South Africa’s Boland Cellar has identified what it believes is an untapped opportunity in the country’s largest export market for wine.
The Paarl-based producer and brand owner, which counts the canned Expresso Pinotage (below) in its portfolio, is targeting the mid-tier price segment in the UK. According to Boland, the bracket offers rich pickings on the basis of a recent slide in export volumes to the country that has conflicted with a steep rise in average price.
With a presence in the UK that is currently limited to the off-premise at retail multiple and wholesale level, the company, which exports around 6m litres per year to 20 markets, has trained its sights on wider distribution in the channel as well as on-premise listings.
“The UK wine market accounts for 26% of value exports for South Africa and 24% volume,” said group CEO Ross Sleet. “It is, undeniably, a leading export market for our wines.
“But, South Africa in the UK is not an easy picture. [According to the Wine & Spirits Trade Association’s market report in July], we saw the largest drop in volume by country, compared with the highest leap in average price over the same time period. South Africa needs a solid proposition in the mid-tier and Boland Cellar is well placed to meet that requirement.
“Smaller volume and higher value can only take the country so far,” Sleet added. “We need to play in the main commercial space.”
According to figures released by trade associations Wines of South Africa and South Africa Wine NPC in January, shipments of wine from the country in the 12 months of 2025 declined by almost 5% on a near-14% slide in volumes. The UK posted a 2% dip in exports by value in the year.
