Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Andrew Bird, Marks & Spencer Head of Trading, which includes wines, non-food, and ambient grocery, is moving to Woolworths for a two year contract as Trading Head next month. He helped drive Marks & Spencer to be named best retailer at the International Wine Challenge in four out of the past six years. Bird is said to become head of the ‘wine and soft drinks teams‘ at Woolworths locally.
* The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) was part of a consortium that completed Terminal 3 at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, on time and on budget, for the 2014 soccer World Cup, reports The New Age. The project is described as one of the World Cup successes, the new terminal processing all international flights to the city. The capacity to handle an additional 12 million passengers to the 30 million handled annually has been created. ACSA is also part of a consortium that won the contract to upgrade and manage Mumbai International Airport, which can now handle 40 million passengers annually. ACSA has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Ghana Airports Company to provide technical and advisory services.
* The vuvuzela has met its match, so to speak, having been banned from international soccer stadia for the noise it makes, disturbing TV broadcasts. Now the Diabolica has been made in the World Cup country flag colours, by a Belgian company, in a 12 cm fold-down size, and resembling more of a horn with membranes than a trumpet. A total of 1 million is expected to be produced before the 2014 soccer World Cup kicks off in Brazil on 12 June. The Brazilian caxirola, resembling a ‘hand genade‘ and rattled to make a sound, has already been banned from the World Cup.
* Lufthansa has rebranded eight of its aircraft to ‘Fanhansa’, in honour of the 2014 soccer World Cup in Brazil.
* The River Café on Constantia Uitsig will re-open with a new name in September/October, to be operated by Neil Grant and Barry Engelbrecht of Burrata.
* Shimmy Beach Club has launched its first Breakfast menu, offered on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 – 11h00, and includes a Breakfast Pizza. (received via media release from Communication Services Africa)
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: WhaleCottage