A new campaign will focus on South Africa’s “consistent and reliable populist brand champions”, according to Wines of South Africa, as well as its estate and icon wines. It will feature trade and consumer education initiatives and also encourage wine tourism in the Cape.
South African wines account for 18.7% of retail volumes in the Netherlands, making it the strongest New World player, and placing it second only to France in the overall sales league.
“However, we want to shift from building volume to building value in this critically important market, which is one of the top four destinations for South African wines,” said WOSA chief executive Su Birch.
“Currently, South Africa is over-represented in the market below €2, and while it is trending well in Holland’s €5 to €8 segment, it has not fully realised its potential in the mid-priced band, where there are still many opportunities on which local producers can capitalise.”
She added: “We have to establish a positioning of uniqueness that defines us and separates us from our competitors.”
The new programme will be underpinned by the Variety is in our Nature positioning that highlights South Africa’s diversity of wine style, wine-growing terrain and cultures. It follows extensive research carried out for WOSA by international agribusiness specialist Arend Heijbroek of Rabobank International, together with wine consultant Cees van Casteren.
