Paarl is ideally situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands, a scenic 45-minutes’ drive from Cape Town and 30 minutes to Cape Town International Airport, making it a desirable location for commerce and industry.

The KWV head office located in Main Street, was established in 1918 as the first commercial wine cellar in South Africa. Other head offices include Sasko Bakeries, Imperial Cargo, Heinz Foods and NexusAG (Pty) Ltd.

One of the giants of the printing industry is Paarl Media, established in 1905. Boland Printers is another stalwart on the local commercial scene.

Afriplex pharmaceutical and healthcare products, H.G. Molenaar, suppliers of large-scale machinery for food and beverage manufacturers across the globe and Fabrinox, manufacturers of sheet metal products, are important industries.

The town plays host to one of the most important events in the wine industry, the Nederburg Auction of Rare Cape Wines, held on Nederburg Estate. Monis, part of the Distell Group, are the undisputed leaders in the fortified wine trade.

Paarl has sought-after educational facilities and is the ideal environment in which to work and raise a family. Many families choose to set up home in Paarl and travel to Stellenbosch and Cape Town to their place of employment during the week in order to benefit from the relaxed lifestyle and the excellent schools.