SOUTH AFRICA. Experienced duty free executive Anthony Budd has set up a new trading company, Diverse Flavours, to export South African wines, food and beverages.
Based in Cape Town, Budd is working with five South African wineries to develop their products in duty free: Avondale, Cederberg Winery, Deetlefs, Hidden Valley and Muratie.
The company’s early success was assured when, in May 2010, Hidden Valley Secret 2006 became the first South African wine to be sold onboard Korean Air in the carrier’s Sky Shop Wine Club.
“I am very encouraged by the potential opportunities going forward,” Budd told The Moodie Report. “My focus is to develop the brands in duty free and also to find domestic distributors, primarily in Asia.”
Explaining the vision for his trading company, which he runs together with his wife Michiko, Budd says: “We decided to start our own business to export the diverse tastes and delights of this country to other countries who will appreciate the fine wines, foods and beverages and outstanding natural beauty that South Africa can offer, and conversely to bring the diverse tastes and delights that other countries have to offer to South Africa.”
Extensive duty free experience
Budd has more than 26 years’ marketing, commercial and general management experience at regional board level in the international wines and spirits industry.
Until recently, he was the Marketing Director for Pernod Ricard South Africa and was responsible for the strategic development of Red Heart Rum, Olmeca Tequila, Chivas Regal and Jameson Whiskey.
Budd previously steered the formation of the joint venture company Jinro Ballantines in Korea as a main board member and managed the commercial development of the company and later as Marketing Director. During these seven years, the company became market leader in the world’s fourth richest Scotch market. He also assisted in the integration of the company to the current owners Pernod Ricard.
Earlier in his career, Budd managed the Asia Pacific and global duty free business for Hiram Walker and the Canadian Club brand, locating to Canada and Japan. He developed and launched six new Canadian Club brand extensions and with a widening remit oversaw the strategic development of Ballantine’s 17yo whisky across Northern Asia together with the complete Allied Domecq portfolio.
At the start of his career, he was a founding member of duty free division of Long John International.
Budd is a member of the exclusive international society The Keepers of the Quaich. The society was set up to represent the Scotch whisky industry worldwide.
Diverse Flavours’ portfolio
The five South African wineries represented by Diverse Flavours are:
Avondale: The Grieve family, owner of Vital Health Foods, bought the farm in Southern Paarl in 1997 and made the first wines under the Avondale label in 1999. Johnathan Grieve, youngest son of the family manages business and viticulture.
Cederberg Winery: Cederberg Wine has been owned by The Nieuwouldt family for five generation since 1893. The family name means new wood. David Nieuwouldt started making wine on the farm in 1997. At an altitude of more than 1000m above sea level, Cederberg Wine is South Africa’s highest winery.
Deetlefs: This is the third oldest wine estate in South Africa and has been under the ownership of the same family since 1822. Deetlefs Estate is situated at the foot of the Du Toitskloof Mountains in the Western Cape, one hour’s drive from Cape Town.
Hidden Valley: In the late 1970s Dave Hidden’s Viticultural Professor remarked that this was among the best vineyard land in South Africa. Hidden, a winemaker by training, has realised his dream acquiring the property in 1998.
Muratie: Lourens Campher, a German sailor and Ansela, a former slave, started to farm in 1699 what would later be known as Muratie. In 1763 Martin Melck bought Muratie for his daughter, Anna Catherina. In 1926 G.P. Canitz, a German artist, bought the estate.
*Budd will be meeting business contacts during the 2010 TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes in October.
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New trading company Diverse Flavours is offering the products of five South African wineries in duty free |
About Diverse Flavours
Trading company Diverse Flavours was founded in October 2009 to export South African wines, food and beverages and import products into South Africa. Based in Cape Town, the company is run by husband and wife team Anthony and Michiko Budd, who have lived on four continents and in five countries: the UK, Japan, Korea, Canada and South Africa.
The colours of the company logo represent the concept of variety and diversity of products: green for growth and potential; orange for creativity and vibrancy; blue for the ocean, trade and positivity; and red for ability and strength (as well as wine, a key product). The white cross separating the colours represents the points to the four continents the company founders have lived on: the North in Europe; the South in Africa; the West in the Americas; and the East in Asia. It represents the trade routes (import and export) between the continents and the potential for the exchange of goods, services and new cultural experiences, the company said.
For details, contact Anthony Budd on tel: +27 21 851 1358 or e-mail: anthonybudd@diverseflavours.com Visit www.diverseflavours.com
