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Leaving no doubt as to the quality of Van It’s not
Ryn’s products – and arguably its ability to
compete with cognac on the open market WHO
for consumers’ share of wallet – is that the
Van Ryn’s 15-year-old Fine Cask Reserve you know,
brandy has garnered the title of world’s it’s
best brandy nine times in the past 15
years at the International Spirits Challenge. WHAT

So what name should South African you know.
brandy embrace? There is only one name
that can be used to give local brandies
a powerful geographic identity, believes
Hooper. “We must build the name Cape
Brandy in the same way that cognac has
built its brand identity,” he says.

A new identity for brandy is one of
the SA Brandy Foundation’s priorities,
says Christelle Reade-Jahn, its Director.
“We are still working on a new name for
brandy. We have only one chance to get
it right, but the word Cape is very likely to
feature prominently.”

Industry giant Edward Snell has already
taken the plunge. “We have rebranded
our three premium Oude Molen brandies
as Oude Molen Cape Brandy,” Hooper
notes. Also adopted is the cognac-based
description of age on the bottles: VS
(denoting ‘very special’), VSOP (very
superior old pale) and XO (extra old).

For Hooper, the industry’s delay
in following Edward Snell’s lead is
frustrating. “The industry’s efforts should
all be about pushing Cape Brandy,” he
stresses. “It is our best opportunity.”

August–September 2016 strategicmarketing 27