Majestic puts South Australia in the spotlight

The Government of South Australia and Wine Australia have partnered with UK wine retailer Majestic in a new promotional campaign.

Running from 15 to 28 September, the new campaign will run online and in Majestic stores and encourage customers to explore the wines from South Australian regions such as McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley and from producers including Yalumba, Jim Barry, Two hands and Kangarilla Road.

Majestic has seen great success with Australian wines this year and its range of Aussie wines has doubled in 2020.

Majestic’s Australian wine buyer, Beth Pearce MW, said: “Since we’ve renewed our focus on Australia earlier this year we’ve seen strong sales growth of over 150% like for like in the early months of 2020. It’s been fantastic to see the appetite and enthusiasm from our customers – particularly in the face of the bush fires and, of course, COVID.

“South Australia is a region with plenty to discover, and offers some really compelling stories for their wines. It’s been fantastic to work with suppliers from across the region to find new audiences and appreciation across Britain. As the UK’s largest specialist retailer, we’re really proud to be helping to continue to build on that enthusiasm with our customers, colleagues and suppliers.”

Australia has spent the last few years very focused on China as its new major market but a series of diplomatic spats between the two countries which have cast a cloud over the future of Australian wine exports there has refocused attention back to traditional markets such as the UK.

As Wine Australia’s regional general manager for the UK and Europe, Laura Jewell MW, said: “More Australian wine is shipped to the UK than to any other country, and Australia is the leading wine producing nation in the UK off-trade, with 23% market share.

“Partnerships like this help us to keep up this momentum and reinforce the message with consumers that Australian wine is diverse, vibrant and exciting.”

South Australia’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Stephen Patterson, added: “We’re delighted to be partnering with one of the UK’s largest stockists of Australian wine and encouraging consumers to explore premium wine from one of the Great Wine Capitals. Accounting for 80% of Australia’s premium wine production and 60% of Australia’s total wine exports, it is fair to say that South Australia is at the forefront of Australia’s thriving wine sector.”

“With Free Trade Agreement negotiations currently underway between Australia and the United Kingdom, our producers in South Australia are focused on opportunities with one of our oldest trade partners.”

For more on Australian wine’s troubles in China and renewed interest in the UK, see the September issue of the drinks business.