‘I love my wine!’ The warm words are from Thembi Tobie, the dynamic and passionate woman behind Thembi & Co Wines, a joint venture with Boland Kelder based in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Thembi Tobie was never a wine maker. She is a creative entrepreneur with flair, who never says no to an opportunity. She is also a wine enthusiast who didn’t hesitate ‘to soak it all up, meeting the right people at the right time, tasting wines, visiting wine auctions’ in order to turn her label into a success. Originally trained as a nurse, she worked as a marketing executive for a wine company and studied through the Wine Management Program at Stellenbosch University before launching her own label.
Partnering up with an already established winery, Thembi Tobie used its expertise to conquer the market.
It has not always been an easy road and the wine connoisseur had to face obstacles and issues which, at the end, helped her to learn about essential entrepreneurial keys like
supply consistency, technical and logistical support and having the right partners with sufficient capital to finance the business in the start-up phase.’
South Africa’s wine industry is 300 years-old and is based in the southern province, blessed by a Mediterranean climate, slopes and valleys, ideal for the growth of wine grapes. The industry produces 3.6% of the world’s wine and is ranking at number six in overall volume production (2006 figures).
Today, Thembi Tobie turned her passion into her profession, exporting internationally, making sure that her brand reflects positive and responsible ethics. The company offers a bursary scheme where they support the further studies of selected individuals of previously disadvantaged communities. Thembi Wines, along with their production partner, also supports the Outreach Programme to farming communities.
Reinventing herself, Thembi Tobie is a successful entrepreneur, who understood the power of partnering up with the right people, following your dreams without compromising on your values.
Adopted from The Africa Report