Market watch 

Encouraging growth in the SADC region holds significant opportunity for the South African wine industry. Neighbouring Mozambique is a case in point. 

As part of the Wine Industry Strategic Exercise (Wise), Wine Intelligence conducted research on wine sales in the Angolan market. Like Angola, Mozambique has an established wine-drinking culture stemming from its history as a Portuguese colony.

“Angola has been identified as the main target market in the SADC region,” Wines of South Africa (Wosa) Africa market manager Matome Mbatha says. “But depending on the availability of funding, we’re also looking to explore and do generic promotions in the Mozambique market.”

Meanwhile, a rapidly growing tourism industry has been a key driver of increased consumption.

Matome says interest in wine in South Africa’s neighbouring countries is aspirational and largely influenced by visitors and tourists’ experience when they visit South Africa. This has been complemented by the general availability and popularity of other South African products.

“There’s much to learn about the real consumption of wine and particularly South African wine in the Mozambique market,” Matome says. “Exports are likely to be underestimated, with reports of wine crossing the border that is not reflected in official reports.”

He advises potential exporters to do as much market research as possible – they can contact a trade attaché at the South Africa embassy in Maputo to check for information and contacts in the Mozambican market.

To get in touch with the South African embassy in Mozambique send an email to Matome at [email protected].