This award recognises the reputation for excellence the wine export company has established in overcoming market-entry hurdles to expand its export trade to the highly competitive US market. Having won the category for medium sized business, Cape Classics went on to be awarded the overall winner at this prestigious event.
Cape Classics, founded by brothers Graham and André Shearer in 1992 to share South Africa’s wines with the world, won the awards for Medium-sized and Overall Exporter at the AGOA Exporter of the Year Awards 2022 hosted in Gauteng by the International Trade Institute of Southern Africa with the support of the USAID Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is an initiative of the US government to promote economic growth by providing duty-free treatment to goods of designated sub-Saharan African countries. Emma van Eyk, Director SA Operations at Cape Classics, said the AGOA initiative is key to expanding wine and other South African exports to the US.
“Even though the South African wine category is still relatively quite small it is growing and this growth holds the potential for future business expansion not only for Cape Classics and our portfolio of wines, but for all South African wines. With the help of the AGOA agreement we will continue to increase the volume of wines into the USA to meet the growing demand,” said Van Eyk.
“Exporting wine to the USA has its challenges, as we are competing against more familiar wines from Napa Valley, France, New Zealand and other better known regions. However, South African wines are standing their ground and winning awards and becoming household names in the US.
Cape Classics views these awards as recognition of many years of diligently acting as ambassadors to South Africa. Coinciding not only with the 30 years celebrations, but also moving into our custom built premises and our drive to grow our business to the USA but to expand to other regions as well.
Story telling is at the heart of Cape Classics. “We believe that behind every farm, every winemaker, every bottle of wine, every grape there is an untold story, which needs to be gathered and shared to generate curiosity and interest not only in South African wines but in South Africa as a whole,” explained Van Eyk.
“We also share these accolades with our incredible South African team, our exceptionally talented wine producer partners and suppliers. These awards will inspire us all to continue to unearth and share stories of South African excellence in the very competitive US market,” Van Eyk concluded.
Subsequent to this award, Cape Classics went on to win the bronze medal for regional exporter of 2022 competing against the best in Southern Africa.