 WOSA, Wines of South Africa is a non profit organisation that promotes the exports of South African wines, helping the industry export 317 million litre mark and overtake the annual domestic sales by volume. Now it has conceived this novel job-creation campaign.
WOSA will help raise funds for training by selling a top-calibre red wine, specially created with this objective. Profits from the sale of wine will be used towards the accredited training for the wine waiter. The wines are expected to retail locally at 120 Rands($17)
Candidates for training will be selected from the hospitality industry, as well as amongst the unemployed and has the full backing of hospitality industry body, according to Su Birch, CEO of WOSA.
The training module will give candidates a basic understanding of wine. It will allow them to communicate with a fair degree of knowledge about the wines they will be selling in the restaurants and hotels and equip them to explain the South African wines to the customers.
Birch says the basic purpose of the initiative is to ensure World Cup visitors a positive experience when ordering wine. But she stresses that the goal is also to build awareness amongst a new and potentially influential group of wine ambassadors who can contribute to increased wine sales in the domestic market.
"The project aims to do more than transfer basic wine knowledge. Trainees will be equipped to serve wine with greater competence and confidence. However, we also hope they will make wine their alcoholic beverage of choice and reach a broader base of South Africans and introduce them to wine appreciation."
WOSA hopes that this group will throw up sufficiently inspired people who would want to advance their training further and become sommeliers either by studying through the Cape Wine Academy or by gaining experience abroad."
She says that a total of 17, 500 cases of wines (6 bottles) will be released for sale locally and abroad with a view to raise R4,5 million for the training programme. Branded FUNDI, their labels will feature a sunflower as a symbol of hope.
The wine has been produced by six wineries, each individually identified on the back labels of the bottles. A range of companies is supporting the project by donating their goods, such as glass, corks and labels while other service providers are reducing their costs for legal, accounting, banking, marketing and related fees, says Su.
The wines, scheduled to be released in a few days will also be showcased at the Cape Wine 2008, the biannual wine show being held in Cape Town in September and attended by the international wine trade. It is hoped that about 20% of the wines will be sold abroad.
Fundi ka Funda is clear but is the hotel and wine industry in India doing anything in this area or would it miss the available opportunity at the Commonwealth Games in 2010, one wonders?- editor |