Wines of South Africa (Wosa) has stepped up its marketing efforts in Hong Kong following the launch of an office in the region in October this year. It’s seen as a springboard into other Asian countries as South African wines continue to gain traction in these markets. “Hong Kong is a strategic market in itself as wine consumption is higher than in any other part of Asia, which is why we have established an office here. At the same time, its key proximity to other markets provides a springboard into mainland China, Macau, Japan and other countries,” said Michaela Stander, market manager: Asia for Wosa. She told FTW that having a presence in Hong Kong had allowed Wosa to better understand the market, to engage more directly with trade and to provide more hands-on support to South African wine producers trading in the region. Stander noted that some of the larger SA wine companies had made Asia a recent focus and had either formed partnerships with local distributors or established their own operations to access Hong Kong, China and Macau. “With the correction of the China market and the shift from gift-giving to consumption of wine, there is a growing maturity amongst wine drinkers. This makes the market more receptive to SA offerings and we are already seeing the benefits of increased retail and hospitality listings at key outlets,” she said. According to Stander, the Asian consumer is increasingly demanding goods at reasonable prices and thus responds well to the value of South African wines across the pricing continuum. Wosa’s new marketing initiatives include the development of its Chinafacing Wosa website. It’s working with a Hong Kongbased IT company and translators for content, while commissioning a Beijingbased company to expand the organisaion’s social media presence via Weibo, YouKu and WeChat, and in the process reaching more trade and consumers. “In Japan we are also working with a celebrity wine educator, running an education programme for wine retail and on-consumption trade, as well as consumers. CAPTION Over 180 000 global buyers attended the Hong Kong Trade Development Council International Wine & Spirits Fair earlier this month. Photo: HKTDC
