By Michael Vlismas.
As he has just announced the opening of a new venture, Ulster and South African Rugby World Cup star Duane Vermeulen is busy flexing his muscles as a rising entrepreneur. And he has his mother to thank for his inspiration as a businessman.
While clearly still a force on the rugby field in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, Vermeulen has spent the last few years growing his business interests off it and now has ventures as diverse as farming, honey, wine and bubble tea. Vermeulen even has plans to enter the commercial and residential property market.
And he says he draws all of his entrepreneurial inspiration from his mother.
“I grew up on a farm and my dad passed away when I was eight years old. That obviously put financial pressure on us as a family. My mom started doing extra things to keep us going. She worked as an insurance broker, but in the evenings she sold anything from Avroy Shlain to Amway and Tupperware – you name it. She did it all for us to earn extra money for me and my sister. I think I picked it up from her. You know, I even remember that if I went on a school tour I’d have to go out and try and get sponsors for it. So it’s in our family to do this. I think I’m also very comfortable in my own skin now and not so shy anymore, so I’m happy to meet people and talk to them about ideas.”
Much like it was in his own family growing up, Vermeulen is hoping to make it a part of his family now as well.
“My wife studied marketing and management so that’s also her line of work, and she enjoys that a lot. And then I’d like to use it to teach our kids about entrepreneurship, and hopefully they grow up and take it from there.”
It was while playing in Japan that Vermeulen was introduced to bubble tea – tea (Green Tea, Rooibos and Earl Grey) with a variety of flavours such as watermelon that you can add. “You see these bubble tea shops in the East and the people go crazy for it,” says Vermeulen. Then a friend noticed the same phenomenon in New York. “My friend brought the concept to South Africa and he opened a bubble tea shop in Boksburg. It just took off. So we had a chat and he offered me the Western Cape franchise. We’d also like to get it into school tuck shops because it’s really refreshing.”
He’s just opened a bubble tea shop in Durbanville and is planning another one for Stellenbosch. Then there’s a wine tasting venue just outside Stellenbosch that also serves burgers and pizzas which he runs in partnership with Kwagga Boucher’s La Boucher wines. “We partnered with the Slaley wine farm. During the pandemic they closed down their tasting venue. We had a chat with the owner to see if we couldn’t do something together and they gave us an opportunity to join them, so we now have our own tasting room and sell wine, pizzas, burgers and host end-of-year functions.”
His honey business is limited to Zambia at this stage, which is the origin of the product. “Our honey is 100% natural and non-irradiated. South African legislation requires that any honey sold in South Africa must be irradiated, but this breaks down all the goodness in it and I don’t want to compromise the product.”
And he also has a farm in Deneysville on the banks of the Vaal Dam. “I planted pecan nut trees there and we’re busy with a padstal (farm stall) for the people who drive through the town. A lot of people visit the town to see the dam wall there. We want to put up a wedding venue and accommodation next to the river. But that is a 10-15-year plan. It’s early stages on the farm.”
With his career on the field currently in its twilight, Vermeulen is enjoying his rugby with pure freedom. “Hopefully I’ll be part of the Springbok squad for the next Rugby World Cup, and then we’ll see.”
But clearly when he does hang up his boots, he’ll be busier than ever as he trades team sheets for balance sheets.