21 July 2016
As the third most profitable export market for Australian wines, witnessing staggering growth in the past year alone, the Chinese wine market is ripe with opportunity for Australian wine producers.
Understanding how consumer behaviour, attitudes and expectations are changing in China is key to taking advantage of a market, which, according to industry peak body, Wine Australia, has seen the value of Australian wine exports to China rocket 66 per cent to $370 million in 2015.
This Sunday (24 July) at the 16th Australian Wine Technical Conference (AWITC) a special workshop “Consumer insights in China” will showcase latest consumer research on this market, delivered by experts at UniSA’s Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, The Australian Wine Research Institute, Wine Australia, and Negociants International.
With the workshop including a wine tasting session that will teach attendees how to describe wines to Chinese consumers, making the best use of Wine Australia’s Australian Wine Flavours Card, Dr Armando Corsi, senior research associate at the Ehrenberg Bass Institute, says the event will emphasise the value of authenticity to brand growth.
“The Chinese wine market has rebounded from the austerity measures imposed in 2014, and is now the third most profitable export market for Australian wines,” Dr Corsi says.
“It is projected to grow even more as the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement comes into force. This represents extraordinary opportunities for Australian wine producers - but to take advantage, they should be prepared.
Patricia Williamson, senior sensory scientist at The Australian Wine Research Institute, adds that the wine flavours card is an example of how research is improving the techniques used to describe wines to Chinese consumers, exploring effective ways to teach them about wine.
“It benefits Australian wine businesses by helping them choose the most appropriate Chinese descriptors to match the sensory profile of their wines,” Ms Williamson says.
Dr Corsi describes the AWITC as one of the most important conferences run about wine in Australia and it is expected that more than 1,000 people will attend the five day event, starting this Sunday at the Adelaide Convention centre.
Contact details: Dr Armando Corsi tel: 830 20942 email: Armando.Corsi@unisa.edu.au
Media contact: Will Venn mobile: 0401 366 054 email: will.venn@unisa.edu.au
