Wines of Argentina unveils new export strategy

Industry body Wines of Argentina has unveiled a new business plan and export strategy while also announcing the promotion of Magdalena Pesce to general manager of the institution.

Magdalena Pesce will take over as general manager of Wines of Argentina in January 2021.

Pesce, who is currently the marketing and communications manager, will start in her new role on 1 January 2021, it was announced in a video-conference meeting this week.

She replaces Mario Giordano, who has been with the organisation since it was founded in 1993. He will continue to work closely with the team as a senior advisor and will work with Pesce during the transition period.

Wines of Argentina’s business plan centres on strengthening the global positioning of the country’s wine industry through digital marketing and generating business opportunities for its members.

The two-year plan is focused on establishing a digital presence for Argentine wine (vino Argentino) “with much greater force”. It also aims to increase both the distribution and sales of Argentine wine, with a focus on premiumisation, diversity and a favourable quality to price ratio.

Maximiliano Hernández Toso, president of Wines of Argentina, said: “We envisage the unity of the industry with the most important priority: exports. The new business plan will respond to the trends that global society has been experiencing, so it is aimed at ensuring the presence of Vino Argentino in digital ecosystems where strategic audiences for the industry in the world interact. Argentina, as an innovative wine country, will ride that wave and that will be the central point on the Wines of Argentina agenda for the coming years.”

Wines of Argentina will use various digital platforms to share content, network, hold events and provide educational resources. In particular, it will have a focus on e-commerce and marketplace platforms.

The organisation has also started work on an online wine education course in Argentina in partnership with the Napa Valley Wine Academy.

Wines of Argentina will continue to focus its attention primarily on the Chinese and American markets, “while continuing to pay attention to others in Asia that have great potential, such as Japan and South Korea”. The UK, Canadian, Mexican and Brazilian markets will also be targeted.

Magdalena Pesce added: “Wines of Argentina has spent a decade doing online communications, speaking to different audiences around the world for one simple reason: to be more effective in the use of our resources and contribute to the success of the organisation. With the new plan, we will further enhance our integrated strengths moving forward, and focus all our efforts on our digital future.”