UK is number one market for Chilean wine
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- Published on Monday, 24 October 2011 14:57
- Written by Gemma McKenna
The UK has regained the top spot as Chile’s number one export market for bottled wine.
In the year to August 2011, the value of exports to the UK were up 13% to US$222 million while exports to second-placed USA fell by 1.5% to US$207 million.
Recent statistics from Nielsen also show Chilean wine is the fifth most popular by country in the UK off-trade in the past 12 months, overtaking South Africa for the first time.
According to the figures, Chile was one of only four countries that increased volumes over the past year (the others are New Zealand, Italy, and Spain). Chile’s off trade sales of 8.5 million cases, valued at £452 million, gave it a market share of 9.1% overall.
Chile’s performance in the independent retail sector saw sales up 10%, putting Chile above France into fourth place with a market share now standing at 10.2%.
Michael Cox, Wines of Chile’s European director, said: “It is satisfying to see the efforts of the producers and importers being rewarded with more solid progress. Despite rising prices and unhelpful currency issues, value for money remains Chile’s watchword and this underpins its success”.
