David Cox has plenty to talk about as European director for New Zealand Winegrowers. He’s just returned from the New Zealand Exporters Forum and has a plan to push Kiwi wines into Europe
Despite monopoly systems in both Norway and Sweden, Cox is keen to drive New Zealand wines into the Scandinavian countries. “I’m big on Scandinavia. They ‘get’ the New World and are hungry for new things like sustainability, organics and new packaging formats,†he said. “That’s what we do best.â€
The Scandies love bag in box (BIB) wines – accounting for more than 50% of wine sold in Norway and 65% of wine Sweden – but the New Zealanders aren’t so keen. The packaging has been dogged by an image of low quality but today even Chablis and Sancerre producers are using BIB for these markets. New Zealand has to wake up to this fact. Cox said: “Producers have been put off as it’s a bag-in-box market. It’s not been on New Zealand wineries’ radar. But my strategy is to target the Scandinavian trade talking to importers and the press.”
Germany is also on Cox’s hit list but it must be patient and establish itself as a premium producer – even if it means sacrificing sales. “I have a 10 year plan. We are not even on the map in Germany yet but we have to aim high. I have told our exporters ‘don’t be seduced by distributors who want a six or eight euro wine.’â€
The UK and Ireland will continue to take up the greatest slice of his time but it will be interesting to see if the Kiwis can muscle in on the continent.
