Cape Classics is the largest importer of South African wines to the United States. A privately held company founded by Andre and Gary Shearer in 1992, Cape Classics focuses on South African and French wine, today representing 22 estates and labels with distribution in 50 states.
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Social Responsibility
Cape Classics' Indaba brand was first launched in the US in 1996, shortly after South Africa transitioned to a democratic republic. Indaba is the Zulu word for “a meeting of the minds", or a traditional gathering of tribal leaders for sharing ideas. The brand was created as a celebration of the democratization process in South Africa. Established by Cape Classics, a portion of the proceeds from the Indaba wine brand’s global sales support the newly created Indaba Education Fund (IEF). Formerly known as the Indaba Scholarship, Indaba has provided many bursaries for students to pursue wine-industry-related graduate and post-graduate studies since 1998. Via IEF, Indaba is taking its long-standing commitment to education a step further by shifting its focus to the crucial area of early childhood development (ECD). The Indaba Education Fund’s mission will be to provide teacher training, infrastructure and learning materials all based on a Montessori approach, at schools established for wine farm workers’ children in the Cape Winelands. This training is coordinated in the Winelands through the Stellenbosch-based Sustainability Institute and the Newberry House School. IEF aims to implement positive changes in society by starting at the beginning - identifying and fostering untapped potential in children at an early, receptive and influential age in hopes of encouraging brighter futures.
Key Partners
Darden Restaurants (Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, Yard House), Walt Disney World, Trader Joe's, Costco and Whole Foods Market