Proudly South African Local Wine Expo Draws 3,000 Visitors and Showcases Women-Led Wine Businesses
Proudly South African Local Wine Expo Draws 3,000 Visitors and Showcases Women-Led Wine Businesses. The Proudly South African Local Wine Expo attracted approximately 3,000 visitors over three days, bringing together wine producers, buyers and consumers to celebrate the country’s wine industry while creating new commercial opportunities for exhibitors.
Held at the Prison Break Market in northern Johannesburg, the annual event featured 29 established and emerging winemakers who showcased a selection of locally produced wines to industry stakeholders and members of the public.
This year’s edition placed a strong focus on women in the wine industry, with 83% of participating exhibitors representing female-owned businesses or brands founded by women. The expo highlighted the growing contribution of women entrepreneurs to South Africa’s wine sector while reinforcing the event’s commitment to supporting inclusive business development.
Ahead of the public exhibition, organisers hosted a dedicated Buyers’ Session that connected emerging winemakers with wholesalers, retailers, liquor traders, restaurateurs and hoteliers. During the session, exhibitors presented their wines directly to prospective buyers for consideration for retail listings and restaurant wine menus, while also exploring future partnerships and market opportunities.
Proudly South African Chief Executive Officer Eustace Mashimbye said the response from exhibitors, buyers and visitors reflected the continued growth of the event.
“We are delighted by the overwhelming response and enthusiastic participation at this year’s Local Wine Expo. The event successfully created a platform for producers, distributors and consumers to connect, share knowledge and explore new opportunities within the wine industry. The response we have received from exhibitors, buyers and members of the public has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said.
Mashimbye added that the expo has expanded significantly over the years and continues to support business growth across the wine, tourism and hospitality sectors by creating sustainable commercial opportunities for local producers.
Among the exhibitors was House of Azari, whose Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Siphiwe Katjene, said the event offers valuable exposure for the brand.
“The Local Wine Expo gives us a platform to showcase our products, enhance brand visibility and unlock valuable networking opportunities. It also introduces us to new audiences and continues to assist us in building meaningful business relationships,” she said.
Visitors also took part in guided wine tastings, business networking sessions and interactive Shesha 3.2.1 game activations, where participants tested their knowledge of South Africa and stood a chance to win prizes, including wines and game boards.
According to organisers, the continued success of the Local Wine Expo reflects Proudly South African’s ongoing efforts to expand market access for local producers while encouraging consumers to support South African-made products. This year’s event was hosted in partnership with W&R SETA, FoodBev Manufacturing SETA, Gauteng Liquor Board, San Quentin, Gauteng Tourism Authority, Radio 2000 and SAfm.
