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Our Story
ISAW was started by two childhood best friends, Stephen Satterfield and PJ Bullock. Stephen, a sommelier and wine educator, coerced PJ into the venture at its early stages. A classic left brain, right brain duo, PJ is now pursuing his MBA at University of Georgia's Terry College of Business, while Stephen manages the wine sales, awareness and outreach, and (sometimes) his own wild exuberance for growth strategies.
Our Focus
The ISAW Foundation is a US-based 501c3 charity. ISAW partners with black-owned and socially progressive vineyards in Africa to support the socioeconomic development of African farmers and their communities. The focus is to bring awareness and assistance to transformative social projects within the South African wine industry. The ISAW Foundation is an advocate for using wine to improve the lives of historically disenfranchised Africans.
Why this project matters: In South Africa, wine has been produced for over 350 years after being founded and intricately linked to slavery and exploitation. Today, wine has grown to a massive $3 billion industry where remnants of systematic inequalities can still be found. Unfortunately, black people own less than 1% of the wine producing companies and viticultural land. The result of historical oppression continues to jeopardize not only the social equality in this important agricultural sector, but also threatens the sustainability of the entire industry.
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“Labour costs will remain untenably high until local farmers upskill their workers to understand their role in the wine-growing process. There can be no efficiency in our vineyards until our workers are trained to understand what they are doing. And when the do, costs can be substantially reduced.”
- Eben Archer; Viticulture Professor (University of Stellenbosch)
Our Model
The ISAW Foundation utilizes hybrid fundraising methods to reinvest in human capital and socially enriching projects. Funding for ISAW is three-pronged.
- Partners in the supply chain for our work in the market
- Consumers who participate in our Cape Collections Wine Club
- Public donations from donors who support our mission and vision
Through these efforts, ISAW seeks to provide the necessary resources to farm workers and aspiring entrepreneurs capable of pioneering the wine industry. Our focus on training and the transfer of skills will empower these workers to become leaders and financial pillars within their communities. Through these activities, ISAW will increase the participation and aptitude of historically marginalized groups while supporting the industry as a whole. We will accomplish our goals by focusing efforts towards:
- Providing skills training and career development for South Africa’s grape farmers and families;
- Collectively marketing “progressive” African wines to gain international exposure for South African producers;
- Promoting the South African wine industry as a means of sustainable economic development in South Africa; and
- Assisting black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs pioneering the South African wine industry.
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