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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. Consumer
Direct Wine Sales Reach a Record $2.8 Billion in 2007
Consumer demand drives U.S. direct
wine sales to record levels as more wineries than ever compete in a crowded market.
Windsor, CA - March 27, 2008 - U.S. consumer direct wine sales
reached record levels in 2007, according to the latest research results published
today by wine marketing advisors,
VinterActive LLC.
Based on
their annual VinQuestTM survey of the nation's 3500+ bonded wineries,
VinterActive reports that tasting room, wine club, internet, mail order and
telesales grew to a record $2.8 Billion in 2007 as more wineries than ever sold
their wine directly to U.S. consumers across the country.
At many
established wineries, results were mixed in 2007 as gains in tasting room sales
were offset by reported reductions in wine club spending, growing competition
from other wineries and the significant barriers still posed by interstate
shipping regulations.
Key
findings of this year's research reveal:
- Total
direct sales by U.S.
wineries in 2007: $2.8 Billion
- Year-over-year
change in consumer direct sales at established wineries in 2007: - 2%
- Tasting
room sales growth in 2007: 29%
- Wine
club sales decline in 2007: -4%
- Online
wine sales growth in 2007: 3%
- Phone
order growth in 2007: 33%
- Direct
mail sales decline in 2007: -11%
- U.S. wineries projecting consumer
direct as their fastest growing sales channel in 2008: 57%
Despite a
sluggish economy and rising fuel prices, winery sales managers remain upbeat
about prospects for growth, with most wine regions forecasting direct sales
gains of 10% to 20% in 2008.
VinQuestTM
2008 also identifies the most effective sales/marketing practices used by
consumer direct wineries in all regions and provides a detailed comparison of
tasting room, wine club and online direct sales metrics at U.S. wineries
of every size.
The complete
70-page VinQuestTM 2008 research report including detailed response to all
survey questions, best-practices analysis, time-series views and proprietary regional
winery performance data is available from VinterActive LLC at a cost of $1595.
About VinQuestTM 2008
The
VinQuestTM 2008 research project was conducted by wine marketing advisors
VinterActive LLC with support from a national coalition of wine industry
associations in an effort to better understand the size and dynamics of the U.S. consumer
direct wine sales channel. Now in its fourth
year, VinQuest has become the largest and most widely used source of consumer
direct sales data in the U.S.
wine industry.
Participating
winery associations include: WineAmerica, Napa Valley Vintners, New York Wine
& Grape Foundation, Illinois Wine, Russian River Wine Road, Heart of Sonoma
Valley Association, Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance, Oregon Wine Board,
Michigan Grape & Wine Industry Council, Seneca Lake Wine Trail, and the
Paso Robles Wine Alliance. Initial
guidance and encouragement was provided by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
About VinterActive LLC
VinterActive
LLC is a leader in the research and practice of consumer direct wine marketing and winery ecommerce. Founded in 2001,
VinterActive's global team of direct marketing experts, wine sales advisors, and
system engineers have identified and developed proprietary techniques for
increasing tasting room, wine club and online sales that have proven effective
for both large and small wineries seeking to maximize their share of the
rapidly growing consumer direct sales channel.
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For more
information, contact:
VinterActive
LLC
9940 Starr Road #130
Windsor, CA 95492
(707)
836-7295
http://www.vinteractive.com
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