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It’s important to examine and keep up with wine consumption trends every year to help wine growers and retailers sell more wine. While every country has its own specifics, it’s possible to draw parallels out of their wine consumption. After all, wine is a globally desirable liquor that’s not bound geographically when it comes to sales.
Knowing about wine consumption trends can also help wineries to adjust their marketing strategies to increase sales and cater to the needs and demands of many wine consumers.
That being said, here are the wine consumption trends for 2019 along with tips on how to adapt with them to keep your winery up and running.
Canned or RTD (Ready-to-drink) Wines
According to Inkwood Research, the global market for alcoholic RTD was predicted to burgeon at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 3.32% from 2019 to 2027, and those wine sold in cans will play a starring role for it.
The millennial drinkers are one of the driving forces behind the production of canned wine. The convenience that canned wines offer and the environmental benefits of using recyclable cans over glass bottles are the two primary reasons for it.
The massive demand for canned at supermarket shelves is a clear sign that this trend is going to rise this year.
Low Alcohol and Alcohol-Free
Alcohol consumption, in the developed world markets, is decreasing due to wellness and health concerns. This paved the way for moderate drinking trend that’s currently embraced by consumers under 35. Richard Halstead from Wine intelligence even predicted that this healthy lifestyle will be rampant in 2019 and is going to be adopted by consumers within 40 to 50 age bracket. For these reasons, alcohol consumption will curtail this year and in the years to come.
So what can you do about this consumption trend?
The first thing to do is acknowledge the fact that people who care about their health will consume wine next to their meals to have a perfect dining experience. Wine will complement with the food they eat. With this, you can develop a wine marketing around food.
Moreover, pay attention to dishes that your customers like to eat then create a perfect meal experience that will include your wine products. If they like seafood dishes, then have your rose wines ready. You can also include low-alcohol wines into it as there’s a burgeoning interest in low-alcohol drinks in the market today.
Infusions of Cannabis
Weed and wine sound like the makings of a cozy Friday night because they’re a natural combination. While there’s a decrease in alcohol consumption among younger consumers, CBD-infused beverages is on the rise, which is already evident over the past year. The trend of cannabis-infused wines manifested due to the increasing legalization of cannabis in the US.
Last September 2018, California has passed an Assembly Bill 2914 that prohibits the selling of alcoholic beverages that are infused with cannabinoid, which could lead the way or set a precedent for alcohol-free wines in 2019.
So far, there are various US brands that sell cannabinoid-infused wines. But this innovative wine does not contain alcohol. If you want to tweak your marketing routine a little bit by incorporating such wines, start by hopping on wine and weed tours to survey regions that offer both grappa and bud. Afterward, look for credible suppliers who provide cannabinoid-infused wines.
Vegan Wines
The growing awareness for a healthy lifestyle, environmental protection, and animal welfare has led to the birth of a plant-based diet.
In recent years, the consumer demand for all things plant-based keeps burgeoning, particularly in western countries. However, vegans often have difficulties in finding wines that are suitable for them. It owes to the fact that some of the fining agents used in the final bottling process come from animal proteins. Good thing many vegan-friendly fining agents are now readily available on the market.
Since it’s merely a choice of a winery, you can simply change the fining agents for your wine products. If you’re targeting a vegan niche or that you’re already making vegan-friendly wines, then obtain a vegan certificate. You can also look online for “list of vegan-friendly wines” in the area you sell your win then check if someone in your area sells your wines then try to get listed.
You can try with vegan food bloggers or national vegan associations. They will be more than happy to add a new vegan wine to their list. In this way, you can easily promote your wines among vegans for free.
Organic or Sustainable Wines
The driving force of wine sales is still environmental protection and sustainable wine production. Consumers across the globe are becoming more and more conscious of the need for environmental protection. Hence, they search for wines that are produced using environment-friendly process.
On the other hand, having environmental protection certificates and being committed to sustainable and organic winegrowing can drive sales while encouraging price increase. It does so because many consumers are willing to shell out more if they know that no additives were added in the process of winemaking and wine has been produced in a nature-friendly way.
If you’re not yet producing wine in an organic or sustainable way, do it now. If it’s not feasible for you, start slowly and share your steps and plans, including your struggles in adopting sustainable methods. You don’t need to go all-in at once.
Share it on your communication channels such as social media platforms and web pages. You can also list ingredients on your wine labels or put certificate badges on your wine bottles. These methods are great ways to attract wine aficionados who care about their health.
Takeaway
Having an idea about wine consumption trends will help you improve your marketing strategies. It’s also worth noting that any winery who can attract millennial generation is likely to experience a big boost in wine sales. And no, you don’t need to hire marketing gurus for it, all you need to do is be proactive, adapt with the trends, take advantage of available technology, and give unique wine experiences for your visitors.
Author Bio
Scarlett Wells is a freelance writer and wine enthusiast. She is an active critique examining all levels of wine types so she can produce reviews and articles that will help guide every consumer in selecting the right kind of wine to drink. Aside from that, she wrote a lot of blogs maximizing the real usage of wines. In her free time, she reads a lot about food and beverage pairing in order to help her become an effective mentor inspiring everyone to maintain a fit and fab lifestyle.
