Sales up 5% at Spanish wine giant Bodegas Torres

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 16 February, 2015

Spanish wine giant Bodegas Torres, which also produces wines in Chile and California, has seen its sales grow 5% to €240 million in 2014.

The company invested €15 million in 2014 in buying the Lurton winery in Spain's up-and-coming Rueda region as well as acquiring a stake in Brazilian distributor Divinum and updating its facilities.

Torres Family in vineyard The Torres family in the vineyard

The family-owned wine business, which was taken over in 2013 by Miguel Torres Maczassek, said that while it saw no growth in 2013, turnover has grown by 30% over the past five years. It attributes last year's success to export sales increasing 7% in 2014 versus 2013, and domestic sales improving by 5%.

General manager Torres Maczassek, said: "2014 was a good year, both domestically and internationally. In Spain, our growth is mainly due to two factors: on the one hand, a boost in the hotel and restaurant sector where sales were up 9% compared to 2013. And, on the other hand, sales going up in the Canary Islands, where an excellent tourist season contributed to a 10% increase in turnover for our local subsidiary."

Its Chinese business was the standout performer internationally, with sale of over €27 million in 2014, up 7% on 2013 and despite austerity measures. Its Chilean subsidiary saw sales increase 5% in 2014 to €20 million. In addition, Brazilian distributor Devinum, fully owned by Bodegas Torres since last year, grew by 9%.

Bodegas Torres owns 2,000 hectares of vineyards in Spain, 400 in Chile and 32 in California. It sells over 50 wine brands produced in Spain - in eight different appellations of origin - Chile and California, as well as brandies and other spirits, which are sold in 150 countries. Exports make up 70% of the company's turnover. The main export markets in 2014 were Mexico, the UK, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Germany, Canada, Russia, Ireland and the Scandinavian countries. In 2015, however, other countries are starting to show greater momentum, including the US, Holland and Japan, where Torres recently changed importers.

To boost its facilities it bought equipment to improve the dealcoholisation process of Natureo, its alcohol-free wine, as well as making changes to its Santa Maria d'Agulladolç winery.

The company is also committed to mitigating the effects of climate change, and has cut its CO2 emissions by 10% since 2008. In 2014 it bought a biomass boiler and installed a waste water treatment and recycling system, which will reduce water consumption by 40%.

To combat climate change it bought 230 hectares in the Itata Valley in southern Chile, as well as buying vineyards at high altitude in Aragon in Spain.

Torres Maczassek said: "Our goal for 2015 and beyond is to grow in value rather than volume. We want to concentrate on our continued efforts to make wines that reflect the personality of each vineyard."

Bodegas Torres employs 1,300 people around the world and was founded in 1870.

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