Your Family - April 2017

REAL PEOPLE

APRIL 2017 39

Bruwer Raats, 46, is the founder, owner, CEO, and barrel
washer of Raats Family Wines. Together with his cousin, Gavin
Bruwer Slabbert, they produce award-winning Chenin Blanc
and Cabernet Franc wines from their vineyard in Polkadraai,
Stellenbosch.
Before building the Raats Family Wines brand, Bruwer spent time
at estates in Europe and at the esteemed Blaauwklippen, Delaire,
and Zorgvliet local estates. ‘When I finally decided to chase
my dream of building the Raats Family Wines brand full time,
I had no capital to invest in a farm,’ he says. ‘That was my first
big business challenge, but to overcome it I bought properties,
renovated them, and then used the profits from their sale as
capital to start building my own business.’
Raats Family Wines has been a family business since its
inception in 2000 when Bruwer and
his brother, Jasper, started building the
business from scratch. When Jasper
moved to New Zealand in 2002, their
father, Jasper (snr), stepped in. Bruwer’s
cousin Gavin joined the business in 2009
when Bruwer’s father passed away, and
the business continues to flourish.
‘Working closely with family members on a daily basis can
be difficult, especially when there are disagreements to work
through,’ says Bruwer. ‘But at the end of the day when we leave
for home we’re still family and we love each other. We don’t let
what happens with the business change that.
‘The most important aspect of this family business is our
shared goal and the fact that we each have our own dreams
within the common goal,’ explains Bruwer. ‘One of our

favourite things about running the wine farm as a family is that

when we achieve success, it’s the whole family’s achievement

and we celebrate that together. Similarly, if we have setbacks, we

share the disappointment and support one another as a family.’

Bruwer and Gavin prefer the smaller, close-knit business

as it allows them to make important decisions and implement

changes quickly and without the need to arrange multiple

meetings with various stakeholders. ‘Communication is still

important, even in a smaller business,’ says Bruwer. ‘As the owner,

I need to make sure I’m clear about the reasons behind our

decisions when I explain them to our staff. I’ve also learned the

importance of listening to others and taking positive input from

our staff into account.’

Bruwer believes that to make a success of a family business,

you need three things: clear vision to

anchor you and keep you moving in the

right direction; the ability to adapt in

ever-changing environments; and

a genuine love for what you do. ‘If we

ever reach a point where our hearts

are no longer in it, we’ll stop,’ he says.

Bruwer has three sons: Sam, 15, Josh,

17, and Daneel, 19. Daneel is currently studying entrepreneurship

and recently joined Raats Family Wines as an intern. While

Bruwer would love his sons to join the business, he believes they

need to have their own dreams and live their own lives. ‘There’s

no pressure on them to join us,’ he says. ‘If they do decide to,

I hope they’ll share our common goal and use their own

unique strengths to the best of their ability to contribute

to our achievements as a family’.

Founder, Bruwer Raats (right) with

cousin, Gavin Bruwer Slabbert

When we achieve success,

it’s the whole family’s

achievement and we

celebrate that together