Empire State Enterprises

We invest in some incredible companies

Since 2021, we have invested in over 11 companies from different sectors. ESE has a diverse portfolio spanning various industries including logistics, hospitality, software and adventure tourism. From sole ownerships to partnerships and investment opportunities, our portfolio encompasses a wide spectrum of ventures.

INVESTMENT

The Tasting Room

The Tasting Room is a concept born from magical moments in the Cape vineyards. A 120-seater restaurant that brings the Cape vineyard experience to the city of Pretoria. Creating an experience for our customers that they can not get anywhere else is what has driven us to create The Tasting Room as it is today. Our doors opened on 1 September 2022, and we have had the opportunity to showcase some incredible brands at the store. We have engaged with a wide variety of people, sharing the unique stories of all the brands that we have partnered with.

Website

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We are passionate about empowering start-ups

With many years' experience in the start-up space, both Gary and Ed love investing in and growing small businesses.

Ed is a passionate geek who is driven by a love for building innovative solutions and harnessing their potential to drive social change in South Africa. His areas of interest encompass Ionic, JavaScript/TypeScript, Angular, Artificial Intelligence, NLP chatbots, business strategy, assessing the commercial viability of technology - and great coffee!

Gary is proudly South African. He is involved in an exceptional collection of businesses driven by remarkable teams. He believes that strong partnerships with suppliers and customers are built on a shared commitment to efficiency and productivity.

CO-FOUNDER

Gary Bannatyne

CO-FOUNDER

Ed Wrede