FirstCape, one of South Africa's top wine export brands in the United Kingdom, is a proud sponsor of this popular rugby team, made up of the best players from England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. The Lions play Test matches against the biggest rugby nations in the Southern Hemisphere, with the first match against South Africa being played in 1910. This year an estimated 50,000 fanatical rugby supporters will descend on South Africa for three Tests and seven other matches. It is the first time that a wine label sponsors this team - and quite fitting, since FirstCape, according to the latest AC Nielsen stats just in, has just grabbed the number one spot as the largest South African wine brand in the UK. The brand has added £48 million, or over R2 billion, to its value within the last 12 months. Says director Steve Rosser, "We are delighted to have hit the category leader position in only 6 years, but we have a lot of work to do on distribution as the brand matures." As part of the sponsorship, FirstCape has launched limited edition packaging bearing the Lions crest on the screwcap. Chief Executive of the British & Irish Lions, John Feehan, said, "As the first-ever wine sponsor of The Lions, and with wine now the largest sector of the UK liquor category, the effect should be very powerful indeed." FirstCape UK director Steve Barton agrees, "We are absolutely delighted to have this level of sponsorship with the iconic British & Irish Lions, which we see as the next stage of the brand's development... the Lions sponsorship is a key component in FirstCape's growth past the 1.5m (9L) mark during this fiscal year." From humble beginnings in 2002, this working agreement between British marketer Brand Phoenix and 38 local producers has grown to become the biggest South African wine on British supermarket shelves and 10th on the Top-50 list, according the AC Nielsen report of 24 January 2009. In the last year this dynamic brand moved from a 717,000 9L level to over 1.6 million. This constitutes 123% growth in volume, while climbing 129% in value. Today there are five co-operative cellars and over 200 producers from all over the Breede River Valley that supply grapes to this wine giant. FirstCape Managing Director, Kobus van der Vyver, attributes its success to co-ownership. "Each of these producers knows this company belongs to him, which means everyone makes sure to deliver the best quality wine to the cellar." Be on the lookout for FirstCape, who, after its international success, now wants to increase its visibility locally among rugby enthusiasts. FirstCape is a Partner Sponsor of the forthcoming British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa. www.firstcape.com www.lionsrugby.com