Wesgro’s flagship hosted buyers programme, supported by DHL Express and Standard Bank, connects 230 export-ready businesses with international decision-makers.
- 34 international buyers from 17 countries engaged with over 230 Western Cape exporters
- 13 trade deals secured since 2023, with further transactions in the pipeline
- More than 400 curated B2B meetings hosted in Cape Town
Wesgro, the tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape, recently hosted its flagship international buyers programme, #MadeInTheCape, convening global procurement leaders and Western Cape exporters for a focused week of trade engagement.
Held in partnership with headline sponsor DHL Express and supported by returning sponsor, Standard Bank, the programme connected 34 international buyers from 17 countries with more than 230 export-ready businesses. Companies represented priority sectors including manufacturing, design, film and agri-processing.
Over 400 structured business-to-business meetings took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, creating a dedicated platform for commercial discussions and deal-making.
Since launching in 2023, the initiative has progressed from initial introductions to tangible commercial outcomes. “Since its inception in 2023, Made In The Cape has delivered actionable results. To date, the programme has secured 13 signed trade deals, with a projected value of R50.7 million over the next five years,” said Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander.
She added that strengthening trade requires sustained collaboration. “Boosting trade cannot be achieved in isolation or through siloed efforts. Our partnership with DHL Express and Standard Bank demonstrates the power of public and private sector collaboration in unlocking new opportunities for Western Cape exporters.” In her view, long-term export growth depends on coordinated action between government, corporates and industry to ensure local firms can compete and scale internationally.
Export-led growth
The programme took place against a steady rise in provincial trade performance. Western Cape exports have increased from R160.9 billion in 2021 to R219.7 billion in 2025, highlighting the province’s growing weight in South Africa’s export landscape.
This year’s buyers travelled from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, India, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Kenya, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, United States, Canada, Austria, and United Kingdom - including 19 new and 15 returning partners. Returning buyers included leading retail and tourism players from India, the Middle East, Kenya, and China, while new participants featured major names across film, wine importation, fresh produce, large-scale distribution, and food supply - reflecting strong and growing international demand across diverse sectors.
They included global corporates such as The Walt Disney Company and Reliance Retail Ltd, alongside regional distributors and specialist importers. The composition of buyers advances Wesgro’s strategy to deepen established trade relationships while unlocking new market access, in line with the Western Cape Government’s Growth for Jobs Strategy, which recognises that sustainable employment is driven by private sector expansion.
Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Ivan Meyer, emphasised the strategic importance of export-led growth. “We are opening doors, doors that connect our local businesses to global opportunities, and global buyers to the unmatched quality, creativity and reliability of Western Cape products and services,” he said.
“Export growth, investment attraction and private sector expansion are the engines of sustainable job creation in our province. We know that jobs come from globally competitive businesses, businesses that can scale beyond local borders.”
Alderman James Vos, Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, said export growth remains central to the City’s economic agenda. “Businesses that access external markets tend to grow faster and become more resilient.”
He noted that the benefits of export success extend beyond individual firms. “When a local manufacturer secures an export order, it strengthens an entire value chain. It supports production, logistics, packaging, compliance and distribution. The impact extends well beyond a single company.”
To enable this, the City is advancing a Manufacturing Support Policy focused on improving industrial areas, supporting energy resilience and accelerating factory expansions. A complementary Business Support Policy aims to formalise and expand assistance provided through the City’s Business Hub, which has supported more than 5,800 businesses over the past year.
Speaking at a welcome ceremony at the Royal Cape Yacht Club, Herman Venter, Managing Director of DHL Express South Africa, highlighted the role of SMEs. “SMEs remain the backbone of most economies around the world. At DHL Express Express, we believe that when SMEs grow, local and regional economies grow. When economies grow, jobs are created, communities stabilise and prosper. And when communities stabilise, economies become more resilient. We are absolutely committed to facilitating trade through SMEs in South Africa and the SSA region.”
Complementing the in-person programme is Wesgro’s Cape Trade Portal, a digital marketplace linking 1,290 verified exporters with 8,399 products and services, and 761 registered international buyers across 80 countries. Recently enhanced to improve functionality and user experience, the platform enables sustained engagement long after the hosted meetings conclude.
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