Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/230154
UNIFIED WINE & GRAPE SYMPOSIUM What Are the North American Wine Industry's Biggest Challenges for 2014? Dave Miller packagingarts "Creativity for growth. The wine industry cannot rest on its laurels and must be creative in its packaging and marketing efforts." Loretta Andersen Bio-Microbics Inc. "The ability to reuse winery wastewater. To reuse the water for irrigation will help the smaller wineries to reduce cost and increase profitability." Ed Barr P&L Specialties "Government issues like the Affordable Care Act, immigration regulation or reform, increased state regulations, and local issues of microclimate." Manny Martinez Tonnellerie Boutes "Maintaining wine sales." Jerome Aubin Artisan Barrels & Tanks Inc. "Sustaining wine sales at the high end of the market to justify the purchase of specialty/imported winemaking equipment." Helene Champ Active Club Solutions "To stay in touch with consumers in an atmosphere with a new generation that is no longer loyal to brands or labels but rather ever changing, with ideas, opinions and likes turning at a moment's notice." Chris Heavrin Markel Insurance Company "Interstate trade and weather/ drought. There seem to be a lot of new/startup wineries that are hitting the market and many rely on buying grapes/juice and then have to deal with distribution." J-P Giovanni Bruni Glass "Land and operating challenges, such as access to water, labor, credit access. Market access in the midst of continued distributor consolidation. Competition from overseas wines and deploying the right marketing and distribution approach." Brent Cromar JBI "Increased taxes. This not only affects business, but individuals' discretionary spending. If the government gets the money, individuals don't have money to spend at tasting rooms and wine stores. Simple! " Michael Mercer Leroi Barrels/Charlois Cooperage USA "We rely so heavily on Mother Nature and water supply in the great wine growing regions of North America. Your brand has to be able to perform each year, while showing great value and customer service." Scott Cameron ASCO Numatics "The economy." Cameron Black ATP "Regulations, labeling, making the bigger connection of regional food and wines." Charlotte Gourraud Laffort USA "Grape supply is obviously the biggest challenge for the wine industry in North America. Grape quality is a resulting challenge, as well as AVAs and working on an American concept for terroir. On the winery side, we see new techniques coming from Europe." We also received several comments from suppliers who preferred to remain anonymous. Among their concerns were: keeping prices competitive, suppliers accepting tighter margins, the ability to retain quality and value in a cutthroat pricing atmosphere, a glut of grapes and wine, red blotch virus and maintaining pricing after two large harvests. 88 V I N E YA R D & WINE RY MANAGEM ENT | Jan - Feb 2014 w w w. v wm m e d i a . c o m