Importer develops niche for South African wines

Optimistic with the huge potential of South African wines in the Philippine market, a Cebu-based wine importer and distributor is looking at huge growth prospects within the next months.

“My wife and I are passionate about wines and we personally select every single wine we sell. We rediscovered South African Wines three years ago and we are just impressed with its quality and different intensities and styles,” said Gordon “Dondi” Joseph in an interview during the opening of the South African Food and Wine Festival at the Marco Polo Plaza.

Joseph and his wife Corrine Joseph own D+B (Darras and Bowler) Wines, a retail and wholesale wine outlet in the Crossroads, Banilad under Corinthia Gourmet Incorporated (CGI).

After CGI’s incorporation last 2003, D+B Wines has since grown and became one of the prominent players in Cebu’s food and beverage industry.

They carry over 350 wine labels in its portfolio, considered to be the largest here in Cebu and among its best selling wines are from New Zealand, Australia and France.

The company is also the leading proponent of South Africa’s greatest and award winning wines bringing around 50 labels on its wine list.

They carry South African wines that produce high quality, hand-made wines that are rich in flavor and aromas.

Joseph said that they have since been selling wines in the Cebu market and they have sold South African wines for about three years already from importers but it was just recently this year that they have decided to directly import these wines from South Africa.

He said that the first shipment of about 200 cases of South African wines will arrive around this week.

“South African wines are made by pure traditional wine makers using natural ingredients. Its price to quality ratio is very great so customers get the quality they paid for,” he added.

In terms of competition, he said that there are also around two to three distributors of South African wines here in Cebu but these are supermarket varieties and not of high quality.

“Our goal is to focus on the niche market of quality. We want to sell and bring quality wines to Cebu but not at a high price,” he said.

Joseph also said that doing business with South Africans has been very easy for them because South African businessmen are nice and they easily trust their partners.

“We do business with South Africans at a more personal level. If you are able to gain their trust, they will be very good to you,” he said.

He said that slowly their South African wines are growing its market base in line with the growth of D+B Wines.

Currently, D+B Wines carry 25 brands of South African Wines and Joseph said that in the next 12 months, they are expecting to penetrate around 10 to 15 percent of the market with the growing acceptance of South African wines in the market.

After five years of operations, Joseph outlaid plans of expand their distributorship to other cities so they can establish their presence nationwide.

Joseph said that generally the wine industry in the Philippines is growing in such as rapid phase with an organized growth of around 10 percent a year.

Currently, there are around 13 major players in the industry and if the country’s tourism industry continues to grow, there is a huge potential for the industry to grow as well, said Joseph.

The client base of wines are proved to be recession proof so despite the current global economic crises, decline of sales is not anticipated especially that its market value wines in their lifestyle, added Joseph.

The South Africa Food and Wine Festival which features the rainbow cuisine of South Africa will run until the 20th of November at the Café Marco of the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel showcasing a wide range of South African Wines from D+B Wines.

Bleeding Heart

"You cut me open and i'm bleeding...keep on bleeding love..."

Lyrics from a last song syndrome song (LSS) which also speaks true about my heart and lovelife's condition now a days...
hmmm... (sigh) hmmm....

i'm not crying, i'm not crying now!

I had enough of that melodrama already!

However, i honestly will say that i'm still "bleeding" and that my heart is still torn.
Huh.. yeah good i got that one itsy bit of corny confession out.
Yes, i'm not yet healed and that is because no one in this wide world had taken the effort to do so.

Well, as i've alwways said i don't need a man to be happy but at least i need a person (somebody) to lean on.

I have none. I am living an independent and almost isolated life that only i am aware of.
Oh sure there are people around me. Friends i go out with, watch movie and eat together but no one that i have actually been romantically linked with. (spare my girl friends)

I mean, "kilig" is one factor i'm truly missing and hell, i'm only 21 and it's not fair to say that i should no longer be looking for that now. I'm still young!

No one bothers to share his time and spend effort to show care for me. Where have all the boys gone? Ah...to the mountains!

Well, right now i've hibernated the wild thought of me having another relationship again after that tragic one ended.

I even feel old now. More like i'm thirty because i feel like it, walk like it and damn even speak like it!

Cynical, depressed, frustrated, bitter and damned!

Well, i guess that's my punishment for being too trustful and for giving it my everything...
Maybe that is also the trade-off for recieving so much blessings from the Almighty and for living this kind of life that i have right now.

Yeah, it's definitely a trade-off (that turned out positive for my career) in all the sense of the word. ..

Boracay

BORACAY BABY...

Boracay is one of the counytry's hottest summer destination, where stars and those wanting to meet stars come together. BUt so much for the hype about this temptation island...
I happened to set foot there last week. It was my first time (yeah...yeah...after 21 years!)

Anyway, before i spill my tale, first thing's first! My Bora trip was sponsored by JG Summit, Cebu Pacific and Boracay Tropics (definitely one of Bora's nicest haven!)

Well... let me proceed..

Boracay as we know has always been described as an island paradise like no other. Filled with funfare and every aspect of the word "FUN" that you can think of.

Yeah, no way denying its beauty especially its beach and long stretch of white sand (around 7. something meters)...Gosh it was indeed captivating. First time i have walked in a stretch that long and in a sand that white.

But here's a catch! The water had mosses or "lumot." Walking along the beach you'll see those green slimy things floating on the clear waters.. yes!it's crystal clear, no pebbles but underneath you can clearly see the white sand and of course your reflection (minus the "lumot")

Yes i also agree Boracay is not your typical island because it is in fact an island that mixed nature with "commercialism" however if you'll ask me what the result is: it's to no avail!

There were new constructions everywhere! Walking along the beach will not give your mind some peace and quiete because there were so many people squarming (foreigners and locals alike),actually you can't barely tell because of their tanned and almost burned skin color.

Along the beach are rows of different cafes, hotels, inns, pension houses, bazaars, diners, restos, shops, etc...etc... and take note, each has different and varied concepts! Native Filipino styles, European, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, American ,Thai, and what have you; name it and you'll surely find it in the island.

Yes folks, Boracay is definitely one of the country's emerging tourism destination but its development definitely went out of control---blowing out of proportion.
Even the interior side of the island was not sparred by commercialism and "overdevelopment".

up, u've read that right!
New development here. there and everywhere. The poor provincial town seemed to have been raped out of its wits! tsk..tsk..tsk..

But i've talked to some tourism industry stakeholders (specifically from the hotel industry) and these sources told me that the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) issued last January of this year a moratorium stopping constructions that are going on within the island because these have been destructing the environment and resulted to problems on sanitation, etc..etc..

Well, enough of too much politicism...

In Bora, you can actually do pretty much whatever you want. Whatever you desire and be whoever you want to be. Go crazy, fool around, cheat and no one will care.

As the popular saying goes "whatever happens in Bora, stays in Bora!"

Yes, you can dance your stress away in its multiple night life havens (which is very wild and crazy), drink yourself to death, have an elicit affair and no one will stop you.

Yes folks! Boracay has a lot of stories to tell but these tales would depend upon the person (his or her experiences and perceptions)describing it.

If i may do so, Boracay for me is just another island among the country's 7, 107 islands. I'm not saying it's not special but i prefer other islands than it.

I'm not also saying that its development is negative because locals are actually benefiting from the strong inflow of investments and tourists.

Business is really good in Bora, maybe one major reason why a lot of people have been captivated by its charm. Some of them have chosen to bum around, some decided to work there and some well, jetsetters so what can you expect? they make it as a second home, a secondary base and a sanctuary (however that helps them)...

But all in all, i had fun in Bora, although i was not so charmed with the island's beauty, i enjoyed doing a lot of firsts...

I did parasailing, i did reef walking which enabled me to walk freely beneath the seafloor as if walking in the park and exploring the diversity of the sea, i also did an unforgettable all terrain adventure going to its highest peak called Mt. Luho riding the so-called "all-terrain vehicle," a four wheel vehicle that is way too cool especially for bumpy roads...

In my Bora trip, there are a lot of stories to share because i experienced a lot of new things and of course met and bonded with new friends...

Anyway you look at it, my Bora trip will definitely be remembered for the rest of my life! :-D