Springbok Legend Kobus Wiese Built 2 South African Coffee Chains From Scratch
- Kobus Wiese, part of South Africa's 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, launched his first coffee shop with no prior industry experience
- The retired lock forward founded Wiesenhof Coffee Shop in 1998 and later expanded into a second brand to grow his footprint nationwide
- Wiese Coffee Holdings now operates from the family's former home near Heidelberg, Gauteng, and has expanded into the Western Cape
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Kobus Wiese, the Springbok lock forward who retired in 1996 without ever losing a test match as a starter, has built an entirely different kind of legacy in the years since: two thriving South African coffee chains.
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Born Jakobus Johannes Wiese on 16 May 1964, he matriculated from Paarl Gimnasium before training as a teacher at Onderwyskollege Paarl. His rugby career took him through Boland, Western Transvaal, and Transvaal before he earned his first Springbok cap in a 20-20 draw against France in 1993. He was also a member of the side that lifted the Rugby World Cup on home soil in 1995.
From the rugby field to the Café counter
The seeds of Wiese's business ambitions were planted during a tour to Italy, where the food culture, centred on shared meals and communal dining, left a deep impression on him. He described eating as an experience and spoke of his love of cooking for friends and family.
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Back in South Africa, he and his wife Belinda purchased a small coffee shop in Johannesburg, investing everything they had despite having no background in the industry. His father reportedly questioned whether he had even calculated how many cups of coffee it would take to earn a living. The couple pressed on regardless, learning every aspect of the business from scratch.
Wiese has spoken candidly about his philosophy, saying that if a restaurant owner cannot perform every task better than their own staff, there is a problem.
See the photo below on Instagram.
Wiesenhof to Wiese Coffee Holdings
Their original East Rand shop quickly drew a following, expanding its seating and menu before the couple formally established Wiesenhof Coffee Shop in 1998. Wiese remained closely involved, roasting his own beans and developing signature blends from green beans sourced in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Ethiopia. Those recipes and methods remain closely guarded trade secrets.
The success of Wiesenhof eventually led to the creation of a second brand, Dulce Café, launched as a complementary franchise option. Both brands now fall under Wiese Coffee Holdings (WCH), which also includes the company's original Roastery.
The business is run from the couple's former family home near Heidelberg, Gauteng. In recent years, operations have extended to Paarl in the Western Cape, where a satellite office supports distribution and store growth across the region.
Wiese is among several Springbok legends who have been bitten by the business bug in recent years. This includes 2007 World Cup-winning captain John Smit, CEO of SSG (recently acquired by Fidelity), record try scorer Bryan Habana, co-founder of Paymenow, and Bob Skinstad, who has built a thriving international business career.
Springboks legend joins a bank
Briefly News previously reported that Schalk Brits, celebrated Springbok and 2019 Rugby World Cup winner, has taken on a new role at Investec as a Wealth Manager and Sector Lead for Investec Sports.
Brits, whose rugby career spanned over two decades, brings his experience in leadership, teamwork, and strategic thinking to help athletes secure their financial futures.
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Source: Briefly News
