After devastating floods tore through parts of the Western Cape in May, many communities were left counting the cost. Among them was Van Loveren Family Vineyards, one of South Africa’s most loved family-run wine farms and a longstanding Food Lover’s Market supplier.
The storm left its mark across the farm, damaging infrastructure, flooding parts of the property and leaving millions of bottles covered in mud, scuffed, stained and weathered by everything the flood left behind.
But in the middle of the devastation, something deeply South African happened. The Van Loveren team, family and surrounding community came together and began rescuing what they could. Bottle by bottle, crate by crate, they worked through the mud to save the stock that had survived the flood.
Now, those bottles are being given a new purpose
Food Lover’s Market has partnered with Van Loveren to bring these surviving bottles into selected stores as Flood Wines. The ‘Bottles of Hope’ are available at 3 for R100, while stocks last.
These are not ordinary bottles. They carry the visible marks of the storm, and that is exactly the point. Every stain, scuff and muddy label tells the story of what the farm went through, and what it is now working to rebuild.
For Food Lover’s Market, the decision to step in was rooted in relationship, not retail
“Van Loveren is not just a supplier to us,” says Brian Robberts, senior buyer at Food Lover’s Market. “They are a family, a farming community and a South African brand that people know and love. When we received the call asking whether Food Lover’s Market would help make these bottles available to customers, we knew immediately that this was something we had to do.”
Robberts says the request was unusual from a buying perspective, because the bottles arrived exactly as the storm had left them.
“In retail, we are usually focused on perfect labels, clean packaging and pristine presentation. This was different. In this case, the marks are the meaning. The mud, the scuffs and the imperfections are not flaws in the story. They are the story,” he says.
While the bottles are being sold as wine, Food Lover’s Market is clear that this campaign is about far more than consumption.
“These bottles are not being positioned as a normal wine promotion,” says Robberts. “While the bottles bear the visible marks of the flood on the outside, the wine inside remains exactly as it was intended to be enjoyed. What customers are buying is something bigger than that. They are buying a piece of the story, a symbol of resilience, and a way to stand with Van Loveren as they recover.”
The campaign invites customers to take the bottles home, display them, gift them, place them on a table, or keep them as a reminder of the resilience that emerges when communities come together after adversity.
“Every bottle taken home is one more customer choosing to be part of Van Loveren’s recovery,” Robberts adds. “It is a simple gesture, but it carries a lot of heart. It says, ‘We see what happened. We care. And we are standing with you.’”
Says Phillip Retief, managing director of Van Loveren Family Vineyards, ”The flood affected far more than our business. It impacted the lives of our employees, their families and the wider Robertson community. While the clean-up operation has been immense, what has stood out most has been the incredible support from our community, team, neighbours, customers and partners. The bottles that survived the flood carry the visible marks of what they have been through and have become symbols of resilience, determination and community spirit. Every bottle tells a story of people coming together in the face of adversity. We are deeply grateful to Food Lover's Market for helping us give these bottles a second life and for providing South Africans with an opportunity to become part of our recovery journey."
For Food Lover’s Market, the collaboration speaks directly to its long-standing commitment to supporting the people behind the products on its shelves, including farmers, producers, growers and family businesses across South Africa.
“Food Lover’s Market has built relationships with farming communities over many years,” says Robberts. “When those communities face hardship, we believe in showing up in a practical way. This is one of those moments.”
The bottles will be available in dedicated in-store displays at participating Food Lover’s Market stores, presented in a way that keeps the story visible. Customers will find them as they are: marked by the flood, but carrying a message of hope.
From the farm, through the storm, into your home.
Flood Wines. Bottles of Hope.
Available at participating Food Lover’s Market stores. 3 for R100. While stocks last. Not sold separately.
