Curiosity and passion for wine drove Siphakamiso Duma to start his own wine business

Curiosity and passion for wine drove Siphakamiso Duma to start his own wine business

An exceptionally talented man, Siphakamiso Duma is the founder of Duma Wines, a brand that offers a range of beautifully selected premium wines.

Born and raised in Wyebank, north-west of Durban, Duma thought of studying civil engineering after school, but this changed after his first job as a cashier in 2016, when his curiosity made him wonder what made wine so special while he was scanning the price of items.

He was promoted to being a wine section controller, which exposed him to more wines that triggered more love for wine.

Duma started to research the different types of grapes used to make different wines and was then inspired to start his own wine business.

Founder of Duma Wines Siphakamiso Duma. Picture: Supplied

“I was lucky enough to come across an online wine course called ‘Wines of South Africa’, which gave me a better understanding of the wine industry.

“After obtaining my first wine certificate in 2017, I furthered my understanding by obtaining another qualification of ‘The Science of Alcohol’ in 2019, which triggered the passion I have for wine,” he said.

In 2021, at the age of 25, Duma started his own wine business called Duma Wines, the creator behind the Platter’s 2024 award-winning wines called A Glass Of Wine.

He describes his wines as “a sip of quality at a reasonable price”.

“We ensure our quality wines are easy to drink on their own and mouthwatering to pair with food. We currently offer one range of wine named ‘A Glass Of Wine’ with three varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, an unoaked Chardonnay, and a Syrah Rosé.

“Each one is made with love and each wine is enjoyable on its own, but is even better when paired with good food. Through our online distribution channel, we get our wines delivered nationwide through our partnering carriers,” said Duma.

Asked how challenging the wine industry is, he said: “Being a business that started in during the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in slow growth. However, being a passionate individual has helped me climb the company stepladder towards growth.

“The most rewarding part of the business will be when we get our wines listed to retail and get funding, which has been quite a hustle from the start of the business.”

Duma Wines has been recognised by the KZN Youth Business Awards, as well as Sunday World Unsung Heroes, and received a nomination for Africa’s Founder Of the Year Awards in 2021.

Duma said he aims to expand the business by creating more brands to help grow the company while creating employment within the organisation.