Cape Town to Host Inaugural Afro Wine Week Focusing on Investment and Inclusion

AWW aims to drive investment and ownership in the global wine industry for people of color, uniting winemakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and brands.

CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA, May 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Afro Wine Week South Africa will host a summit in Cape Town from September 5–13, 2025. The event aims to facilitate investment, broaden participation, and foster innovation within the global wine industry. The summit intends to convene winemakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and industry representatives to explore potential ventures, encourage international collaborations, and discuss industry development.

According to Tuanni Price, co-founder of Afro Wine Week, the event is designed to provide a platform to examine current issues within the wine industry, specifically regarding access, funding, and the equitable distribution of benefits within the global wine economy. The objective is to foster an environment conducive to the convergence of potential and resources.

Afro Wine Week will feature two days of sessions, including think tanks, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, held at The Capital 15 on Orange. The summit is expected to include international speakers, industry experts, and emerging leaders. The program is structured to offer relevant engagement for local attendees. International participants will have opportunities for immersive programming that combines business and cultural elements, including visits to wine farms and discussions on the relationship between heritage, commerce, and sustainability.

The event will feature Black-owned wine brands, both established and emerging, providing them with a platform to present their products and explore new markets. Planned activities include experiences such as the Sips with Soul wine tour, which will offer guests opportunities to visit vineyards, participate in tastings, and engage with winemakers.

Afro Wine Week seeks to address existing industry norms related to tradition, exclusivity, and entry barriers. The summit aims to connect stakeholders across the wine value chain, including winemakers, distributors, buyers, media, and consumers, through a program of tastings, workshops, and networking opportunities focused on investment.

Tuanni Price, founder of Afro Wine Week, stated, "The goal is to create a space where opportunity meets ambition, and where capital can be accessed."
The two-day program at The Capital 15 on Orange will include think tanks, panel discussions, and networking.

Afro Wine Week is scheduled to host international speakers, industry experts, and emerging leaders. Notable speakers expected to participate include Paul Siguqa, owner of Klein Goederust; Chinedu Rosa, a wine expert specializing in African markets; and Theodora Lee, vintner of Theopolis Vineyards. The event is designed to offer significant engagement for local attendees, while international participants can expect immersive programming that integrates business and culture, featuring wine farm visits and discussions on heritage, commerce, and sustainability.

Carol Burns, co-founder of Afro Wine Week, indicated that the event aims to encourage greater involvement in the wine industry through avenues such as land ownership, brand building, and distribution. The objective is to offer pathways and resources for individuals to engage with the industry. Beyond the annual summit, Afro Wine Week is intended to function as an ongoing initiative for industry transformation by developing a network of stakeholders to increase representation, support economic development in underrepresented communities, and generate new opportunities within the wine sector.

Attendees of Afro Wine Week will have access to CapeWine, a wine trade fair in Africa that occurs every three years and features over 300 producers. Price highlighted the importance of integration within the broader industry and noted that while the event focuses on people of color, participation in the wider economic conversation, facilitated by CapeWine, is essential.

The conference will also incorporate cultural elements, including a welcome dinner and a restaurant crawl in collaboration with Fine Wine Series, a US-based event company. The restaurant crawl will feature Black-owned restaurants in Cape Town.

Afro Wine Week's mission includes a focus on social responsibility. The event will support the Pinotage Youth Development Academy (PYDA), which provides training and career pathways in the wine industry for South African youth, and The Roots Fund, which offers financial assistance, education, mentorship, and career development for underrepresented communities in the global wine and spirits industry.

Afro Wine Week South Africa seeks to recognize the significance of access and inclusion in driving innovation and the contribution of diversity to the overall strength of the wine industry.

For additional information regarding the program and registration, please visit afrowineweek.com.

Tuanni Price
Afro Wine Week
tuanni@afrowineweek.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Other

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.