Distell

History of Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery (SFW), Distillers Corporation and Distell

Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery

Its full name was SFW has long been a major force in the wine industry in South Africa. This company was the brainchild of William Charles Winshaw, an American medical doctor who came to South Africa in 1900 at the time of the Anglo Boer War. In 1925, SFW was created with Winshaw remaining as the MD of the organisation until 1962 when, at the age of 92, he retired. SFW, as the name implies, excelled at producing quality wines for the full spectrum of consumer needs. This company was also instrumental in the creation of a major new segment in our alcoholic beverage industry - ciders or alcoholic fruit beverages as we know them. One of the company's key strengths has always been innovation.

Distillers Corporation

The brainchild of South African business giant, Dr Anton Rupert, was registered as a corporation in 1945. Distillers expanded energetically and very quickly set up marketing relationships and partnerships in the wine and spirits industry. Soon this company also became a major producer, focusing on distillates and in particular on the brandy market that it developed from relative obscurity to its current level of prominence. It is renowned for its Bergkelder concept, a marketing innovation that invited wine estates to make use of Distillers' bottling, sales and marketing expertise. In addition, it created a new African icon, Amarula Cream, which today is one of the top-selling cream liqueurs in the world.

In the ensuing years, both SFW and Distillers effectively managed wine and spirits growth in South Africa, despite a restrictive business climate. The successes of both companies contributed largely towards the development of the liquor industry into a major force in the South African economy. In so doing, the companies became major creators of employment opportunities and wealth in South Africa.

Distell

Distell was created in 2000 by the merger of Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery (SFW) and Distillers Corporation. These two companies joined forces to form the Distell Group, a move that will would benefit the industry as a whole through its rationalisation, refocusing and effective pooling of resources.

Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery and Cape Theatre Awards

Three Leaf Awards

History

The Three Leaf Awards for excellence in Western Cape Theatre were founded in 1965 by Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery. In 1979 they became the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards

Distell and Cape Theatre Awards

The Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards

History

Renamed in 1978 when Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery and Distillers Corporation merged to form Distell

Awards and winners

Excellence in theatre is recognised by giving awards to top professionals for distinguished acting, directing and technical abilities in 16 different categories. The Special Lifetime Achievement Award and People’s Choice Award are announced and presented at the ceremony.

Award Ceremonies

The Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards are presented in March. Formerly it was an afternoon affair held on a Sunday, but in the late 1990s, under the auspices of Distell Arts and Culture, it became a more glamorous evening affair hosted by a Cape Town theatre, where South African entertainers perform and tickets are made available to the general public through Computicket. All funds generated are donated to development in the performing arts.

Distell Arts and Culture

With the name change of the company, the Oude Meester Foundation for the Arts became Distell Arts and Culture.

Funding

Believing that art is a universal language which everyone understands and can be used as a tool to create jobs, to educate and develop mutual respect for the immense diversity of cultures and people in the country, many arts and culture projects and events are supported throughout South Africa. Among the items supported have been new indigenous plays, contemporary and traditional dance productions, multi-media poetry projects, classical, African and jazz concerts at the many of the Arts Festivals. The festivals include: the Grahamstown Festival in the Eastern Cape, the Aardklop Festival in the North Western province, The Volksblad Festival in Bloemfontein, the Cederberg Festival in the Western Cape, the Hilton Arts Festival in Kwa-Zulu Natal, the KKNK in Outdshoorn, the Kalfie Festival in Hermanus, the Woordfees, in Stellenbosch, the Suidoosterfees, the Cape Town Festival, the Ikhwezi Community Festival and the Imvelo Festival in Cape Town.

Community development projects are supported. These include. The Kayamandi Arts Project, Magnet Theatre Outreach Projects, the Jazzart Job creation programmes and a Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) programme done in collaboration with Take Away Theatre Group which run on farms in the Boland community. A number of outreach and audience development projects run by Artscape are also supported, including the Vredendal Community Project. Support is given to the annual Oude Libertas Amphitheatre Summer Season where wine song and dance forms a perfect blend.

For many years the foundation was also one of the sponsers of the South African Theatre Journal.

Fleur du Cap Awards

History

Renamed in 1978 when Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery and Distillers Corporation merged to form Distell

Awards and winners

Excellence in theatre is recognised by giving awards to top professionals for distinguished acting, directing and technical abilities in 16 different categories. The Special Lifetime Achievement Award and People’s Choice Award are announced and presented at the ceremony.

Award Ceremonies

The Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards are presented at a glamorous evening affair, is held annually in March and is under the auspices of Distell Arts & Culture. Top South African entertainers also perform at this glam event and tickets are available through Computicket. All funds generated are donated to development in the performing arts.

Capetheatre website

Cape Town’s comprehensive one-stop gateway to the city’s vibrant local theatre scene, the interactive website www.capetheatre.co.za is an initiative of the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards and forms part of Distell’s social investment initiative. This website, edited by award winning journalist Marianne Thamm, is an extension of the company’s involvement in sponsoring, nurturing and highlighting theatre and theatrical talent in the city. The website features theatre news, a calendar, reviews by the city’s leading theatre critics, interviews and profiles of theatre personalities, restaurant listings and detailed information about forthcoming productions and development in theatre. It also provides extensive information about individual theatres including location and seating capacity.

For more details

Go to http://www.distell.co.za/

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