Organic trend shaping the future of global wine market

According to the latest report conducted this year by the Millésime Bio world organic wine fair, research commissioned by the inter-professional association SudVinBio and conducted in conjunction with drinks leading consultancy IWSR, the global wine market will face major changes in outlook in the upcoming years, given by the growing organic wine trend consumption worldwide.

GLOBAL CONSUMERS DRINK MORE GREEN

During his intervention at the fair, the president of SudVinBio Nicolas Richarme sustained that the changing in the sector is being driven by the growing demand of consumers for products free from added sulphites and chemical pesticides in the winemaking processes, thus creating opportunities and implications for the wine sector worldwide.

The main concerns of the consumers, which brought to this consumption pattern’s shift, are to be identified in the growing sensibility of the general interest about Land-Use Human Fingerprint and Environmental Damage determined by the winemaking processes, as well as the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle for themselves and their family members.

The report suggests that the growing demand of organic wine worldwide has been driven by the consumers in the last years, and will entail an increase in overall consumption of this specific industry up to 34% in 2023, with a prediction of 976 million bottles drunk.

Sales of organic wine have also registered an increase since last year, for a total of some £2,9bn income, with the prospect of organic wine accounting for 3.5% of global wine consumption in 2023 – a steady grow rate of 0,9% from 2018.

In particular, the research focused on five key markets for the organic wine sector: France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the US. All datas have been collected and analysed from this perspective.

EXPANSION AND SUSTAINABILITY

According to the forecasts, France is expected to become the biggest organic wine market in the years to 2023, with the highest consumption rate accounting for some 20% of the total.

The following market for consumption growth and size is Germany, accounting for 17.6% foreseen consumption.

The total bottle sales predicted for the UK market equates to some 91 million, with a consumption rate around 9,3% of the total, making it the third organic wine global market.

Furthermore, the organic viticulture is expected to register an expansion in Spain, which will entail increased investments by the leading shareholders. By 2023, the organic vineyards present on the Spanish territory are forecast to reach three times their extent in 2013, for a total of 160,000ha. France is also expected to reach 115,000ha of winemaking area employed, with Italy following behind with 96,000ha forecast.

With regard to this, President Nicolas Richarme also stated that the growing organic wine trend would lead large and small vignerons worldwide to switch to more sustainable winemaking, in order to meet consumer demand. This would entail a significant change in retailers stock, as well as vineyard management, with brands offering a larger range of organic wines to the market, to ride the raising wave of the trend.

MARKET DYNAMICS LEAD TO NECESSARY CHANGE

In conclusion, the expected growth of organic wine market makes it particularly interesting and attractive in a long-term perspective.

Growing consumer demand for organic wine closely matches the significant organic trend worldwide, which involves a wide range of products in the agri-food industry.

It is therefore fundamental for brands operating in the organic wine industry to monitor the developments of the sector, and respond to the relatively consistent growth of consumer demand for organic wine.

The report has been summarized and published by Harpers.co.uk in the article “Global organic wine sales to double in a decade”.