Promoting New Zealand through White Wine w/ Charlotte Read, NZ Winegrowers

With 88% of their wine exported, 93% of which is white, white wine is a big deal for New Zealand. Charlotte Read, General Manager of Brand for New Zealand Winegrowers, explains how they have been focused on promoting white wine globally. This includes campaigning for a white wine emoji, focusing on the the month of May with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay days, and focusing on their motto - “NZ wine, all together unique.”

Detailed Show Notes: 

Charlotte’s background - dairy industry, lived in Asia and the UK, in wine for the last 20 years

NZ Winegrowers

• Est 2002,1,400 members (50% wineries, 50% growers)
• Only unified winemaking and grape-growing organization
• Funded by compulsory levies
• Mission: to enhance the reputation of NZ wine
• 5 key workstreams: Brand, Environment, Efficacy, Research, People

Tagline - “NZ wine, all together unique”

Supports the 10 wine regions

NZ exports 88% of their wine to 100 countries

Top markets - US (~40% of exports), UK, Australia

Focus markets - Canada, China

Focused on white wine (93% of exports) for May - 3 events, Sauvignon Blanc Day, Pinot Gris Day, and Chardonnay Day

White wine emoji - leading a campaign over the last few years to have this implemented

• Kendall Jackson previously campaigned for it
• Changed the glass shape to focus on white wines
• Gotten great press
• Reached >20M people in 2022, 79M in 2023

NZ has significant wine diversity - >50 grape varieties planted, SB #1, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir (largest red, 3% of exports)

NZ wine style - purity of fruit, backbone of acidity

Marketing metrics used - estimated advertising value, reach and engagement, social media engagement, toolkit downloads

Lighter Wine Research Project - 7 years, $16M project w/ 18 wineries and government, led to the early launch of no and low alcohol wines (e.g., Giesen 0%, Kim Crawford Illuminate)

Overall, wine imports to the US are down, but NZ has outpaced the market; premium price ($15+) grew 15% in 2023

Targeting a group of “Generation Treaters” (mostly Millennials) - 1/10 of drinkers, but ⅕ of spend

Can cross-promote white wines - 63% of SB drinkers drink Pinot Gris, 67% of SB drinkers drink Chardonnay

NZ as innovators - moved to screw caps early (early 2000s), fast adopter of concrete eggs, experimenting with green tea as a preservative, no alcohol wine residual alcohol used for gin

Highest impact marketing - influencing the influencer (e.g., a WSET partner, work with Sommelier associations)

Major events

• Has a booth at ProWein and Vinexpo Hong Kong
• Hosts International Sauvignon Blanc Conference every 4 years (2027)
• Hosts Pinot Noir Conference in between (Feb 2025)
• Sommit - summit for sommeliers, a master class setting

Trends to watch

• Sustainability (NZ has 96% of vineyards certified sustainable)
• Packaging innovation
• Growing wine tourism

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