First trainees benefit from Fundi Wine initiative

Cape Town – Fundi is a totally unique concept. The South African wine industry is working together to contribute to the success of the World Cup of Soccer which will be hosted by South Africa in 2010, by promoting the sale of Fundi Wines.  All the proceeds from the sale of this wine will go towards training the previously disadvantaged as wine stewards. Candidates will be selected from the hospitality sector, and some will be recruited from the large base of unemployed South Africans.

Wines of South Africa (WOSA), on behalf of the South African wine industry, has launched an innovative premium wine in order to raise the funds needed for the training. This new wine brand is called Fundi (pronounced foon-dee) from the isiZulu word umfundi which means ‘learner’, and in South African English, has come to mean an expert or learned person. A number of wines will be sold under the Fundi label, all premium red blends, and each producer is identified on the back label. Wines were selected through a tender process, and submissions were judged by members of the Cape Winemakers’ Guild.  At this stage, wines have been selected from the following wineries: Stellekaya, ‘the company of wine people’, Anwilka, Waterkloof and Hartenberg.

Tasting notes for the wines are available online:

• Fundi (Stellekaya) 2007 – http://www.fundiwine.co.za/wine_stellekaya.php
• Fundi (The Company of Wine People) 2006 – http://www.fundiwine.co.za/wine_companyofwinepeople.php
• Fundi (Anwilka) 2007 – http://www.fundiwine.co.za/wine_anwilka.php
• Fundi (Waterkloof) 2007 – http://www.fundiwine.co.za/wine_waterkloof.php
• Fundi (Hartenberg) 2006 – http://www.fundiwine.co.za/wine_hartenberg.php

Sales and distribution is handled by Vinimark and the wine sells to trade for R85.00 per bottle excluding  VAT. You can order directly from the Vinimark sales representative in your area. The wine is available to consumers at R120.00 per bottle from Makro outlets and selected wine stores. It is also possible to order online at www.cybercellar.co.za

For every ten cases (60 bottles) bought, a restaurant / hotel can nominate a staff member to attend the course free of charge. The following establishments each bought at least 60 bottles of Fundi, and thus sent 60 people for training, which took place at Let’s Sell Lobster, in Cape Town:

1.    Blues Restaurant
2.    Sinns Restaurant
3.    95 Keerom
4.    Grootbos
5.    Winchester Mansions
6.    Pepenero Restaurant
7.    Krugmans
8.    Carolines Fine Wine

Phillip Couvaras, Fedhasa Chairman commented ” These restaurants are the leaders in Cape Town and have shown their firm commitment to the development of entry level staff that will hopefully make a career of the industry and provide visitors to Cape Town with 2010 service we can be proud of as nation”.  ‘I challenge all the others to now follow them and exceed the example they have set’.

We are asking restaurants and hotel groups to support this project by buying Fundi wines. More information on the wine and training project at www.fundiwine.co.za

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