South African gin drinkers can now take a sip and do their bit to educate and grow the hospitality sector.
A share of the profits from every bottle of SMITHS™ South African Dry Craft Gin sold will now go towards upskilling deserving individuals by providing bursaries at the Cape Wine Academy on a biannual basis.
This social project is expected to open many doors for talented individuals who would otherwise not have the means to further their knowledge, affording them the chance to become true ‘smiths’ of their trade.
Starting Up Bursary Spirits
The innovative idea is the brainchild of Rachel Smith, founder of SMITHS™ Gin, who has been working in the hospitality and alcohol industry for the last seven years.
After quitting her day job, she leveraged her industry knowledge, connections and experience to start up Bursary Spirits, almost overnight.
“South Africa is home to great talent in the hospitality industry and SMITHS™ Gin is proud to be a part of nurturing that skill,” Rachel says.
The Cape Wine Academy
The Cape Wine Academy’s courses set the standard in the South African hospitality industry.
Bursary recipients will learn skills like front of house management and be able to become a professional sommelier or even a Cape Wine Master; a title which has only been granted to 102 successful candidates since 1983 and is endorsed and recognised by the South African Wine industry.
Their courses are held nationally at various venues, with the aim of setting candidates up to be able to work in fine dining establishments.
Brand-Conscious Consumers
Recipients, over the age of 18, will be selected from the pool of applications received and selected based on their motivation and history of involvement in the industry.
This initiative is ideal for brand-conscious consumers who are now able to support a local brand with a socially inclusive footprint through Bursary Spirits and SMITHS™ Gin.
“The inclusive bursary programme gives everyone the chance to benefit from new and exciting career opportunities. Bursary Spirits will also drive innovation and new thinking whilst enabling consumers to give back to the hospitality industry,” she concludes.
