Wine: Managing revolution The responsibility for the transformation of the South African wine business is the major role handed to the Wine Industry Trust. This is an uphill task for general manager Marthinus Saunderson who has taken over the regulatory powers relinquished by KWV as well as political empowerment objectives. "We are trying to create a focused business. The farmers cannot just grow vines and be paid for it. They have to run a business and produce something that the market wants. "The SA domestic market does not have the disposable income to drink more wine. Incomes are not growing and will not do so for five to 10 years. So we must focus on exports." The industry is committed to spending more money on generic export promotions and the trust has a direct input into this. It provides 50% of the funding of the South African Wine and Spirit Exporters Association. The UK is recognised as the number one market and R500,000 has been scheduled to building a promotional model. At the same time it is his role to encourage non white farmers into the industry. "The new farmers need to plant the top five grape varieties and convince us their grapes can be made into wine which will sell on the export market." He says: "The trust is about changing the industry and creating companies which can be listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. We do not want to go the Mugabe route, but we have to ensure the black people have a say in the economy." {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}

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