The Seventeen87 Wine Cellar at Sugar Rush Park in Ballito on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast caught the bouquet when it came tops in the Small Business Start-up category at the 2021 Standard Bank KZN Top Business Hybrid Awards.
The Seventeen87 Wine Cellar was launched in October 2020 by Enterprise iLembe to offer locals and visitors an experiential tourism offering: a combination of “history and wine”.
The idea of the wine cellar and tasting room was borne from the initial Vineyards & Winery Project which was conceptualized by Enterprise iLembe with funding assistance from the KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
The brand Seventeen87 pays homage to the King of the Zulu Nation, King Shaka who was born in 1787.In light of the many businesses impacted by COVID-19, the award received by Enterprise iLembe is all the more significant as it represents start-up businesses that have turned an idea into a successful business despite the challenges of the pandemic.
In the Small Business Start-up category businesses were judged on how they coped with challenges, particularly given the circumstances of 2020.
Cheryl Peters, Acting CEO at Enterprise iLembe Economic Development Agency said she is still overwhelmed by this amazing accomplishment and is incredibly proud of the team at Enterprise iLembe led by project officer Daniel Maerkl who put all their energy and effort into making this creative idea a success story.
“This award gives makes us proud that we were able to complete and launch this project during the pandemic.“We are grateful for all the support received to date and we look forward to hosting more locals and tourists at the Seventeen87 Wine Cellar to give them the best of what we have to offer,” she said.
Chairperson of Enterprise iLembe Board Xolani Gumede said, “It could not have been easy for the judges to select a winner because there are so many great start-up businesses in KZN.
“I was blown away when we received the award. This award displays the dedication and amount of hard work achieved by the team at Enterprise iLembe, despite the many challenges faced during the past year.”
