As 2025 draws to a close, Clearworld looks back on a year crammed with delicious collaborations, stirring events, and S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna partnerships; elevating South Africa’s restaurant and hospitality industry to new heights.

The country’s culinary landscape is thriving. “South Africa has seen an explosion of prestigious new restaurant openings,” says Philip Abrahamson, founder and CEO of Clearworld Suppliers. “We’ve seen more interest than ever in sourcing authentic ingredients and top-quality products from Italy, and new restaurants choosing S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna for their water service.”  

Since 2021, when Clearworld became sole distributor in South Africa of S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, they have orchestrated a wealth of competitions and upliftment programmes in line with the brand’s commitment to investing in the future of global gastronomy, and 2025 has been a full year.  

To Milan and beyond
“People would ask, ‘Oh, what happened in Milan? Did our guy win?’” says Philip of the Grand Finale of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy held in Milan in November. “You must understand that all 15 of these chefs are winners; competing, interacting and connecting on the culinary global stage.”  

Chef Luckson Mare from KwaZulu-Natal represented South Africa and the whole AMESA region at these global finals – his first time in Europe. “It was much more than a competition,” he says. “We were immersed in the culture, the city, the architecture, the food, the people… Surrounded by young chefs from Hong Kong, Cyprus, Australia and beyond, what struck me was how much we all had in common – the same challenges, rhythms, tendencies, and pressures. That sense of connection was very motivating. Overall, the competition was immersive, well organised, culturally rich, and deeply inspiring – an experience I’ll carry with me for a long time.” 

Uplifting future sommeliers
Each year, promising hospitality professionals are given the chance to elevate their careers through intensive sommelier training, sponsored by Clearworld, together with S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna. The programme helps them qualify as wine ambassadors, wine stewards, cocktail stewards and junior sommeliers at the Sommeliers Academy. “This year, our twenty sponsored graduates of the programme have gained hugely in creativity and professionalism,” says Philip. “They can take this qualification and work at a high level with fine beverages anywhere in the world. And we’re looking forward to giving back to the community with more of these training opportunities in 2026.”  

Sponsoring events
The brand also supported ShowCook, a competition between Cape Town’s top culinary academies. “These creative cooking and beverage-pairing tasks expose young chefs, bartenders, and hospitality students to international fine-dining standards and foster the next generation of skilled hospitality professionals in South Africa,” says Philip.  

Launching a new Sanpellegrino range
The Sanpellegrino range of Italian sparkling drinks, much loved for their zesty citrus and fresh Italian fruit flavours, has been joined this year by the Zero range with no added sugar. “We’ve seen a growing demand for zero-sugar drinks from health-conscious consumers – this launch was perfectly timed for the South African market,” says Philip. Flavours such as blood orange, clementine, pomegranate, and lemon are the perfect pairing for the South African sunshine. 

Fine dining, fine driving
As 2025 gives way to 2026, S.Pellegrino is expanding beyond the restaurant world with a long-term collaboration with Scuderia Ferrari HP, the Formula 1 racing team, and Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, the single-make motorsport championship, celebrating the finest things in Italian life. From fine-dining and global gastronomy to the Formula 1 circuit… Clearworld’s finger is on the pulse of premium brands, connecting South Africa with Italy and the rest of the world. 

For more information on Clearworld Suppliers, visit their website and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.