June 30th – Earlier this month, Wine Victoria played host to 14 top international wine buyers from across Asia and the United States in a bid to sharpen Victoria’s competitive advantages in the wine trade in these key markets.
Wine Victoria brought eight US buyers and six Asian buyers from South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam to the state to showcase the best of Victorian wines and its regions with the support of the Victorian Government.
The two groups travelled separately, hosted by renowned wine journalists Nick Ryan (Asia group) and Angus Hughson and Max Allen (US group) with the two groups coming together for a major showcase dinner in Melbourne on Tuesday 13th June.
The two, week-long famils form part of an overall strategy to establish a larger and sustainable footprint in these key export markets.
Each group spent five days travelling to a collective, ten Victorian wine regions including Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Rutherglen, Beechworth, Macedon Range, Central Victoria, and King Valley, fully immersing the guests in the States food, wine, and tourism scene.
102 Victorian wineries were involved in the program with 82 winemakers or representatives given the opportunity to meet with the buyers during their time in Victoria.
Wine Victoria chair Stephanie Duboudin believes the endeavour has already proven to be a resounding success.
“We have had some outstanding early feedback from the trip with many of the buyers already placing large orders directly with the wineries.” Stephanie said.
“We feel this is just the tip of the iceberg with strong new relationships formed and more work to be done in this space as we move into the second phase of the USA program”.
For more information on Wine Victoria’s USA Market Activation Program, click here or contact Stephanie Duboudin at stephanie.duboudin@winevictoria.org.au or 0437 663 878.
ABOUT WINE VICTORIA
Wine Victoria is the peak body representing the Victorian wine industry. They advocate on behalf of the wine industry ensuring their members remain a high priority with the Victorian Government and other national governing bodies.
