Call her whatever you want, but being intentional is everything for entrepreneur Thato Montse.
She was introduced to most South Africans as the fun, loud and swearing-like-a-sailor star of the Real Housewives of Cape Town in 2022.
One of the most talked about topics on the show was her wine, which some of her co-stars said was “papsak”.
But over a year later, she is still standing and is focused on exporting her Thato Wines.
She speaks to Drum on an overcast afternoon in Ireland, where she is for the moment.
“The South African domestic market is very saturated. There are over 6 000 wine brands, and it is difficult to cut through the clutter. I decided to go to the export market. I have been rejected many times and now I am in Europe to market my brand.
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“I have always wanted to penetrate the export market. Being part of the Real Housewives franchise was very intentional for me. It has given me access to the global market. Right now, in SA, Thato Wines is listed is a couple of liquor stores and restaurants.
“The wine industry is dominated by old, white people, and I would like to see more women of colour in the space. It would nice to see the wine industry being more inclusive and representative of our diverse country. I would like to get to a point where I see more people owning farms and not just celebrities, but ordinary South Africans who have a passion to produce wine. We need to occupy the space in numbers.”
Over the weekend, Thato Wines was trending on social media because her website showed her wine selling for R10 per bottle. She says she got a call from someone in South Africa to alert her.
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“It really was not intentional. It wasn't planned, but it's great marketing. The website is under construction, and we have a team of people who are working hard to ensure that the error is fixed. But no publicity is bad publicity because right now people are talking about Thato Wines and that is always a great thing. We have not sold any bottles for R10. But we are seeing a lot of people interested in the wine and wanting to buy it.”
She is open to the idea of being part of the next season of Real Housewives of Cape Town, if one is made.
“I hear, there are people in SA saying I am here to be with a man and that is not true. Yes, I do have an Irish boyfriend, but I am not sitting and looking at his face all day, I am working. I am going to be in Europe for a very long time because I really want to see my brand grow this side.
“I have been approached to be part of it. But at this stage, there is nothing finalised yet. When it comes to the show, we’ll see what happens. I am a walking reality show. I am that girl, I am entertainment.”
