The internationalization of Spanish wineries it’s a basic step for your business success, and sometimes for your survival, according to consultancy Catenon. Expanding the business, growing sales and offering quality products (so valued) to the rest of the world, is the new approach in which the wine sector is positioning itself.
This business strategy towards internationalization has gone from being the exception to the norm, and in recent years, wineries in our country have seen in the international market a necessary option for your success.
According to Catenon, for these initiatives to be successful, it is necessary to have a deep knowledge of the different markets on different continents and have the talent to guide them in this strategy. Experts with knowledge and who implement the phases of this process of internationalization, from the choice of the market to the way to “land” in it, are key. Therefore, the choice of professionals who know the product and its distribution and sales channels (including digital) is essential so that they take the sector to its rightful place in the world.
In most cases, until now the international adventure of one of the Spanish wineries has been based more on quantity than quality. “A short-term strategy, since what is truly important is to place Spanish wines at the top, and position the brand with prestige, reaching the main rankings in the world of wine. The objective must be to differentiate itself from other international producers on the basis of quality, prestige and brand image, both of the wineries and of the Spanish products. A process that requires qualified professionals with extensive international training and proven experience. You have to look for a talent that differentiates and introduces the product to the market through the right channel, including digital, guaranteeing success»says Laura Urue, FMCG & Digital Director of Catenon.
The figures show the market diversification trend that the export of Spanish wine is experiencing, with The United States as the first destination market (€395.99 M)followed by Germany (€385 M) and the United Kingdom (€313.78 M), a country that is declining in exports, but which continues to occupy one of the most important places on the list of destinations.
It also highlights the great projection of markets such as Switzerland, Mexico, Japan and South Korea. In the case of Switzerland, it is the European country where the liter is sold at the highest price and where each liter of Spanish wine has the most value. In Mexico, Spain has positioned itself as the leading wine exporting country, increasing its exports by almost 60%. In the case of Asian countries, significant export growth is expected in 2023, although China will experience slower growth over time.
In Spain, there are more than 4,500 wineries, of which 2,100 have exported in the last four years, and more than 1,000 have a turnover abroad of more than 50,000 euros. Spain is the world’s leading exporter in volume, with just over 23.5 million hectoliters sold abroad in 2021, and is among the three largest exporters in the world in value, with just over 2,900 million euros invoiced in the international markets in the same year.
