After a notably poor harvest in 2024, South Africa’s wine industry is poised for recovery in 2025, offering renewed optimism across the sector.
According to the most recent statistics from SA Wine and Vinpro early forecasts predict a grape yield of 1 244 million tons this year, up 11% from the previous season. With wine remaining one of the country’s top agricultural exports by value, the outlook signals not just a seasonal rebound, but a broader opportunity for renewed growth in a sector that underpins rural economies and job creation.
Arno Abeln, managing director of Agrimark Operations, said the wine industry played a far-reaching role in the country’s economic ecosystem. “The wine industry is a critical driver in the South African economy.” He represented Agrimark at the South Africa Wine Summit in Stellenbosch on Thursday 22 May.
The event brought key stakeholders from across the industry together to explore solutions for building a stronger, export-
ready industry. Agrimark is a continuous sponsor of the summit, reflecting its commitment to the wine sector’s long-term sustainability. Abeln notes that the sector’s success has ripple effects across employment, supply chains and export revenues.
Record agricultural exports
According to Wandile Sihlobo, agricultural economist at Agbiz, the rebound comes at a critical time, as the country’s export-oriented agricultural sector continues to push for growth in new global markets.
Last year, South African agricultural exports reached a record US$13,7 billion, a 3% increase year-on-year with wine ranking among the top products by value.
But the industry’s contribution runs deeper than exports. A 2022 study commissioned by the SA Wine Industry Information and Systems (SAWIS) reveals the wine industry supports over 270 000 jobs across farming, labour, packaging, retail and tourism. It adds R56,5 billion to the GDP, with more than half of that remaining in the Western Cape.
As the world’s seventh-largest wine producer by volume (2023), accounting for nearly 4% of global output, SA’s wine sector is an essential pillar of the national economy.
“This is why we need to ensure that we build strong agricultural value chains in this area, and one way to do this is through building a route to market for wine farmers and cellars.”
Abeln says that Agrimark is invested in the South African wine industry’s success and provides support to more than 1 000 wine farms and 100 cellars through a comprehensive offering that spans essential inputs, packaging, mechanisation and financial services. It also plays an active role in the broader wine ecosystem, with a growing presence in the farm-to-fork value chain.
“We support 1 136 wine producers with a broad, integrated offering designed to meet the needs of the industry,” Abeln said. “This includes packaging solutions such as a wide range of wine bottles, cartons, dividers, closures and custom-packaging that meets local and international standards.”
Stocking wine brands
Agrimark Liquor, among the retail brand’s offerings, now stocks 162 wine brands and 690 wine SKUs, with plans to expand its footprint by opening nine additional stores by 2030. As part of its strategy to build a unique retail offering in wine, Agrimark recently introduced two private label brands, Tucana and The Cape.
Tucana, inspired by the star constellation first documented by Dutch explorers sailing past SA in the 1500s, reflects the country’s rich astronomical and seafaring history. The red wine is produced in the Swartland, while the white wine is sourced from the Breede River Valley and made by a collective of local producers. The Cape brand pays tribute to the historical planting of the first grapevines in SA, a moment that laid the foundation for one of the world’s great wine regions. “With all eyes on recovery and growth in the sector, all stakeholders have a responsibility to ensure its longevity,” Abeln said.
