Demographic change and new target groups

Eberhard Abele (German Wine Institute) began by outlining the serious changes currently taking place in consumer behavior: there is a clear trend toward younger people drinking less wine. In his presentation, he also pointed out that the proportion of young people with a migrant background is growing and that this group often does not consume alcohol for religious reasons. However, the wine market should view this growing group as an opportunity and broaden its offering accordingly, for example by tapping into the rapidly growing market for non-alcoholic products.

Prof. Dr. Simone Loose (Geisenheim University) then highlighted the demographic pressure on the wine market: baby boomers account for around 75% of wine buyers, but subsequent generations cannot replace these volumes. For wineries, this means that growth can only be achieved by attracting new customers.

She used operational key figures to illustrate the factors that successful companies have in common:

• Consistent customer focus and active CRM
• Investments in modern sales – especially digital
• clear brand management and professional communication

Simone Loose emphasized that structured controlling is essential for modern businesses: “The value of a business is no longer its vineyards or buildings, but its customer base.”

She also addressed the topic of export as a strategic orientation for a company. However, she emphasized that an efficient merchandise management system is indispensable for this, and that export is only worthwhile once all processes are in order “at home.” “Export is sales for advanced learners,” Prof. Loose concluded.

New products for new consumers

Manu Fischer (Defining Taste) called on the industry to be more courageous: young consumers do not need taste excellence as a “secret trump card,” but rather a coherent overall concept. Successful alternative products, such as herbal lemonades, flavored wines, or modern mixed drinks, thrive on clear positioning, emotional storytelling, and a strong brand.

Wineries should ask themselves the following questions: “What do young consumers want, and how can we develop products that are truly relevant?”

In the panel discussion entitled “What will the wine industry look like in 2035?” with Prof. Loose, Eberhard Abele, Manu Fischer, and moderated by Dr. Keith Ulrich, the participants took an optimistic but realistic look at the coming ten years and intensively examined key questions about the future of the industry. Prof. Simone Loose emphasized that those businesses that succeed in establishing genuine customer proximity and inspiring their target groups will be successful. This goes hand in hand with a necessary restructuring of vineyards. Eberhard Abele added that the wine industry as a whole will become smaller but at the same time more efficient. Young people will continue to be interested in wine, provided that the experience surrounding the product is right. Manu Fischer emphasized that those businesses that master the balancing act between traditional viticulture and innovative product worlds will be ahead of the game.

Another topic was packaging as a potential driver of innovation: smaller formats such as cans or handy bottles could open up new consumption situations, especially in urban areas where uncomplicated, spontaneous consumption is in demand. Finally, it became clear how important clear positioning is: every business should be able to concisely formulate its own USP or, as it was put in the discussion: “Why is it worth buying your wine?” It should be possible to answer this question within 30 seconds.