Bronwen Rohland, Marketing Director of Pick n Pay said: “We are very excited to be part of one of the region’s most anticipated and popular wine festivals. Good food and good wine go hand in hand, and as a retailer of both, Pick n Pay is the ideal sponsor for the festival. “In partnership with the Stellenbosch Wine Festival, our vision is to take the event to the next level and we intend to create a lifestyle event around world-class wine, great quality food, the coming together of friends and families, and bringing what we call goodness to our communities.” Ken Forrester, Chairman of the Stellenbosch Wine Routes, is excited about the vastly improved festival and particularly about the partnership with Pick n Pay: “A new and iconic Partner in Pick n Pay, perfect summer weather, the buzz of a new university year and the bustling start of the harvest season will serve to add new dimension to the Stellenbosch Wine Festival experience. Our member farms are excited, the whole town is mobilised and we are sure that wine lovers and lifestyle tourists from all over South Africa, and the world, will be thrilled with what Stellenbosch will have on offer this summer.” Besides being able to show off Stellenbosch in all its beautiful summer glory, the timing of the festival has changed in order to incorporate the celebration of the harvest into the event. Traditionally this is when the harvesting of the grapes takes place, and this year visitors will be able to join the Stellenbosch Wine Festival Harvest Parade, presented by Pick n Pay, on Saturday 26 January. Winemakers, farm workers and students will take to the streets of Stellenbosch in celebration of the harvest and you’re invited to join in the fun! As an alternative to the parade on Saturday morning, women can enjoy a morning of camaraderie in a fun walk in support of breast cancer. The Pick n Pay Women’s Walk sets off from the cricket field adjacent to the Danie Craven Stadium at the Coetzenburg Sport Centre at 9am. The official launch of the festival, the PnP Lifestyle evening, will take place on January 30 at Die Braak, where visitors will enjoy the best food, wine and music. The event will promote local restaurants, local culinary artisans and wines, and showcase the Stellenbosch lifestyle. The event will be open to the public from 5pm and will feature live music and “Sunset Sounds” entertainment. All proceeds of the event will go to the SWF Foundation. From 1 - 3 February and brand new to the festival, is the Pick n Pay Small Producers Market. Besides having a delicious range of fresh produce on offer, the market will seek to identify new producers in the region who could ultimately go on to become Pick n Pay suppliers. “In keeping with our Goodness campaign, we continually seek out small entrepreneurial talent for the purposes of supplier development,” said Rohland. “Typically the largest obstacle for small producers is market access and the producers market presents the ideal opportunity for these new suppliers to showcase their offering and possibly get the opportunity to supply us in the future.” In keeping with the theme of goodness, SWF together with Pick n Pay will establish the Stellenbosch Wine Festival Foundation, to which a percentage of profits from activities during the festival will be donated. The funds will be used for the development of young people who have a passion for winemaking, but are unable to afford to further their studies in the field. Throughout the festival Pick n Pay will showcase some of its finest food products thought its Fresh Experience on site, including cheese and bread platters, its now famous Braai Experience, salads and other summer favourites. “While the Stellenbosch Wine Festival has always been a success, we believe that hosting a summer wine festival in one of the most charming and historical towns in the Western Cape, along with the renewed offering can only take the festival to greater heights and we look forward to being part of its continued success. In keeping with Pick n Pay’s long-term vision, it is our aim to roll-out the festival to the Gauteng region by the end of 2013.” For more information regarding the festival, visit: www.stellenboschwinefestival.co.za For more information regarding Pick n Pay’s participation, contact: Dani Isaacs on Dani@corporateimage.co.za or 083 308 6260