Our story

Paradisi was founded in 2009 by Kristian Van de Cauter and Brenda de Lange. Kristian has years of retail experience in and around France, where he was one of the first retail directors to implement the concept of “Terroir” in a garden centre – regional food and drink products in a small, boutique section of the shop. Brenda’s background is sourcing of products and an obsession with recipe books. Her mother enjoys reminding her that one of her favourite childhood games was “Shop-Shop”.

Once Kristian and Brenda had met, they discovered a mutual pleasure in all things food, wine and feasting. Never experts, they both knew what was delicious to them, and a little bit more. Lured by cherry beer only, Brenda made the move to Destelbergen, just outside the medieval city of Ghent, to discover the secrets of Kristian’s wine cellar. These dangerously under-qualified daredevils then opened a shop called Paradisi.

The little shop can be found in the town centre, and all sorts of products can be discovered there, from South African and

French wines, to oils, salts, herbs, pastas, jams, cordials, chocolates, teas and honeys, mostly from France, Italy and South Africa. A constantly-changing range makes exciting baskets and hampers, and food gifts that are not found everywhere. A wide range of South African wines (counting 128 individual red wines alone, today) and a special little love for the grape Viognier (counting 16, today) ensures the possibility of always having something delicious to drink and share.

Kristian and Brenda have also ventured into planting some lovely Viognier and its good, red friend Syrah with some friends (one, thankfully, knows how to make wine) in the Beaujolais region in France – not very orthodox, but very interesting and fun. They also import their own ranges of wines from extraordinary winemakers in South Africa – La Petite Ferme, The Foundry and Katbakkies, making Paradisi just that little bit more extraordinary itself. And, of course, these imports are always a good excuse for Brenda to return home…

Enjoy our website and thank you for taking a look!