Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Food and ‘foodball‘ have a close relationship, and just like VIPs, the international soccer teams have specific food requirements for their players: the Australian team requires a coffee machine in each player’s room; the Ecuadorean players require a freshly filled basket of bananas imported from Ecuador every day; and the USA team will have fruit and honeycake in each player’s room every day, and they will have their meals prepared by a two star Michelin chef. Germany has a ‘Nutella-Fluch‘, a curse that seemed to effect each soccer player’s career used in the chocolate spread’s advertising, the players’ careers plummeting after featuring in the advertisement. Needless to say the advertising campaign has been canned!
* Western Cape Tourism Minister Alan Winde has ordered his Red Tape unit to evaluate whether the new Department of Home Affairs’ Immigration regulations are constitutional, and to meet with the national Department of Tourism as well as with Home Affairs to ‘find a way forward that will mitigate their negative impact’! The Minister said: ‘In the past week, my office has received numerous complaints from industry stakeholders whose businesses are already suffering losses’. The new legislation was not published for public feedback before proclamation. South Africa is the only country in the world requiring an unabridged birth certificate to accompany all travelling children!
* Cederberg Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 is the only South African Cabernet Sauvignon out of 200 from nine countries evaluated by The Drinks Business Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters to make the Top 15, coming in at 12th position. The wines were tasted blind and scored out of 100. Katnook Founder’s Block from Coonawarra in Australia was rated the best Cabernet Sauvignon.
* Golfer Retief Goosen is launching his The Goose wines in the USA, including Upper Langkloof Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz; Pinot Noir; and its flagship Expression, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
* Consumers have become increasingly obsessive, searching for memories of the past and feel-good experiences which they can share, as the world becomes more uncertain politically and economically. This was shared at the London Wine Fair last week, a finger pointed at wine for lagging the Beverages category in terms of innovation and new product development. Soft drinks like Pepsi and Coke innovate annually, and even spirits, beer, and cider are more innovative than wine brands. Feel-good also is expressed in healthy vegetable cocktails, with spinach and beetroot, and donating a part of sales proceeds to a good cause. Production participation is a form of experiential marketing which makes memories. Brand blending is on the up, such as Guinness having recently launched chocolates with its brand name.
* Origin Wines launched its Stormhoek Chardonnay stack of four 187ml PET tumblers that click together, intended for shared drinking, at the London Wine Fair last week, and will launch the brand into Tesco stores from August. The Chardonnay comes from the Western Cape, and is likely to be sold at £6.99, while a Cabernet Sauvignon from Portugal will also be available.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage
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