BafanaBafana: Our Wine is Now

In a first for the African continent as well as for the South African wine industry, a special wine named after the
national soccer team has been launched to the general public of soccer and wine lovers, as well as the all-important
emerging market of wine consumers.
Bafana Bafana Wines consists of five different wines bottled under the Bafana Bafana brand, making this range
the only wine officially licensed by the South African Football Association (Safa).
The five wines ?+¦-+???+¦-ú?-¦?+¦-ú?+¦+¦ white, red, ros+¬, sparkling white and sparkling ros+¬ are produced by Oranjerivier Wine Cellars,
located in Upington in the Northern Cape., Bafana Bafana Wines is a joint venture between Oranjerivier Wine
Cellars and Afriwines, who negotiated the official licensing rights with Slam, SAFA Legal & Management, SAFA’s
Master Licensee.
According to Koos Visser, marketing manager for Oranjerivier Wine Cellars, the decision to become involved in the
Bafana Bafana project was to develop a product for the emerging wine market.
“The time for introducing the new generation of wine consumers is now, as for the next year South Africa is going
to be a nation exposed to soccer to the point of it becoming a national obsession,” says Visser. “By having the
opportunity to produce a wine bottled under the official Bafana Bafana trademark is a once in a lifetime opportunity
to tap into a market where the name Bafana Bafana has such an extensive profile. We are confident that through this
range the wine industry will do something it has not been able to do – namely to penetrate the emerging market where
wine has an extremely low level of awareness.”
Visser also says that the wines themselves have been made especially to suit the unique tastes of this market. “They are
lovely, uncomplicated wines ?+¦-+???+¦-ú?-¦?+¦-ú?+¦+¦ fresh, fruity wines displaying true grape characteristics. None of the harsh tannins that many consumers find offensive and sends them to the fridge looking for a beer.”
According to Visser the wines are also made to a lower alcohol content so as to further promote Bafana Bafana wines’ commitment to responsible alcohol use.
“We are marketing wine as part of a healthy lifestyle and want to accentuate the natural properties of wine through
promoting responsible alcohol use.”
Trevor Theledi, partner in Afriwines, says that the Bafana Bafana Wines will change the way the South African public
looks at wine. “This is a breath of fresh air the industry needs, as wine consumption is dropping annually,” he says.
“Currently wine has a very low level of awareness among black consumers. By aligning wine with soccer and specifically
with Bafana Bafana the product has already developed a relationship with the consumer before the bottle has been opened!”
Visser says that the marketing of Bafana Bafana Wines will also change the way wine is being marketed locally.
“As an officially licensed product, Bafana Bafana Wines will be supported nationally by high-profile product activation
events instead of using traditional communication methods,” he says.
“These events, to be held in fashionable venues in black areas throughout South Africa, will introduce the wines to a
broad-based target market that has to date never before been targeted by any local wine brand. Extensive product
information and education will be complemented with extensive media coverage and below-the-line campaigns in
publications that are not targeted by the traditional elements of the wine industry.
“Quite frankly, Bafana Bafana Wines is writing the book on developing a new, dynamic and lucrative sector of the
local wine market. Stockists can be assured of extensive, focused, visible and high-profile market support,” concludes Visser.
Bafana Bafana Wines go on sale this week and are priced from R25 to R35.

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