Concha to recruit a million more consumers by 2021

Chilean wine giant Concha y Toro has ambitious plans to turn a further million UK households into fans of its three core brands: Casillero del Diablo, Cono Sur and Trivento, by 2021.

The company outlined its bold plan during a press briefing in London last week “to deliver high quality brands that enrich occasions”, and increase its consumer reach from 3.3 million to 4.3 million UK households by 2021.

Simon Doyle, general manager of Concha y Toro UK, was honest about the fact that there were big challenges ahead due to Brexit and currency fluctuations.

One of Concha’s latest packaging innovations: Adorada Rosé from California, which boasts a striking black wax seal

“We need to successfully navigate these challenges and make sure that customers don’t feel the squeeze”, he said.

“We need to wean both consumers and retailers off of heavy discounting as there is less and less margin to play with. In this intense period of change, there has never been a more important time to know what you stand for as a company,” he added.

Doyle also spoke of the need to bring younger consumers into the wine category with compelling offerings, otherwise they will migrate to spirits.

“In order to do this we need to offer wines for every drinking occasion and address the need for excitement by making wines engaging,” he said.

During the briefing, the company outlined further challenges due to millennials drinking less and midweek wine shoppers declining off the back of an increased consumer health drive fuelled by campaigns like Dry January and Stoptober.

The wine giant has responded to this trend with the launch of a 50cl bottle within the Casillero del Diablo range.

Concha’s category and insights controller, Alexandra Haughton, believes that one solution is to play on wine’s craft credentials in order to compete in the same arena as craft beer and spirits.

“Drinking is linked to experiences now, particularly with millennials, and gin, Prosecco and rosé producers have all really tapped into that,” she said.

“Winemakers need to create something beautiful looking that people can engage with,” she added.

Concha’s commercial director, Clare Griffiths, believes that there isn’t enough consumer led innovation in wine, which is holding the category back.

“We’re not seeing a lot of consumer trade up in wine at the moment. There needs to be a reason for people to pay more for wine,” she said, adding, “wine is ripe for disruptive reinvention.