Africa’s leading independent wine distributor, has been named the number one wine distributor in the country and among the top three alcohol distributors overall at the 2025 Advantage Awards. The awards were presented during the Consumer Goods Council Summit 2025 at VodaWorld, Midrand on 8 October 2025. The recognition is based on retailers’ ratings in the annual Voice of Retail programme, and highlights Vinimark’s market leadership, operational excellence and strong partnerships across the trade. Vinimark was ranked in third position overall, alongside South Africa’s largest liquor distributors &#8211; South African Breweries (SAB), the country’s top beer and cider producer, and Edward Snell, a major spirits distributor.  Vinimark’s achievement is particularly remarkable, considering that it focuses exclusively on wine and select champagnes, including Champagne Bollinger and La Maison Pommery. Through this accolade, Vinimark has solidified its position as the country’s leading wine distributor and a key driver in the broader alcohol distribution market. ‘Being recognised as South Africa’s top wine distributor and one of the top three alcohol distributors is a tremendous honour,’ says Sales Director at Vinimark, Riaan Rautenbach. ‘Our rise, from being placed 12th in 2023, to 6th in 2024, and now 3rd overall in 2025, demonstrates [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Love of People: Mentorship and Diversity in the Wine Industry. From representation to real power.</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/love-of-people-mentorship-and-diversity-in-the-wine-industry-from-representation-to-real-power/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/love-of-people-mentorship-and-diversity-in-the-wine-industry-from-representation-to-real-power/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:35:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10531</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Across the Cape Winelands, a quiet shift is gaining momentum, one rooted in mentorship, ownership and community development. It’s a shift that’s not just reshaping who gets to be part of the wine industry, but how they thrive within it. For too long, knowledge of wine was something passed around the same tables through informal apprenticeships, family networks, and closed-door connections. For many black South Africans, this meant not just exclusion from ownership, but exclusion from understanding: terroir, varietals, markets, culture. But change is happening, and mentorship is at the heart of it. Because wine, after all, isn’t learned in isolation. It’s passed hand to hand, cellar to cellar, harvest to harvest. And when mentorship is structured, intentional, and inclusive, it becomes a powerful bridge across the barriers that have long held the industry back. The results? Transformational, not just for individuals, but for the industry’s future. Phil Bowes, Manager of Inclusive Growth Strategies at SA Wine, shares that the sector now supports 107 black-owned wine brands, up by 50% in just ten years, alongside 81 black-owned farms spanning grape production, logistics, and retail. But more than the numbers, it’s the capability that’s grown: a generation of better technically equipped [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Vinimark turns 40 — and steps into a new era with clarity and intention</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/vinimark-turns-40-and-steps-into-a-new-era-with-clarity-and-intention/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/vinimark-turns-40-and-steps-into-a-new-era-with-clarity-and-intention/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:52:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10480</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After four decades of supporting the growth of South African wine, Vinimark is entering its fifth decade with a renewed sense of purpose and a new visual identity to match. More than a ‘refresh’, this evolution is the result of considerable internal reflection and a shared ambition to continually improve, for partners, employees, and the communities Vinimark serves. It’s a visible expression of who Vinimark has become and the values that will guide the company forward. “Since 1985, we’ve grown by staying close to the people we work with,” says CEO Eckhardt Gerber. “Listening well. Supporting consistently. Building trust. Our new identity is part of that same journey, a signal that we are evolving to meet the future with clarity, care, and conviction.” The rebrand supports Vinimark’s transition from a wine distributor to a strategic growth partner, one that offers market insight, commercial fluency, and strong, deep alignment with the brands it represents. “Today’s wine landscape is dynamic,” Gerber continues. “With a new generation of consumers, new opportunities for inclusion, new ways of doing business, and new opportunities around sustainability. We believe in adapting boldly, and always with people at the centre.” A brand built from the inside out Vinimark’s [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Beyond the label: Building brands that live in people’s minds</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/beyond-the-label-building-brands-that-live-in-peoples-minds/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/beyond-the-label-building-brands-that-live-in-peoples-minds/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2025 16:12:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10432</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[‘Products are made in factories, but brands are created in minds.’ Advertising executive Leo Burnett’s timeless insight has never rung truer, especially in the world of wine. In late May, Vinimark opened the doors of its premises in Klapmuts outside of Cape Town for a Packaging and Innovation Masterclass that brought together creatives, strategists and storytellers from across the wine world. The session, led by Vinimark’s Wine Training &#38;amp; Education Manager Ginette de Fleuriot, featured two provocateurs of design thinking: François Rey of graphic design studio Monday Design and Brenden Schwartz, co-founder of wine brand Orpheus &#38;amp; The Raven. Their message was clear: in a market that’s crowded, fast-moving and increasingly visual, it’s not only your grape variety, terroir, wine quality or awards that will set you apart. It’s your brand memory: the emotional connection your packaging, positioning and story create in a split second. The rise of the distinctive asset Walk into any bottle store and you’ll see it: shelf upon shelf of beautifully bottled ambition. But amid all that noise, only a few speak with clarity. Why? Because they’ve built what Schwartz called distinctive assets: visual cues that work harder than names, louder than labels. Think Nike’s swoosh, [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Swirl, sniff, sip AND story – how narrative makes wine mean more</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/swirl-sniff-sip-and-story-how-narrative-makes-wine-mean-more/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/swirl-sniff-sip-and-story-how-narrative-makes-wine-mean-more/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 May 2025 08:37:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10311</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Long before tasting rooms and Insta-worthy vineyards, there were people. Characters. Romances. Epic treks. And, yes, wine. It turns out that what’s in the bottle often starts with what’s on the page. Because the truth is, the more you know about a wine’s backstory, the more you feel connected to the glass in your hand. Take Laurens Campher, for example. A young German soldier who landed in the untamed Cape in the late 1600s, he fell in love with Ansela van de Caab, a woman enslaved at the Castle of Good Hope. Every few weeks, Laurens would walk – yes, walk – the 50-kilometre journey from Stellenbosch to Cape Town just to see her. Three days on foot, no horse, just heart. Then there’s Johannes Augustus Dreyer, who reportedly fled Europe after a fatal duel over a woman. A century and a half later, his descendants would plant more than 1 300 vines on a Swartland farm. That land became Leeuwenkuil – ‘Lion’s Lair’ – a now-iconic name echoing wildness, resilience and history. Leeuwenkuil’s home turf was once the stomping ground of the Cape lion, now extinct but immortalised in the ironwork on the farm’s historic front door. The land [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Context matters: What really rules when judging wine</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/context-matters-what-really-rules-when-judging-wine/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/context-matters-what-really-rules-when-judging-wine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2025 07:26:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10232</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8216;It&#8217;s like watching a foreign film without subtitles,&#8217; quipped a participant at Vinimark&#8217;s recent &#8216;How to Taste and How to Score&#8217; Masterclass, describing the challenge of assigning scores in an unsighted tasting. It&#8217;s a sentiment that resonated across the room at the Klapmuts premises of South Africa’s largest independent wine specialist, where even seasoned industry professionals found themselves second-guessing their sensory instincts. Master of Wine Cathy van Zyl was there to demystify the complex world of wine scoring, where a point or two can mean the difference between silver success and golden glory. &#8216;Each time you taste, it&#8217;s an opportunity to learn,&#8217; she told the gathering, drawing from her extensive experience judging at prestigious competitions like the International Wine Challenge (IWC) and serving on numerous global tasting panels. &#8216;If you don&#8217;t learn about the wine itself, you learn something about yourself and your tasting ability.&#8217; It&#8217;s a humbling reminder that even after decades of experience, wine keeps you on your toes – or rather, on the tip of your tongue. Van Zyl&#8217;s journey to respected international authority included many learning experiences along the way, an important one of which was that ‘people taste wine for different reasons, and they taste [...]]]></description>
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		<title>With consumer confidence at its highest since 2019, the local wine industry charts strategic course for 2025 despite previous year&#8217;s headwinds</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/with-consumer-confidence-at-its-highest-since-2019-the-local-wine-industry-charts-strategic-course-for-2025-despite-previous-years-headwinds/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/with-consumer-confidence-at-its-highest-since-2019-the-local-wine-industry-charts-strategic-course-for-2025-despite-previous-years-headwinds/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2025 10:15:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10152</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The South African wine industry begins 2025 with cautious optimism, according to leading distributor Vinimark&#8217;s first-quarter Market Review. This follows a challenging 2024 that saw fourth-quarter volumes drop to 9.5 million litres, down 11% from 2018&#8217;s 10.6 million litres. Despite these headwinds, the industry demonstrates remarkable resilience and adaptability in responding to changing market dynamics. Oelof Weideman, Head of Insights &#38; Business Advisory at Vinimark, provides context for the current landscape: &#8216;December 2024&#8217;s sales of R1.4 billion fell short of December 2023, even with roughly 5% inflation. &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; With 49% of consumers planning to reduce out-of-home dining, the on-trade sector faces particular challenges. Yet evidence suggests that whilst visit frequency may decrease, consumers are more likely to invest in premium experiences when they do dine out, presenting opportunities for sophisticated wine programmes and innovative brand experiences. The emergence of sparkling wine in a can as a growth category points to evolving consumer preferences and drinking occasions. The premium segment demonstrates noteworthy resilience, with wines above R200 showing 6% year-on-year growth. However, Weideman cautions against oversimplified interpretations: &#8216;This isn&#8217;t traditional premiumisation. Rather, it reflects economic stratification, with affluent consumers maintaining premium purchases whilst the crucial sub-R80 [...]]]></description>
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