Cape Town - Authenticity is a very good starting point in the wine industry, according to Dr Marco Fantinel, group president of Italian sparkling wine producer Fantinel.
Of Fantinel’s range of wines available in South Africa, its Prosecco - an Italian sparkling white wine - is the fastest-seller.
"We are relatively new in the market in Africa and want to build a presence in the best markets, including hotels and safari lodges, on the continent," Fantinel told Fin24 on Monday during his visit to the Mother City.
"We are to create a wine brand identity. We did not come here in a rush, but rather to do a good job with branding, especially our Prosecco."
Fantinel has rapidly expanded across Africa since its launch on the continent in March last year and has an office in Kenya, for instance.
Apart from South Africa, it is doing well in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zanzibar, the Seychelles, Mauritius and Nigeria.
“We should start soon in Morocco, Cameroon, Ghana, Egypt, Mozambique, Angola and Botswana,” says Dr Fantinel, who is a descendant of the founder. “And further expansion is in the pipeline,” he said.
From its headquarters in Tauriano Fantinel runs its presence in 90 countries.
“Over the years, Prosecco has become synonymous with the elegance of the Italian lifestyle. Its everyday appeal is one of the very reasons it has surpassed sales of Champagne in some markets of the world,” said Fantinel.
- Fin24