How this Entrepreneur is Giving Back on a Lockdown Shoestring

Somerset West resident, Francois Bezuidenhout, is one of the thousands of business owners challenged by the testing times brought by COVID-19. Yet, with limited income due to earlier restrictions on the wine and spirits trade, he has been determined to support industry workers who were temporarily laid off during the lockdown.

Like many in the wine and spirits industry, Bezuidenhout has ridden the uphill battle of limited trade since the start of the lockdown. As South Africa adapts to level three restrictions in June, with local wine and spirits sales permitted, he can again regain confidence in sustaining his business. It also means he can continue providing relief to industry workers who will receive no or little financial aid in oncoming months.

Numerous workers employed by factories, warehouses and bottling facilities were asked to remain home during the lockdown. Others were retrenched as wine-related businesses, including tasting rooms, restaurants, deli’s, delivery and domestic services, could not manage the strain of halted customer traffic. The pandemic was bound to impact the job loss rate in and beyond the wine industry. For Bezuidenhout, it was a matter of improvising with limited resources and trying to put a dent in local industry workers’ dire circumstances.

Leenders Wines’ winemaker and Pimville Gin cofounder, Francois Bezuidenhout, took to raising funds for industry workers affected by the pandemic

Bezuidenhout will donate the funds raised from his winery's “lockdown” sales to local households that have been affected by the pandemic. "We have covered good ground since the start of April, have seen a massive spike in interest in May and hope to ramp up our contributions in June," says Bezuidenhout. "We aim to donate at least R50 000 to industry workers who have been left desolate due to the lockdown."

Bezuidenhout has always dreamt of owning a wine brand. "Being part of a historical narrative that has played an integral part in people's lives is the best motivation to support those who have helped the industry flourish," adds Bezuidenhout.

"The lockdown has called for entrepreneurs to think outside the box and survive the economy dip," adds Bezuidenhout. "Yet, we cannot forget those who have helped us build our industries. If there are ways (small or large scale) to continue being more creative, encourage locals' support and give back to our communities, it can help stabilise the industry in the long run."

In addition to Leenders Wines' “lockdown offering” that feeds into the fundraising initiative, Bezuidenhout, who is also the cofounder of Pimville Gin, has made means by converting his distillery into a sanitiser factory. After manufacturing 70 percent ethanol sanitiser from old, bad and distilled wine sourced from other wineries, Bezuidenhout and his team continues to keep the business abreast, support struggling wine producers and supply the most sought-after essential commodity to the market."We are proud to be able to generate income for struggling wine business' during this time and create an essential product that helps people stay healthy," says Bezuidenhout.

Leenders Wines' “lockdown offer” ensures that the proceeds of one bottle of wine per case sold goes to industry workers and their families. The offer, which will run until the end of June 2020, includes a case of any 12 wines from the Leenders collection at R999. The Sielverkoper, Leenders’ flagship red bled, usually sells at R150 per bottle.

To help Bezuidenhout raise funds for desolate workers, please contact him directly at francois@bezfamily.com.

For more information on the Leenders wines offer that feeds into Bezuidenhout's fundraising project, please visit the Leenders Wines Facebook page.