ABOUT US

Anchor Oenology

Our mother company, Anchor Yeast, has been producing yeast in South Africa since 1923, and has a state of the art, modern yeast production facility in Durban, South Africa.

The Anchor Oenology Business Unit forms part of the Anchor Yeast mother company and is situated in the Western Cape, the heart of the South African Winelands. We are a dedicated team of technical and sales consultants that provide support, service and products to wine producing cellars across South Africa. Our dedicated team services wine producing cellars in the following areas: Olifants River, Swartland, Tulbagh, Darling, Durbanville, Constantia, Cape Peninsula, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Breedekloof, Worcester, Overberg, Elgin, Walker Bay, Cape Agulhas, Robertson, Klein Karoo and the Northern Cape. We pride ourselves on being a manufacturer and distributor of not just the leading new world wine yeast brand, but also providing the industry with a variety of wine ingredients, including wine bacteria, enzymes, nutrients, tannins, fining agents, mannoproteins and processing aids, as well as a dedicated sparkling wine and Cap Classique portfolio. Our focus is on providing winemakers with a variety of innovative tools, developed through dedicated and validated research, to assist in producing the best wine quality possible.

In addition to the local market, Anchor Oenology supplies yeast, nutrients and bacteria to the international wine industry via our global distribution partner, Oenobrands, distributing the Anchor products on 5 continents and in 35 countries around the world. Anchor Oenology is the leading new world wine brand in the world. We underpin this statement by constantly being a leader when it comes to innovation, world firsts and pioneering inventions.

We are here to support the industry from grape to glass.

ABOUT US

Our proud history

Anchor Oenology has a proud history with successful milestones that we have accomplished:

  • 1974  |  Anchor Yeast, a proudly South African company, produces the first experimental wine yeast.
  • 1975  |  We provide the South African wine industry with the first commercially produced Anchor wine yeast.
  • 1991  |  We create the world’s first commercialised hybrid wine yeast, Anchor Legacy VIN 13. The pioneering of a hybrid wine yeast, together with our unique ball-shaped yeast, make a bold statement.
  • 1997  |  We want to share the South African success story of Anchor Yeast with the world and start exporting active dried wine yeast.
  • 2008  |  We become the first company in the world to launch yeast blends, Alchemy I and II, developed to enhance wine aroma based on the metabolic interactions between specific yeast strains.
  • 2010  |  We create the world’s first Saccharomyces paradoxus/cerevisiae interspecies hybrid with the launch of Exotics Mosaic.
    We increase our international footprint with the creation of Oenobrands, a joint venture between Anchor Yeast and DSM Food Specialties. Oenobrands, based in Montpellier in France, distributes the Anchor brand across the world.
    We create the world’s first blend of bacteria for malolactic fermentation with the launch of Duet Arom, followed by Duet Soft.
  • 2016  |  We launch the yeast blends, Alchemy III and IV for red wine production.
  • 2018  |  We create the world’s first Saccharomyces cerevisiae/cariocanus interspecies hybrid with the launch of Exotics Novello.

ABOUT US

Meet the team

We are a dedicated team consisting of a Director, International Product Manager, administrative staff, as well as Technical Sales Managers, to provide the wine producing cellars across South Africa support from the grape to the glass.

  • Danie Malherbe

     | Director

    | Danie Malherbe

    | Director

    dmalherbe@anchor.co.za

      |  060 660 6360

    My time in the wine industry really started while I was busy with my post-graduate degree at the Institute for Wine Biotechnology. I liked how science could add value to products, solve problems in production and improve the quality of the finished wine product. We are really privileged to work in an industry with so many wonderful people, all passionate about wine and South Africa. When I am not at work, I love spending quality time with my wife and boys. My favourite food is anything from the ‘braai’ and any free time is spent on top of a motorcycle or hiking in nature.

  • Elda Binneman

     | International Product Manager

    | Elda Binneman

    | International Product Manager

    ebinneman@anchor.co.za

      |  082 903 0694

    I am a dog mom married to the love of my life with a weakness for Sauvignon blanc, baked cheese cake (it HAS to be baked) and olives. The wine industry is this amazing place where I get to express both my scientific and creative sides…all whilst having a glass of bubbly and calling it work…what more can you possibly want?

  • Elicia Wethmar

     | Office Administrator

    | Elicia Wethmar

    | Office Administrator

    ewethmar@anchor.co.za

      |  021 534 1351

    I have loved working in the wine industry for the past eight years due to its vibrancy and the way it provides an exciting way to learn something new every day. Of course, my favourite wine memory has to be the first time I had a glass of red wine!

  • Mmule Masalesa

     | Technical Sales Manager

    | Mmule Masalesa

    | Technical Sales Manager

    mmasalesa@anchor.co.za

      |  082 882 3539

    I was born in the bubbly city of Pretoria, aka Jakaranda city. I moved to the Western Cape to study and I never left! Why would I want to? The mountain, the sea and the wines! I was introduced to the world of wine by KWV-SA as one of their bursary holders. It was a revelation to the unknown! And I am still discovering even now!

  • Lauren Behrens

     | Technical Sales Manager

    | Lauren Behrens

    | Technical Sales Manager

    lbehrens@anchor.co.za

      |  082 426 1369

    I am a winemaker, wife and mother of two that loves life, wine, people and travel adventures. I love the wine industry as you never stop learning and it changes all the time. Of course, it is home to the most amazing people and brilliant wines made in the most beautiful country…what is not to love?

  • Julie de Klerk

     | Technical Sales Manager

    | Julie de Klerk

    | Technical Sales Manager

    jdeklerk@anchor.co.za

      |  082 943 0651

    It seems that the 34 000 ha of Champagne where I was born was not enough and I moved to South Africa in 2012 to join my future husband. Growing up, my toys consisted of corks and my playground vineyards and tanks…so I always knew I would find a home in the wine industry.

    My first year as a cellar hand I was tasting and smelling everything…can you imagine my reaction after I took a  big whiff of a 20 L canister of SO2

  • Alizanne van Zyl

     | Technical Sales Manager

    | Alizanne van Zyl

    | Technical Sales Manager

    avanzyl@anchor.co.za

      |  082 907 0171

    Even though I chose to study food science, the time spent with my grandfather on the farm as a young girl kept leading my head and heart back to the wine industry. After gaining some practical winemaking skills, I started as a technical sales representative in the wine industry…where science meets sales!

    Being married to a winemaker ensures that wine is a big source of excitement and a passion on a daily basis. There is never a dull moment in this amazing industry and the fact that I get to learn something new every day is so satisfying.