The 18th SA Cheese Festival News

19 February 2019 – Discover 18 experiences at the 18th SA Cheese Festival

The 18th South African Cheese Festival, from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 April 2019 at Sandringham outside Stellenbosch, offers a true value for money experience – your ticket indeed buys you 18 of them:

  1. The Cheese Emporium: The heart of the SA Cheese Festival where you can taste and buy the largest variety of cheeses – old favorites and innovative new ones – under one roof.
  2. The Italian Experience: A brand new addition specially created in collaboration with Food Lover’s Market. Come stroll through our piazza and experience Italian hospitality and gastronomy in abundance – from Mozzarella and olives to Provolone, Prosciutto di Parma, pasta, pesto and more!
  3. Taste it first: Many exhibitors utilise the SA Cheese Festival as a platform to launch new products and test the market – discover it here before it appears on store shelves.
  4. The Tasting Room: We marry cheese with wine, beer and every new trend. Come watch, listen and taste at no extra cost … and experience interesting taste combinations presented by well-known foodies such as The Kate Tin (Katelyn Allegra) and The Food Fox (Ilse van der Merwe), as well as the popular ‘Bok Radio’ breakfast duo Wimpie and Le-Lue.
  5. ‘Raak ‘n bietjie rustig’ day: Friday, 26 April, a working day? Never! It’s pay day after all – perfect for a leisurely day out with your entire book/garden/crochet/coffee/bowls/lift club! Watch out for ‘Raak ‘n bietjie rustig’ packages for groups and discover the festival at your own pace.
  6. Meet boutique cheese makers: Come and support entrepreneurs who, despite the drought, come from far and wide to introduce their unique handmade cheeses to artisan cheese lovers!
  7. Cape Made: Taste the Alternatives: A fresh from the farm collection of alternative products such as olives, honey and rooibos to pick and choose from … with bargains directly from producers, thanks to a partnership with the Western Cape Department of Agriculture.
  8. The Cape Made Kitchen: Come and experience a taste of magic as chefs from the Private Hotel School pair cheese with bread and alternative products, brought to you in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Hortgro, the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO), Grain SA and Agri-Expo. As a bonus there is a free recipe book to take home!
  9. Making memories: It just gets better year after year! The SA Cheese Festival is a popular place to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries (or to meet your better half à la celebrity chef Bertus Basson!)
  10. Boutique is king: Support boutique producers while discovering and appreciating new taste experiences – from wine and beer to gin with honey, almond, buchu, strawberry or chai!
  11. The Ladismith Cheese Carving Competition: A daily highlight in Blossom’s Gazebo – enter for free at the festival (entries are limited). Prove your creativity, carve a cheese and win great prizes!
  12. The Music Gazebo: Kick up your heels and enjoy your shopping to the rhythm of popular local artists while you relax with family and friends.
  13. The Milk Factory: Visit the friendly cows and goats at the Milk Factory and show the little ones where the cheese comes from.
  14. The Gourmet Lane: Popular food stalls serve delicious dishes – with even more cheese!
  15. The Kiddies Corner: Hours of fun and entertainment for the children in a safe environment while parents relax.
  16. #SundayFamilyFunDay: Enjoy a true #SundayFunday with your whole family whilst some of the country’s best cheeses and other boutique products are just a few steps away.
  17. The Connoisseurs Experience: There are only 100 tickets available per day for this exclusive festival experience with shaded seating, a cheeseboard,  bottle of wine and many extras. Hurry up, last year’s gourmets are all coming back for more!
  18. Be safe: The SA Cheese Festival promotes the responsible use of alcohol. Make use of shuttle services and taxis for peace of mind.

 

The festival times are daily from 10:00 to 18:00. Sandringham is conveniently located next to the N1, Stellenbosch turn-off (exit 39), between Cape Town and Paarl.

 

Tickets cost R180 per person per day. Senior citizens pay R120 and children between 2 and 13 years R20. Tickets are available at Computicket. No tickets will be sold at the gates. The Connoisseurs’ Experience costs R950 per person (only persons over 18 years old) and is available from Claudine Wagner at claudine@agriexpo.co.za.

 

Discover more about the SA Cheese Festival’s 18 year celebration at www.cheesefestival.co.za, Twitter @SACheeseFest, Facebook @SACheeseFestival or Instagram @sacheesefest, or contact Agri-Expo at tel 021 975 4440 or admin@agriexpo.co.

 

RELEASED BY

 

Isabeau Botha

Corporate Communication Manager
Agri-Expo
isabeau@agriexpo.co.za
021 975 4440 / 072 247 5868
www.agriexpo.co.za

Agri-Expo News

6 February 2019 – Exhibition industry honours ‘Livestock’ en ‘Die Groot Plaasproe’.

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

6 February 2019

Exhibition industry honours ‘Livestock’ en ‘Die Groot Plaasproe’

 

An agricultural exhibition for the second year in a row outperformed some of the best commercial exhibitions in Africa at the exhibition industry’s annual awards function.

The agricultural-expo-farm-experience-combination ‘Agri-Expo Livestock’ and ‘Die Groot Plaasproe’ was awarded one of the industry’s top honours, namely the ROAR award for ‘Best Trade and Consumer Exhibition’, in the category for over 12 000 m2, on Thursday 31 January 2019. They competed against the cream of the exhibition industry in Southern Africa with other prominent category winners such as ‘MamaMagic: The Baby Expo Cape Town’ by Exposure Marketing (awarded the best overall exhibition), ‘Caminex Zambia’ by Specialized Exhibitions Montgomery, as well as ‘World Travel Market (WTM) Africa’, ‘Decorex Durban’ and ‘Fire and Feast Meat Exhibition’ by Reed Exhibitions.

 

The awards function was held by AAXO (Association of African Exhibition Organisers) in conjunction with EXSA (Exhibition Association of Southern Africa) at Montecasino in Johannesburg. The team of judges consisted of industry experts, including Irene Costa (Business Events Africa), Shanna Jacobsen (3S Media) and Lance Gibbons (Film Event Media).

 

According to Johan Ehlers, Chief Executive Officer of Agri-Expo, the agricultural society which presents ‘Livestock’ and ‘Die Groot Plaasproe’ annually in October at Sandringham outside Stellenbosch, recognition by the exhibition industry is as important a motivation as the agricultural industry and the public’s support of the project.

“Agri-Expo’s vision is precisely to promote agriculture by offering professional exhibitions. This award is not just recognition for Agri-Expo, but for the larger agricultural industry in South Africa,” says Ehlers. “Livestock and Die Groot Plaasproe have grown over the past five years to become one of the few opportunities in South Africa where the public can experience the total value chain of different agricultural industries in an accessible manner. It has developed into a multi-purpose agricultural expo providing a home to more than 20 different projects promoting agriculture as a whole – and therefore involves a logistical masterpiece.”

‘Agri-Expo Livestock’ and ‘Die Groot Plaasproe’ takes place from Thursday 10 October to Saturday 12 October 2019, at Sandringham, Stellenbosch. Details available on www.diegrootplaasproe.co.za or www.livestock.org.za.

Issued by

Isabeau Botha

Korporatiewe Kommunikasiebestuurder I Corporate Communication Manager
Agri-Expo
isabeau@agriexpo.co.za
021 975 4440 / 072 247 5868
www.agriexpo.co.za

PRESS RELEASE: Wines of South Africa Export Report 2018

22 January 2019 –

It is our pleasure to share the 2018 Export Report for the South African Wine industry.
Despite 2018 being a challenging year for the industry with a low-yielding harvest due to the regional drought, we are excited to report a positive growth in the overall value of our exports.
The 4% increase in value to R9.06 billion reflects the positive sentiments towards South African wine in international markets, despite the 6% decrease in volume to 420.2 million liters of wine sold internationally. This figure fits into the Wines of South Africa (WoSA) strategy for an increased value focus within packaged and bulk wine sales, while also having a direct correlation to dwindling wine stocks, following the lowest harvest yield since 2005, towards the latter part of the year. The value of packaged wine increased by 3% and that of bulk wine by a very respectable 7%.
In our focus export markets we saw good growth on the value of packaged wine to China at 7%, while the USA remained flat. The USA market has always been stronger in terms of their procurement of more premium-priced wine.
In the European focus markets, which have seen very little value growth of packaged wine for a number of years, there was a notable value increase on all fronts: Netherlands 1%, Sweden 10% and the United Kingdom unchanged.
The UK remains SA’s top export market, realizing a total value of R1,844m worth of exports, while Germany held its second place, at R1,329m of wine bought and once again the Netherlands in 3rd position at R693m.
The African continent is showing mixed results, however Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia have shown strong growth with values of total exports growing by 73%, 35% and 33% respectively.
In terms of the top-rated varietals, red wine narrowly leads the pack with 15% of total value growth as opposed to that of 13% for white wine. While Shiraz leads the red wine in terms of export volumes, it was Chenin Blanc taking the top spot amongst the white wines.
WoSA CEO, Siobhan Thompson comments, “While 2018 proved to be a challenging year for the industry, we have managed to put our best foot forward and strive to continue along this trajectory. We have proven that we are indeed producers of world class, high quality wines and deserve to have this reflected in our bottom line”.
Click here to view the Export Report Infographic 2018.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Maryna Calow –  WoSA Communications Manager
Telephone: +27 (0)21-883 3860
WINES OF SOUTH AFRICA (WoSA) is a not for profit organization which promotes the export of all South African wine in key international markets. Apart from the head office in Stellenbosch, South Africa, WoSA also has offices in Johannesburg, England, Canada, USA, Sweden, China, The Netherlands and Germany.
For more information visit www.wosa.co.za or engage with us on Twitter @WOSA_ZA, Instagram @wosa_za or Facebook @facebook.com/wosasouthafrica.

Media Release – The 2019 SA Dairy Championships

14 Jamuary 2019 – Dairy producers are invited to enter the 2019 South African Dairy Championships, the biggest, oldest and most prestigious dairy event in the country.

Agbiz Press Statement

3 December 2018 – Agbiz confirms its position on property rights and inclusive growth.

“As stated in its comprehensive submission to the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) in June 2018, the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) confirms its strong position on the protection and extension of property rights. Property rights underline the values and principles related to individual liberty and economic freedom. A strong property rights system is the enabler for fostering investment and economic growth, human capabilities, research and innovation, environmental performance, and the creation of social capital. Property rights are the key ingredient for the prosperity of society,” Dr John Purchase, CEO of Agbiz said today.

 The greatest failure of land reform in South Africa has been the inability of government to extend property rights to previously disadvantaged individuals, especially those with tenuous tenure security in the communal areas and in various human settlements. Orderly, predictable and market-based land reform, within the ambit of the current Constitution of South Africa, is essential to ensure tenure security, business confidence and to maintain the integrity of the agro-food system of South Africa.

“Clearly South Africa, including the agribusiness sector, needs to do more to sustainably establish far more black farmers and entrepreneurs in primary agriculture and agribusiness, and thereby ensure inclusive growth at a significant scale. Various models, including participation in blended finance models, have been proposed to government, and commitments provided, to effect land reform and transformation,” Dr Purchase added.

Dr John Purchase said that Agbiz will continue to engage government constructively through various fora, including the Presidential Land Reform Advisory Panel and Nedlac, to ensure that any proposed amendments to the Constitution, as well as potential amendments to the Expropriation Bill and other legislation on expropriation without compensation (EWC), will not harm the economy and the sector specifically.  If need be, Agbiz reserves its right to challenge such amendments that may negatively impact on the sector if and when the process merits a challenge. Agbiz has also circulated a status update (Annexure A) to keep its members and their clients abreast of the latest developments, contextualising the expropriation debate within the changes taking place in the broader land reform programme.

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Enquiries:

Dr John Purchase

CEO: Agbiz

john@agbiz.co.za

082-4412308