A
single wine information portal
The South African wine industry is served
by a number of different information systems, databases and libraries. It has,
however, become apparent that there will be great value in combining these into
one single portal in order to be more accessible and better utilised.
The search engine should search across all
incorporated local and international websites and
databases, including but not limited to the libraries of Wines of South Africa
(Wosa) and South African Wine Industry Statistics (Sawis), Winetech and VinPro
databases, as well as relevant international resources, such as Euromonitor and
Rabobank reports, websites and business intelligence article domains.
Sawis CEO, Yvette van der Merwe, who will
be heading this project, explains that different access levels will be created,
for instance a public domain and a members’ login. “Different levels of
membership can be created and membership criteria of separate organisations,
such as Wosa, must be taken into account.
Data
analysis and Market and Consumer Research
Since 1994, South Africa has grown its wine
exports significantly. The industry has, however, struggled to deliver added
value in export markets and remains to be perceived as a low cost producer,
with a history of focussing on production, rather than on the consumer.
Over the past decade, global trade in wine
has increased and new markets have emerged. In light of this more complex,
globalised industry, discussions now extend to which market to invest in, what
product to offer in each of these and how to tackle the supply chain. Supported
by data analyses, market and consumer and supply chain insights, the South
African wine industry will be able to make more informed decisions.
The stakeholder organisations (Vinpro,
Wosa, Sawis, Winetech and Salba) are aligned about the need for an
industry-wide strategy in order to be globally competitive. To foster this
reform, the industry needs to develop a coherent understanding of South
Africa’s opportunities and comparative advantages in key export markets.
Building on the market model insights set
out in Wine Intelligence’s Compass Report 2015, this Wine Industry Strategic
Exercise project will adapt the generic model to reflect the South African wine
industry’s strengths and competencies.
The project will provide information about
the potential for top markets, based on factors such as geographical location
in target and adjacent markets, existing presence, distribution channels and
routes to market, as well as product portfolio pertaining to country of origin,
varietal and price point.
Furthermore, this assessment will provide a
comprehensive picture of global drinks trends, including, but not limited to
wine, and an understanding of what emerging consumer groups – such as younger
consumers and wine drinkers in fast-growing consumer markets – are demanding.
Wine Industry Strategic Exercise (WISE)
The South African wine industry is in the
process of developing a new strategic framework aimed at improving
competitiveness and coherence through, inter alia, more focused communication
and an industry-wide governance structure.