The 2026 honour, conferred by the organisers of South Africa’s annual Wine Harvest Commemorative Event, recognised the family’s extensive and ongoing contribution to the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the local industry.
VLFV managing director Philip Retief, his brother Neil and cousins Hennie and Bussell Retief took over the running of the family-owned business in 2006, which now exports to 70 countries.
Over time the company has also diversified into other types of farming, playing a key role in accelerating skills development and black economic inclusion, while promoting conservation and finding ways to lighten their environmental impact.
“We are immensely proud to have been affirmed by the industry in this way. It is a great honour to join such luminaries as Ken Forrester, Tim Hutchinson, Johan Krige and Carmen Stevens as recent examples. We four cousins are a tight-knit team who with our colleagues have made sustainability across the board our mantra. To that end, we stay nimble, diversified and continue to invest in talent, innovation and opportunities in wine and wine tourism,” said Philip Retief.
The team are also the owners of Loxtonia cider which has completed a series of strategic acquisitions including a majority stake in Neil Ellis Wines of Stellenbosch and full ownership of Landskroon in Paarl.
VLFV recently took over Overhex Wines in its entirety, along with its production facility in Worcester and the Survivor brand.
Economic inclusion and empowerment of farm workers form an important part of the business’s long-term sustainability efforts as Van Loveren farm workers hold a 26% stake in the Five’s Reserve brand, with annual dividends reinvested into the local community.
In addition, at De Goree, a 138-ha farm near Robertson, VLFV has partnered with its workers, who hold a 52% share.
As part of its ongoing commitment to skills development, VLFV has partnered with the Afri Training Institute to deliver an accredited, year-long work-integrated learning programme focused on farming, crop production, entrepreneurship and data analytics.
Dining and Cooking