Ryan Swano
The latest venture by the founders of The House of La RicMal, father-and-son duo Malcolm Green and Ricardo Green, creates an all new South African Wine Experience for international visitors and local wine lovers to enjoy.
With their debut boutique wine store in such a sought-after location, La RicMal not only breaks new ground for the South African Wine Industry, but also takes a huge leap forward for the advancement of black-owned wine brands.
We had the pleasure of joining the Green family, their new staff and their guests for the official ribbon-cutting and opening of the first La RicMal Wine Boutique.
Among the guest attending were members of the management team of Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), including Mr Yolisa Mlawuti, Acting Assistant General Manager: Client and Passenger Services and Ms Wendy Petersen who is CEO of the SA Olive Association and also has a long and remarkable as associaton with the South African Wine Industry.
The Provincial Head of Department: Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Dr Mogale Sebopetsa was also among the guests who celebrated La RicMal reaching their newest milestone.
Speaking to Malcolm Green one can sense that the occasion is not merely about ‘opening up a wine store’ but that it is indeed a major milestone in his long illustrious career as an entrepreneur and that for the Green family it is an extension of the passion they have developed for the wine industry.
Set in one of the busiest transport hubs on the continent, international visitors as well as South African travellers will find themselves immersed in an enchanting experience of sensory delights.
As travellers approach the store they are drawn in by the allure of a tactile and visual encounter with one of South Africa’s longest running and highly respected agricultural industries.
An Air of Class & Sophistication
La RicMal Wine Boutique’s elegantly functional layout along with their stylish decor create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that will please both the experienced wine connoisseur and the novice alike.
The boutique’s display of their wares exudes an air of sophistication that is complimented by the stunning elegance of the chandelier hanging from their ceiling.
The delicate glow of the chandelier guides your eyes to the top of the wine display shelves on your right which are adorned with authentic wine barrels that pay homage to the art of winemaking.
Clearly visible to all passers-by, dominating the back wall of the store is visual delight in the form of a 65-inch TV that takes you on a virtual tour through the flourishing vineyards and landscapes of the Cape Winelands. These are interspersed with scenes of winemaking that segue into footage of people enjoying wine in a variety of settings.
The ambient soft soothing sounds of Jazz music embrace guests in a relaxing atmosphere where they can take a brief respite from the hustle and bustle of the busy airport and be enthralled by some of the best of what the 360-year-old South African wine industry has to offer.
Ideally Located for All Airport Visitors
Situated where the walkway of arriving international visitors and South African travellers returning from abroad opens up into the airport’s arrivals shopping precinct, the store is also easily accessible to local arrivals as well as local and international travellers who are leaving Cape Town. The new wine boutique presents the perfect opportunity for visitors and locals to purchase wine for their own enjoyment or to present as gifts to family, friends, colleagues and business associates.
“Our wine boutique is strategically placed to ensures that every day tens of thousands of local and international travellers are exposed to the best of what the South African Wine Industry has to offer.”
“When international travellers see our wine boutique we want their first reaction to be, ‘Wow! South Africans really do love and respect their wine’.”
A Friendly Welcome from Professional Staff
For many tourists La RicMal Wine Boutique will be their very first introduction to South African wines and possibly for some it might even be their encounter with a local on South African soil.
Guests will enjoy a warm welcome from the friendly, professional and knowledgeable staff who are able to answer any of their questions and give the most suitable recommendations from the large variety of wines available.
Malcolm Green says that along with their experience and existing qualifications in the retail sector, as well as their up-to-date knowledge of the wine industry, the La RicMal Wine Boutique staff are set to benefit from the skills development path that is set up for them.
“We have faith in what our core staff members bring to the future success of the boutique and believe that they will benefit from acquiring skills beyond mere product knowledge of the different wines we stock. Among our long term plans for their skills development, our short term plans are on track for them to soon become accredited sommeliers.”
“Not only will this enable our staff to provide a better service to our clientele, but it also adds to their own personal development within the wine industry.”
“Our staff are also fully aware that along with being in the wine industry, they are now also at the forefront of the tourism sector. We are therefor already looking at training opportunities for them in the tourism sector.”
“We are confident that they will on behalf of La RicMal competently represent the South African wine industry and also become great ambassadors for our tourism sector.”
The Best of South African Wines
The La RicMal Wine Boutique shelves host an impressive collection of high quality South African wines that along with La RicMal Supreme Wines include Groot Constantia, Beyerskloof, Anthonij Rupert, Diemersfontein, Kleine Zalze, Landskroon, Tokara, De Grendel and a variety of others, including a small selection of sparkling wines.
La RicMal Wine Boutique also has a well-stocked display fridge offering a variety of bottled wine spritzers and other wine-based cold drinks. Perfect cooling for someone entering Cape Town’s warm climate for the very first time.
“Our focus is on offering visitors the best South African wines available. Our wine boutique hosts selections from 50 different wine brands and our pricing ranges from around R120 up to R2 000 a bottle of wine.”
Treasure Trove of Exquisite Gifts
The display wall behind the checkout counter on the left of the store is absolutely fascinating!
The La RicMal brass emblem in the centre and the two stunning backlit portraits to the sides are surrounded by shelves and a counter below that hold the most interesting gift packs and wine-related memorabilia, interspersed with Jeroboam-sized bottles of remarkable South African wines.
Among La RicMal Wine Boutique’s variety of wine-related gifts some of the most intriguing are the miniature wine barrel decanters that can hold a few bottles of wine at a time.
On the opposite main shelves, the impressive selection of wines from the most important regions and the best varietals grown in South Africa are grouped in such a way that experienced wine lovers and novices alike will find easy to navigate.
Those are interspersed with a few special displays that highlight premium products and special gift packs including the unique La RicMal South African Wines Value Kit.
Aiming to give both experienced wine lovers and novices a fun and educational wine experience, the La RicMal South African Wine Value Kit makes for a perfect gift. This kit has already gained the reputation of being highly appreciated by local and international visitors and guests. In the business world it is most impressive as corporate and seminar gifts.
With all the easy-to-read information contained in the kit accompanying four La RicMal Supreme Varietals & two La RicMal Lerato Blends, the La RicMal South African Wines Value Kit also makes for fun social experience amongst friends and family.
Soon visitors to the La RicMal Wine Boutique will also be able to book wine tours direct from the boutique.
“Aside from our plans to expand our selection of wine-related gifts, we will also soon be offering wine tour bookings from our boutique.”
Evolution of a Game-changing Concept
La RicMal’s new Wine Boutique is by no means a sudden plunge into a new direction. The boutique has been more than five years in the making.
Recognised as game-changers in the South African Wine Industry, La RicMal has established a strong presence in the wine retail market through their partnership with the Shoprite retail giant. Shoprite stores and liquor outlets sell La RicMal wines across South Africa and all over the African continent.
La RicMal also continues to grow its exports and are shipping thousands of bottles to a growing number of countries across the world.
In his history of over 44 years as a business leader, from small beginnings Malcolm Green has proven many times over that businesses can only grow exponentially through bold innovation and stepping into challenging new territories.
Never ones to rest on their laurels, the father-and-son duo are always looking at new ideas that can continue to expand their operations and inject new vitality into their business.
“Through our love and respect for the South African Wine Industry Ricardo and I came to the conclusion that our next move should not only benefit our brand alone but also have a huge positive impact on the industry as a whole while also advancing transformation that benefits black-owned wine brands.”
“We are committed to providing a tangible and sustainable future for all.”
“Naturally our idea also needed to result in a net-growth of our number of permanent employees.”
Patience Paves the Way to Success
“In 2018 we decided on the idea of entering the wine retail market with a wine boutique that stands out from what wine lovers have thus far been used to. We started looking for high-traffic areas where wine lovers would not traditionally expect to find a wine boutique and where no-one else was focusing on wine.”
South Africa’s airports clearly stood out as perfect locations to launch their new venture. Cape Town International Airport was the obvious first choice due to its location as a gateway to the Cape Winelands.
Key to making the La RicMal Wine Boutique a reality was the assurance that Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) believed in the Green family’s vision.
Getting the long-awaited call that the ideal premises at Cape Town International Airport had become available was the start of new set of challenges to overcome but the Green family persevered and their patience has paid off well.
Malcolm Green says that throughout the entire process ACSA has been there for them every step of the way.
“We faced many new challenges and there was somewhat of a learning curve in setting up the wine boutique to be fully operational. Through all of that ACSA management and staff were very patient with us and amazingly supportive in our efforts to make sure that our store stands as a beacon of the South African wine industry.”
“They also continue to be amazing in helping us, and particularly our staff, become part of the ACSA Cape Town International Airport ecosystem.”
Green Family’s Passion Stands as a Welcoming Herald of the South African Wine Industry
Today, for tourists and local travellers alike, the La RicMal Wine Boutique at Cape Town International Airport stands as the welcoming herald of the South African Wine Industry.
“Nothing worth having is too long to wait for if you believe in what you are waiting for. If you believe what you are waiting for has merit and that it is a game changer, you will wait for it. I also believe that what is meant for you will work out for you.”
“Everything I do stems from my faith in God and in my belief of building together as a family. That is why I am grateful that from the start my family was very involved in setting up this new venture and we are here together as a family to celebrate this new milestone.”
“Our family has become extremely passionate about the South African Wine Industry and along with our goals of transformation in the industry we also believe that when we speak of supporting the industry, we do not only speak of our own brand in isolation.”
The new La RicMal Wine Boutique at Cape Town International Airport is testament of the passion the Green Family has for South African Wines and their belief that the growth of their own brand is intrinsically linked to the growth of the entire industry.
La RicMal Welcomes You to Cape Town
Whenever you find yourself at Cape Town International Airport, whether you are arriving, leaving or picking up someone, make sure that you pop in at La RicMal Wine Boutique.
It could be in that hour you spend waiting for the boarding call for your flight; or perhaps you are collecting someone who is about to arrive or has just arrived; take a gander into the new La RicMal Wine Boutique.
If you are an international visitor, a tourist or a local traveller who has just landed in Cape Town, La RicMal Wine Boutique is the perfect place to catch your breath before meeting up with your shuttle or hailing a cab.
Let the new La RicMal Wine Boutique be your gateway to Cape Town and what the Cape Winelands has to offer.
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