Vinexpo: Val d'Orbieu-Uccoar rebrands as Vinadeis and bets on bulk wine for the future

By Erin Smith

Published: 18 June, 2015

Val d'Orbieu-Uccoar, the biggest wine producer in France, has announced at Vinexpo it has changed its name to Vinadeis and it would be moving forward with a greater focus on the bulk wine market.

Bertrand Girard, the chief executive of Vinadeis emphasised the growing importance of bulk wine for the business moving forward after investing in building a bulk wine facility this year.

Girard said: "Sometimes bulk [wine] has a negative connotation, but this can be noble. This is a fine profession and we are very proud of the bulk side of our business. People tend to look down on bulk, but it is very hard work."

The facility will be located in the south of France "which will allow us to better manage bulk wine." The facility is expected to process 800,000 hL per year.

"We want to do bulk and show traceability, but also show how it is made and how how it is managed," said Girard. Girard sees the potential of the bulk wine business as more and more countries continue to move bottling to their respective domestic markets.

The facility is expected to open in January 2016.

The company had a strong year in 2014 with combined turnover reaching €288m. Net profit hit €3.5m. Girard said the company is continually reinvesting in its own business and winegrowers which "has put us in a position of a virtuous circle, with the money going back into the business and the wine market."

The cooperative started with seven winegrowers from Corbières in 1967 and today is now made up of 1600 winegrowers, 17000 ha of vineyards and 45 estates and châteaux, 11 wineries and almost 400 employees.

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