It was discussed at the opening of Vinitaly, the main Italian wine fair that is taking place now from the 22d to the 25th March in Verona. The inspiration comes from a government's plan that has the aim to create a collaboration between international retailers and Italian supermarkets. The percentage of presence of Italian wine in foreign markets can significantly grow, for two main reasons, the interest of foreign chains in this product and, here is the news, thanks to a project that the Italian government is now developing. Emilio Gatto, general manager for the promotion of food quality of the Ministry of Agriculture said that: "The Ministry of Agriculture is working on the identification of 'target' countries towards which it can initiate collaborative projects that will directly involve the national supermarket chains who will have to sign agreements with the big international players in order to increase the selling of our wines internationally. The project has just been presented but it will develop with the collaboration of the different stakeholders involved. " A very important project for the wine companies says Marco Caprai, owner of Cantine Caprai: "With the Governments special promotion plan for the "Made in Italy" products, available economic resources have become six times bigger compared to those of the previous years. In order to be successful abroad, wine must not only focus on the product but on its story, with events organized within the stores, movies, and so on. "
Not only craftsmen but also excellent traders for the export sector
At present, in the US, Italian wine represents 35% (by value) of the total imported wines from the whole world and available in shops, while in Germany the percentage is 30%, as reported by IRI. Gianluigi Ferrari, general manager of the Core Group of Brussels, which associates with chains like Conad, Rewe Group, Belgium Colruyt, Coop Suisse gave his opinion on how to present wine on foreign markets: "In order to sell abroad you do not just have to be excellent craftsmen but you need also to be excellent traders. This is the fundamental difference with the French. Even in the wine sector our companies suffer from being too small and provincial companies. We have to forget the logic of Export, understood as to invoice and ship a pallet of product, but pass to a logic of going to sell the product. To do this, our companies need to have dimensions that may allow to organize themselves properly in the most important foreign countries. "
The numbers of the Italian market provided by Iri
In the first two months of 2015, 78 million litres of wine have been sold with an increase in volume of 1.3% compared to the previous year. This increase rises to 4.4% in volume if we consider wine in bottles of 75 cl. In 2014 the wine in 75cl bottles marks an increase of + 0.2% in volume. The 75cl bottles with denomination of origin have recorded a decrease of - 0.7% in volume (in 2013 it got to - 3.2%). The promotional activities are still increasing and on the total value of wine sold it is about 40.17%, but it reaches 51.80% on the bottles with denomination of origin. Organic wines show an increase of 11.3% in volume, but private label bottles are decreasing by 13% in volume.
