Feb. 15, 2024 – Napa Valley, California — Wine Market Council (WMC) is delighted to announce that they are resurrecting their in-person conference after the pandemic hiatus. Originally established in 1996, the WMC is known for its annual half-day conference where they share highlights from their latest research on the U.S. wine consumer and state of the wine industry.
This year it will be held on Wed., March 20, 2024 from 9am to noon at Copia in Napa, CA. Registration is available at this LINK.
The conference will kick off with Danny Brager, Wine Business Analyst and former SVP of Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Practice Area. Danny will provide an industry overview presentation entitled: Bright Spots and Challenges in the U.S. Wine Industry. This presentation will focus on recent U.S. wine sales data and trends, with an emphasis on what’s selling well and opportunities in the market.
Next is a presentation on the latest research results from WMC’s 2023/2024 Benchmark Segmentation Study. This is the hallmark survey that WMC conducts every two years and is the largest and longest running survey on U.S. wine consumer purchasing habits, attitudes, and trends.
These results will be supplemented by findings from other recent WMC research studies and are part of a presentation entitled: Portrait of the U.S. Wine Consumer & What They Want from the Wine Industry. Presenters will be Dr. Liz Thach, MW, President, Wine Market Council and Christian Miller, Research Director, Wine Market Council.
A very special part of the conference will be a panel presentation and discussion with wine industry experts who will speak on Innovative Methods to Attract Younger and Multi-Cultural Consumers to the Wine Category. For long term survival, it is critical that the wine industry do a better job at attracting more young adults and multicultural consumers. The panel members all have great experience in this area and include Chris Riboli, VP of Riboli Family Wines and the Stella Rosa brand; Angela McCrae, Founder of Uncorked & Cultured and Silver Oak Winery Apprentice; Dalia Ceja, Executive Marketing Director for Ceja Vineyards; and Heidi Scheid, EVP of Scheid Family Wines. The panel moderator is Mike Lakusta, CEO of Ethnifacts.
A networking breakfast will be available on site beginning at 8:00AM. The program will begin promptly at 9:00AM and conclude at 12:00PM.
The event is free of charge for up to three people from WMC member organizations, however, a limited number of seats are available to the public for $150 per person. To register, please click on this link: WineMarketCouncil2024ConferenceLink.
Agenda for the WMC Research Conference & Annual Meeting:
8:00am- Registration & Continental Breakfast
9:00am – Welcome & Introductions – Dr. Liz Thach, MW, President, Wine Market Council
9:10am – Industry Overview: Bright Spots and Challenges in the U.S. Wine Industry
- Danny Brager, Wine Business Analyst, Former SVP of Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Practice Area
9:45am – Latest WMC Research Results: Portrait of the U.S. Wine Consumer & What They Want from the Wine Industry (presenting key findings from the 2023-2024 WMC Benchmark Segmentation Study)
- Dr. Liz Thach, MW, President, Wine Market Council
- Christian Miller, Research Director, Wine Market Council
10:30 – Coffee Break
10:50 – Panel Discussion: Innovative Methods to Attract Younger and Multi-Cultural Consumers to the Wine Category
- Mike Lakusta, CEO of EthniFacts, Panel Moderator
- Chris Riboli, VP of Riboli Family Wines and the Stella Rosa brand
- Angela McCrae, Founder of Uncorked & Cultured and Silver Oak Winery Apprentice
- Dalia Ceja, Executive Marketing Director for Ceja Vineyards
- Heidi Scheid, Executive VP for Scheid Family Wines
Noon – Adjourn
About Wine Market Council and Membership
Interested in obtaining more detailed data on U.S. wine consumers? Consider becoming a Wine Market Council (WMC) member. WMC is a non-profit organization powered by members with an interest in advancing the U.S. wine market and industry. Established in 1996, the mission of WMC is ‘to be the leader in forward-looking market research on U.S. wine consumer buying habits, attitudes and trends.’
Members of Wine Market Council have access to cutting-edge research on the U.S. wine consumer, along with member webinars, newsletters, access to data files and statistics, and other benefits. Membership starts as low as $400 per year for access to webinars and reports, and as low as $1000 per year including data files – depending on the size and category of your organization. Members include wineries, distributors, growers, importers, regional, national, and international trade associations, and affiliates. For more information on membership and costs, please see https://winemarketcouncil.com/join/
