South African wine producers have found a new market in Asian countries and that is the sentiment shared by Marcus Ford.
Ford is Asia Market Manager of Wines of South Africa (WoSA) and he says South African wine is becoming more popular in Japan.
He said Japan is where its market share has been growing faster than the average growth of wine as a category in that country.
WoSA is the industry body focusing on promoting the export of SA wines, he explains that Japan is a mature wine market.
The Asian nation has an aging population, and wine consumers have a myriad of drinks choices.
“Wine as a category has shown very slow growth of around 1% over the past 10 years, but it is still a billion-dollar category in Japan,” says Ford per News24.
“While SA’s market share is small, it is growing. Many of our key competitor countries have free trade agreements [with Japan], but at this stage, South Africa does not. So, we are succeeding despite [not having a free trade agreement being] a very obvious barrier to growth.”
Ford argues that South African wine consumption in Japan has increased more rapidly than the country’s wine market as a whole, at around 3% over the past 10 years.
When quizzed about what Japanese consumers enjoy about SA’s wine, Ford said there are several key factors and these include that the Japanese consumer is incredibly discerning regarding food and beverage choices.
“The quality and value of SA’s wine offer shine through at all price points,” he continued.
“Last but not least, I would point to travel and tourism which impacts people who visit South Africa. SA’s tourism and wine offered are unforgettable. This has a huge influence on perceptions.”
Looking at South Africa’s history and tradition of wine production, it goes back to more than 360 years, and that is based on the authenticity of the wines it offers.
Main Image: SA Wine/InspiredLivingSA
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