Retailer Massmart is to use the international reach of US parent company Walmart to increase export opportunities for emerging South African wine makers under its Developing Wine Brand programme, the company said on Friday.

This follows the successful entry of the popular Seven Sisters wines and Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini’s royal brand Bayede! Wines into the US and China respectively in the last year.

Seven Sisters wines are now on the shelves of 300 Walmart stores in the US, after launching in 54 stores in August 2012, while Bayede! Wines recently shipped around 35 000 bottles to China, also under a contract with Walmart.