Hilton Reinforces Commitment to Sustainability and Local Craftsmanship with the Launch of Wild Spirit Wines of Africa

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The Beverage Conservation initiative showcases a selection of the best wine farms and spirit distilleries in South Africa that champion environmental sustainability, biodynamic farming, and local ingenuity.

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced today the launch of its ‘Wild Spirit Wines of Africa’ Beverage Conservation programme. In collaboration with the World Wide  Fund for Nature (WWF)  in South Africa and Under the Influence, guests can enjoy the best wines and spirits from prolific South African wine farms and spirit distilleries at eleven participating Hilton hotels across Africa and the Indian Ocean (A&IO).

The initiative was born out of Hilton’s ‘Big Five’ commitment launched in 2018, to drive sustainable travel and tourism in Africa. The ‘Big Five’ programme supports the implementation of Youth Opportunity, Water Stewardship, Anti-Human Trafficking, Local Sourcing and Protecting Wildlife on the continent. The ‘Wild Spirit Wines of Africa’ programme is focused on driving three pivotal elements from the ‘Big Five’ – Local Sourcing, Water Stewardship and Protecting Wildlife.

“South Africa is known for its awe-inspiring wildlife, biodiversity, and magnificent winelands and distilleries that all contribute to the country’s vibrant tourism sector,” said Jan Van Der Putten, Vice President Operations, A&IO, Hilton. “We are proud of our partnership with the WWF South Africa and Under the Influence, in support of  our Travel with Purpose commitment to drive responsible travel globally, while creating a positive environmental and social impact across our communities, operations and supply chain. We look forward to offering our guests the best African wines and spirits in our hotels across the region”.  

The selected wine farms and spirit distilleries champion biodynamic and regenerative farming practices, environmental conservation, and protection of water catchment areas that meet the global best standards in sustainable travel and tourism. Shelly Fuller, Programme Manager of Sustainable Fruit & Wine Projects at WWF South Africa said: “We are proud to see that Hilton has continued to walk-the-talk with the launch of its ‘Wild Spirit Wines of Africa’ Beverage Conservation initiative. The selected wine estates are members of WWF’s Conservation Champions, which is a voluntary membership-based initiative for environmentally responsible wine farms in the Western Cape, South Africa, and we are excited to showcase these businesses across all Hilton’s participating A&IO hotels.”

The selected champion wine and spirit farms were chosen because of their unique storied history on winemaking, inclusivity, protection of the natural environment and the efficient use of technology to ensure the long-term sustainability of these invaluable lands. Some of the selected farms include –  Bosman Family Vineyards, Vondeling Wines, Klein Constantia Estate, Paul Cluver Estate, and Cederberg Wines.

For every bottle of Bosman wine sold, 2% of sales go to the Bosman Adama Community Projects- a communal fund that improves the social, economic, and environmental conditions of their local community. Through their plant improvement facility, they propagate new, healthy vines while cutting nursery supplies. Klein Constantia has developed extensive soil erosion plans, with a special focus on sustainable viticultural practices powered by solar energy and has recently signed a 5-year conservation stewardship agreement to formally protect their mountain slopes over and above their commitment to being part of the WWF Conservation Champions programme.

Allister Kreft, Chief Executive Officer, Under the Influence added: “In our quest to deliver exceptional experiences for our clients and partner hotels, securing the best local product is quintessential to our business. As a trusted beverage distribution partner, we are proud to be affiliated with this remarkable initiative because good winemaking depends on a healthy environment, and it benefits everyone when nature is protected. The purpose behind this campaign is one our business shares, which is to champion the people doing the right thing and making this industry sustainable.”

Guests can enjoy the ‘Wild Spirit Wines of Africa’ list at participating hotels and can speak to a member of the team at any one of the following hotels: Hilton Garden Inn Umhlanga Arch, Hilton Garden Inn Gaborone, Hilton Garden Inn Lusaka Society Business Park, Hilton Garden Inn Mbabane, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Legend Hotel Lagos Airport, Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa, Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa, DoubleTree by Hilton Seychelles Allamanda Resort & Spa, Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Addis Ababa, and Hilton Sandton.

About Hilton

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising 7,000 properties and 1.1 million rooms, in 122 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list and been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for five consecutive years. Hilton has introduced several industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the 139 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook,  TwitterLinkedInInstagram and YouTube.

About WWF

WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 30 million followers and a global network active in nearly 100 countries. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF South Africa

WWF South Africa is a national office that is part of the WWF network. We are a local NGO that for more than 50 years has been working to ensure a sustainable and equitable future in which humans and nature thrive. For Nature. For You.

WWF stands for the World Wide Fund for Nature

About Under the Influence

Hilton has also worked closely with Under the Influence since 2014. Founded with the mission of bringing better beverages into Africa, from independent winemakers and distillers – the company has made a name for itself sourcing products directly from top producers and bringing them to their customers. They operate in 25 African countries and have regional offices and warehouses in Stellenbosch, Lusaka, and Nairobi, along with partner offices in major centers.

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