ViniPortugal unveils ambitious growth plan

ViniPortugal are planning to boost sales of Portuguese wine in the UK by 8% over the next three years.

Using an annual budget of €500,000, the organisation is targeting 30 restaurants and 30 independent wine merchants in London, Manchester and Edinburgh with promotions and tastings.

Speaking to the drinks business, Nuno Vale, marketing director at ViniPortugal said, “We will be more modern, provocative and aggressive in our promotion of Portuguese wine.”

He explained that the agency was targeting a “more discerning type of customer” through the on- and off-trade, and that the chosen restaurants and merchants would be “ambassadors for Wines of Portugal”

The new campaign is being handled in the UK by PR agency Cube Communications, and will emphasise the diversity of Portuguese wine using the strap line “A World of Difference”.

Vale stressed that ViniPortugal will “communicate we have 250 grape varieties and we want to pass on the message that we have a broad range and that we have stuck to our heritage.”

However, tastings and events will highlight a core of 10 grapes, six of which will be red, and four white.

Beyond the focus on merchants and restaurants, Vale reminded that the UK would retain and expand the Portuguese “Great 50” tasting in June to include consumers.

“This year we will show the wines not only to the trade and press, but consumers too, and we will put on tastings in Manchester and Edinburgh [in addition to London].”

The UK is one of 10 key markets for Portuguese export growth over the next three years, although the greatest promotional budget is being reserved for the more dynamic US and Brazilian markets, said Vale.