About Us

VERSUS forms part of the 'Company of Wine People' range of wines, challenging the status quo of wine drinking with its flair for the unconventional.

OUR BUSINESS

The company of wine people is one of South Africa’s top wine producers and the country’s fifth largest packaged wine exporter bringing 80% of our volume to markets around the globe with the rest sold locally. Our wine portfolio offers both age-old brands steeped in centuries of tradition and lifestyle brands in the modern idiom. The wines span all segments from the top-end of popular premium to the super-premium segments.

Our core brands are the handcrafted Welmoed export success Arniston Bay the king of South African wines Kumkani and unconventional Versus.

Our head office is based at Welmoed a wine farm originating back to 1690. The company formed in 2006 as a result of a merger between Vinfruco and Stellenbosch Vineyards. It is a public company though not listed.

We are members of the SA Liquor Bottlers Association (SALBA) and Wines of South Africa (WOSA)

OUR PEOPLE

the company of wine people employs over 200 “wine people” in their various departments. Our key resource is our people their passion for our brands and wine drinkers who have pride in what we are and what we do in building sustainable business partnerships with suppliers distributors and customers in the persuit of performance excellence and profit.

CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT

As a company we are involved in a number of social and economic developmental initiatives. We are associated with Thandi Wines, a transformation initiative that started as a winemaking project to empower the Lebanon community in Elgin. Thandi has become a successful business venture benefiting a number of previously disadvantaged communities. In line with the company’s progressive thinking, members of staff are offered a wide range of skills development opportunities, among them an adult literacy programme. Bursaries are also made available to learners, enabling them to attend the Senior Agricultural School in Stellenbosch. Physical provision for employees and their families includes the group’s own medical clinic, as well as the co-ordination and arranging grants for the building of housing.

Wines with Heart is a project which raises money for charities based in the Cape winelands. It’s a simple concept with a win-win outcome: when you make a donation you will receive 6 bottles of wine and a needy organisation receives the money. Numerous local wine producers support this initiative by donating some of their flagship wines which is then repackaged into a mystery box and sold for a good cause. The following organisations are beneficiaries of the Wines with Heart initiative: Association for the Sensory Disabled, Little Angels, and FASfacts.

the company of wine people is a WIETA accredited wine producer. Established in November 2002, WIETA is a non-profit voluntary association comprising of a variety of stakeholders who are committed to the promotion of ethical trade in the wine industry and agriculture as a whole.

As a member of The Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA) we support the International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) initiatives. FSD is 100% preventable. The disorder can very easily be prevented simply by refraining from drinking during pregnancy or when you are trying to conceive. Alcohol goes into the blood stream, which transmits it to the unborn baby. Family and friends of pregnant women are asked to support them by educating people about the risks involved and encourage them in their quest to refrain from alcohol. Maybe in solidarity family and friends can even abstain themselves during their friend or family member's pregnancy.

DID YOU KNOW?

South Africa has one of the highest incidences of FASD in the world, with the disorder being most prevalent in the Western Cape. In 2004, it was reported that 75 out of every 1 000 children suffered from the disorder. These statistics are 50 times higher than other developing countries.

Social aspect organisations
the company of wine people believes in enjoying alcohol responsible and only people who are of legal drinking age may access this website. Here are useful links for information and guidelines on responsible alcohol consumption in your country:

South Africa: The South African Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA)
United Kingdom: Drinkaware (Portman Group)
Ireland: Meas (the Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society Limited)
Scotland: Alcohol Focus Scotland
Europe: The Amsterdam Group (TAG)
Europe: European Forum for Responsible Drinking  
USA: The Century Council
Canada: Éduc’alcool  
Netherlands: Horeca or GenietMaarDrinkMetMate
Denmark: Goda
Global Action on Harmful Drinking is a consortium of initiatives dedicated to helping reduce the harmful use of alcohol.

GOING GREEN

Our company aims to reduce reuse and recycle. We encourage staff members to recycle waste in the areas they work in. We have a Waste Water Treatment (Effluent) Plant on our estate to clean the water we use in the cellars and bottling line. For more information about recycling visit Greenworks.
Our eco-friendly innovations
As a company we are taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint and combat global warming. We have invested in alternative, eco-friendly packaging, including our convenient wine pouch, which takes up less space in a landfill than glass bottles, tetrapaks PET and lightweight glass bottles for core brands.

SUPPLY CHAIN

We don’t own any vineyards, but the winemakers and viticulturists co-operate closely with our growers. Each of our three winemakers champions the respective brands to ensure quality at all levels. We own two wineries – Eersterivier and Welmoed, with a combined tank storage capacity of 25.6 million litres. Our crushing facilities have a capacity of 15 000 tons, and our maturation facilities of over 3 000 barrels.

Warehousing and bottling
We have a warehousing capability of 13 500 m2 and our certifications include ISO 9002, HACCP, BRC, IFS and WIETA. We have an own bottling facility of 4 million 9L cases, as well as outside Bag-in-Box, small packs, tetra and pouch facilities. There are three high speed bottling lines with the latest technology, including extensive screw cap capability. There are self-adhesive labeling machines on all three lines and bottle sterilisation is done by ozone. The company does third party bottling for major brands.    Vinlab operates a laboratory on site and the final product is released after microbiological and chemical post bottling analysis. Bottling reconciliation is available 48 hours after bottling. We also offer blending and cold stabilisation, pre-bottling cellar stabilisation via electrodialises and ultra cooler, and crossflow and bulk filtration.

Packaging formats
•    Glass: 750 ml, 500 ml, 375 ml, 250 ml, 187 ml (select in PET)
•    Tetra: 1L, 375 ml, 250 ml (external filling)
•    BIB: 2.25L, 3L and 5L (external filling)

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