Own a vine. Save a job
Thousands of South Africans have been hurt by the collapse of Orbital Wines in the UK. These are people who do not have the opportunity to fight back.
These three and many others like them work for enterprises that enable Stormhoek to supply the wine you love at a price you can afford.
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| Hexwell Ntsewuia is the cellar foreman in Stormhoek production in the Bovlei cellar. His wife is Letitia and they have 1 child. | Manus Samuels is a vineyard worker in a Stormhoek vineyard at Welvanpas. He and his wife Margaretha have 3 sons. | Ludwe Simon is a cellar worker, looking after Stormhoek wines in the Bovlei cellar, Wellington. He and Lucia have 1 child. |
Their employers each have a large debt unpaid by Orbital.
When the crunch came in December 2007, R6 million ($800 000) was owed to South African suppliers. The list of unpaids includes the Stormhoek vineyard, the Stormhoek home cellar and in particular, the whole out-sourcing network (label printers, transporters, too many to mention).
One thing about bankruptcies. The money is lost.
South Africa’s wine industry is not rich. Household income, averaged out across every employee: boss, labourer, supervisor, receptionist, driver, manager, foreman, all of them, is less than R2500 per month.
None of these businesses can afford to lose R500 000.
As a result, all of the dozen or so businesses will have to decide about cutbacks: if, what, when and who.
You can help. You can own a vine
You can have your own vine in the Stormhoek Vineyards.
Put R2000 ($270) into a special Stormhoek fund, based in Mauritius, using this information:
| A/c name: Strategix Limited |
| State Bank of Mauritius |
| Labourdonnais Branch |
| Swift Code STCBMUMU |
| USD ($) account no. 62026000001670 |
| Reference (important): “Stormhoek Client account” (write this on the deposit slip |
| (We are using Mauritius because their laws allow small amounts of money to flow in and out of an account, from anywhere, to anywhere, in the world. This is not the case in South Africa). |
Your deposit will be recorded under your name. We will allocate you a vine (you can choose the variety, provided there are any of that variety left). Your name and location will be displayed on the vine. You can even have more than one. Two vines will cost R4000 ($540), and so on. There are only 3000 units available.
You will get a certificate with a photograph of your vine and your name, plus a bottle of wine made from the crop of the vineyard block containing your vine.
All of the money raised will go to repaying the Orbital debts to South African grape-growing, winemaking and support services.
The repayment scheme
From March 1, we at Stormhoek will contribute 5% of the production cost to a loan-repayment fund, to repay your loan with interest. When the fund has reached the target, all loans will be repaid.
Watch the progress
Thanks to Web 2.0, all of this will be transparent. Your investment, the tallies, the growth, the payments and the repayments will all be open to view on the blog www.stormhoek.co.za or associated site. If one of those dark suited guys who do things like the verification of the Academy Awards counting wants to help, he or she will be welcome.
The Orbital disposal
All saleable assets have been sold, or this is in process.
There is a queue for this money and some people are in the front of the line.
Our South African friends are a bit further back in the queue. You could call them the long tail. You all know what that means.
You can make a real difference
Every R2000 will go to a supplier. And every Rand (or Dollar or Euro) will make a difference.
Your Stormhoek wine supply
Stormhoek is going into the new (2008) harvest right now. Our plan, like every year, is to try to improve.
We believe that everything can be done better if you want to.
We are being supported by our suppliers, agents, distributors, retailers and hopefully by our customers, the Stormhoek wine lovers everywhere.
If you have a problem with finding Stormhoek, whether for the first time or from your regular supplier, use the web, let us know.
Enquiries
Please call Graham Knox at +27 218643155 or +27836252865 or Chris Rawlinson at +27827754022.
This is an awesome idea, and a great initiative. I am definitely in.
Quick question: is there no way to get a credit card account so we can make easier payments? At the moment it looks like we would have to do a wire transfer, am I correct?
[...] a month of negotiating with bankers and lawyers to structure this highly complex type of finance, Stormhoek has done it. As reported on their new blog (the old one was inexplicably locked by the UK partners, presumably [...]
Firstly, please digg the story: http://digg.com/business_finance/Own_a_vine_Save_a_job_at_Stormhoek_wines_in_South_Africa
Secondly, I am so in! One question – “the reference: Stormhoek Client account” – is that literally “Stormhoek Client Account” or is this a number that I am supposed to get from you guys?
[...] a friend. Stormhoek amongst some has been hit hard by the collapse of their UK wine distributor. Read the full story here. So you can help them by buying a vine in their vineyard for ZAR2000 (approx. US$270) and support [...]
Question…Why is the account not local?
congrat’s Stormhoekers on coming back at challenges with creativity!
Thank you so much for your long.term support of the blogging community in SA. Hopefully we’ll show you some big love in return >>
[...] Stormhoek’s site for more information on how you can help. Or show your commitment to the wine industry and South [...]
[...] campaign is called the Own a vine, Save a job campaign and it is a brilliant example of micro financing used to the benefit of the [...]
Jason;
The reason for using a Mauritian account is that we hope that we will be receiving investment from all our friends and secondly is perfect where “micro” amounts are involved.
Shane
Shane, any answer on my question above?
[...] their post on “Own a vine. save a job” and pay it forward folks. I [...]
Jason,
I am trying to phone our banker in this regard. I will get back to you.
Shane
We have a South African account you can use (if you are in South Africa).
H Investments No 121 (Pty) Ltd
Standard Bank
Cape Town Branch 020009
Bank Account No: 070422680
If you are sending money from outside of South Africa, please don’t send it to the above address. We will be prohibited from remitting any money to you, unless it comes in through the Reserve Bank System, which will take a lot of time and effort. Much easier, quicker and just as safe to use Mauritius.
What exactly is Stormhoek’s relationship with Orbital?
Hi im from Ireland and i think its a great idea,i have a few questions how do you transfer the money and do i record my name on the transfer and what are the chances of the loan being repaid
also you say 6million rand was lostby suppliers and they cannot afford to lose this,but if you sell 3000 units at 4000 rand each thats 12 million rand,twice what was lost by the south african wine suppliers.Whats going to happen to this extra 6 million rand.
Mark,
The units are only R2000 each. You can do an international transfer to the account and I am phoning the banker again today to confirm the reference format today.
Duncan,
Orbital were our distributor in the UK. They had an interest in Stormhoek wine business (financed the operations etc.) and owned the trademark in the UK.
Shane
Hey guys, I think it would be a good idea to create a downloadable PDF with all the information in it – small story, bank account details (overseas, and SA account) as well as your contact details etc.
Also add some FAQ’s to it. I think it makes it easier to correlate all the info, as well as I can print it out and pass it to my internetless friends!
Jason et al re deposits and references:
check out http://server7.fusednetwork.com/~stormhoe/how-to-make-your-deposit/
Also regarding the pdf, I think that it is a great idea. I will set something up this morning.
Shane
[...] let me not digress – so we will get see if crowd-sourcing emergency bridging finance a la ‘Own a vine. Save a job at Stormhoek‘ can save the day. (Stormhoek’s UK distributor Orbital collapsed late [...]
sorry bout my last comment im definitely up 4 it if someone can explain to me ho 2 do it
thanks
Mark;
Drop me an email at admin at stormhoek dot co dot za and I can send you some more info.
Shane
I found your blog via Google while searching for levitra safe and your post regarding Own a vine. Save a job by Stormhoek looks very interesting to me. I have a few websites of my own and I must say that your site is really top notch. Keep up the great work on a really high class resource.
Shane,
1. How many units remain to be sold? Will you create a page to track pledges versus available vines to sell?
2. Presume it is correct to say URGENCY is paramount or have you got a standby distibutor here in UK already?
3. Reference the above – summer is fast approaching and some fundraising events here could raise some cash to plough back into operating costs. I refer to events like Henley (yes I know I keep harping on about it but as I rowed there twice I can….!)and the high profile of the event could realise some high flyers parting with their geld.
Jason,
Can you push your ‘innovate’ button and come up with some ideas for us to do in UK?!
Auction A Vine at the Regatta? Mmmmmmm…….! Cane End Vineyard is up the road from Henley so there is a nebulous link!
[...] here or [...]
Robert
We no longer own the rights to promote or distribute Stormhoek in the UK. The new owner does. They will continue to sell Stormhoek there. Our product – for the forseable future – will be made available in South Africa.
[...] If you’re new here, you might like to subscribe using our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! I’m back from Vinisud, and you can all brace yerselves for the holiday snaps, which are to follow shortly. However, in the meantime, here’s something you should know about. Spread the word – this is something the blogosphere ought to do well. Own a vine. Save a job by Stormhoek [...]
[...] here or below on the icon to read Stormhoek’s complete [...]
[...] was the only speaker on the night, besides Graham who helped us understand a bit better the Own a Vine, Save a Job scheme (go Stormhoek!). I must confess Adii’s was the most compelling, relevant and interesting talk [...]
Why did Orbital go belly up in the first place? Low demand? Risky investments – credit crisis in USA (which is the common ’scapegoat’ these days). Just poor management? In the latter, are you going after those guys – they might have enriched themselves?
And the new distributor – they have a better team in place?
No I’m not a banker – just curious, as you forgot to mention it…
Good luck!
[...] appearance and was good to see him again. Graham gave us a brief (well he tried to be brief!) about Stormhoek own a vine, save a job initiative, and as always there was plenty of their wine flowing last [...]
Hi Sjefke,
we don’t know what the key problem was with Orbital. Stormhoek sales in the UK during 2007 were double that of 2006. Orbital had many other brands from other countries.
We understand that after the sale of the Stormhoek UK rights and the unsold Stormhoek stock, there’s no realisable value left.
I have no idea how good the new UK team are.
We hope, for Stormhoek’s sake, that they do a great job.
We wish them well.
Hi There – I (think, as I have not had any confirmation as yet) that I have bought a vine for my son-in-law Anton Mauve, and I will most probably buy a vine each for my two sons, Christopher and Timothy Marland soon. However, I am most interested in the response that you have got, or still might get from the article written by Mike Stopforth in the Citizen newspaper on Friday 29th. I can’t think of anything better than “to own part of a winefarm”. It is a lovely thought, and my very best wishes to you all for a resounding success in your money raising venture.
Geraldine,
We most certainly have received your deposit. Graham and I are preparing the photographs. So far you are the only reader of Mikes article that we can directly attribute to it.
Mike is one of our friends and has supported us in many endevours. I will confirm your deposit with you via email.
But for now thanks for your investment.
Shane
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Own a vine. Save a job by Stormhoek is a quite interesting post but quite difficult to understand for me .
[...] Another four videos will follow over the next few days. So watch this space and, in the meantime, don’t forget to buy a vine! [...]
[...] the “buy a vine – save a job” project is successful, it could be quite a significant turn of events in the Web2.0 movement again. [...]
[...] no fault of their own, and you wanted to help them out, who would you turn to for help? If you are Stormhoek Winery, you dodge the bank manager and turn to your biggest fan club – your customer [...]
@Graham – thanks for your reply – sounds like you do not really ‘know’ your overseas business-partners?
I realise you can’t be too picky selecting them, but: “I have no idea how good the new UK team are….”????
Best luck to all of you!
Own a vine. Save a job by Stormhoek thanks for this post!
Graham, Shane,
Can you let us know what this article is about on the UK site?
http://www.stormhoek.com/blog/index.php/2008/03/09/stormhoek-is-moving-house/
It certainly blurs my understanding of the UK relationship.
Thanks.
I found your blog via Google while searching for about ultracet and your post regarding Own a vine. Save a job by Stormhoek looks very interesting to me. I always enjoy coming to this site because you offer great tips and advice for people like me who can always use a few good pointers. I will be getting my friends to pop around fairly soon.
Good Morning Graham, Just to say that I have deposited another two R2000-00 into your account at H Investments No 121. One for my son, Christopher Marland, and one for my younger son Timothy Marland. Please reserve a Cabernet Sauvignon vine in their names. Their addresses will be care of my email address, as above. I am looking forward to seeing the photos of their vines, so that I can send them onto them. My son-in-law, Anton Mauve is thrilled to own “part of a wine-farm”.
[...] adesso? Stormhoek vuole evitare questa situazione di crisi e di licenziamenti. Come? Con un altra campagna di marketing online virale. Own a vine. Save a [...]
[...] Wow! The guys at Zoopy are producing quality videos about The Stormhoek Story. [...]
I’ve been reading your news feed for a few weeks with interest – what a great idea to raise the funding you need like this, and sort out as many of the SA creditors as yu can – go Graham.
Have you guys seen the ‘re-launched’ Stormhoek.com site? Seldom have I ever seen such a deluded, un-principled set of posts – after all the grief you guys and all the other creditors around the world have had to face into over the last few months, is that really all under the carpet, and business as usual? It’s a disgrace.
Stick with the passion, heart and soul you guys have, and I hope it turns out well.
My 2000 rand is on it’s way!
[...] quality production from Zoopy keeps coming! Zoopy has released the 3rd video in the Zoopy series of Stormhoek Stories. Now we get into more detail. Still very interesting to [...]
[...] Hey, it looks like you’re new here to my blog! You may want to consider subscribing to my RSS feed and you’ll automatically get notified when I post a new blog entry. If web feeds aren’t your thing then why not join my email list by clicking here. Thanks for stopping by.Last night I had a great evening with both Stii and Simone at Doppio Zero in Greenside. Lots of fun was had by all but more importantly we discussed some very serious issues ranging from work, life, parenting, blogging and the Stormhoek saga. [...]
Good Morning, – I have been looking forward to receiving your photographs of the vines which were purchased for my two sons, Christopher and Timothy Marland, so far, without any luck. Would you kindly look into the matter, – I really would like to send the pics on to them.
sincerely
Geraldine Marland