What a difference recent weeks have made to optimism in the UK. Whatever your policies, the new Labor government has begun its term making confident and bold decisions. It is as if things are finally being done, and with the aim of making things better, rather than demonizing immigrants or appeasing extremism. We would be better off eschewing North Sea oil in favor of solar energy, or actually collaborating with the NHS to try to proactively solve years of pain.
Ben Franks says there is a lot to be positive about the wider wine and drinks industry
Perhaps it is too early to celebrate, after all, this is politics, and the honeymoon period for the new government will end at some point. Let's just hope that when the public applause dies down, the government continues to focus on pushing for the better. But this is definitely something we can enjoy and learn from in the wine business and start doing more of: making bold, visionary decisions.
The wine business moves slowly, anecdotally. If you spend any time in alternative formats – or “future formats” as we like to call them at Canned Wine Co. – It won't be long before someone tells you that the wine trade is “just getting used to screw caps.”
Although this shift may be slow, for those who don't care about wine, we are currently living in a golden age of wine innovation.
The packaging process is in a downward spiral at the moment, with quality in pouches, cans, pouches and drums appearing higher than ever and with producers agreeing to lighter and lighter glass containers. Not only does this mean that our packaging has become more sustainable, but today's consumer has a wide range of choices for all occasions, whether you want a fresh glass of wine straight from a case at the cinema, a bottle of something special at your local restaurant, or you order a can of Your favorite food for family and friends barbecue.
Innovation through the supply chain
Ben Franks is looking forward to doing his bit in terms of pushing the category forward with Canned Wine Co and its focus on innovative and convenient wine packaging.
But the innovation goes beyond packaging. I have seen through our supply chain and over a decade of wine purchasing and spirits manufacturing that those who produce beverages solve problems at a rate similar to other fast-moving consumer goods. The times we live in are perilous in some ways, but they are also at their most exciting.
In vineyards, graft and canopy management, soil regeneration and mechanization, and a data-driven understanding of the lands you tend and the vines you grow, have led to different schools of thought and an explosion in experimentation. The risks of climate change and risks to crops have forced decisions that might have been made decades ago, while new generations with a love of nature and a passion for sustainability have pushed change even further.
Furthermore, in a culture where people drink less than the mass-produced amount, it becomes less attractive. Quality starts to become more important. Quality requires bold moves. Quality, whether you like the style or not, is what gave birth to natural wine. Some talked about authenticity and extras, but most talked about being true to place, variety and vintage.
Like all great innovations, some examples were lazy, some were still learning, some were good, and some were genius. For the consumer? It meant more options, more to explore. This is never a bad thing.
Open for discussion
Conversations became more interesting too. From sustainability discussions at the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, especially their discussions on viticulture and the global frame of reference for defining sustainability, to empowering women in the wine movement led by Queena Wong's Curious Vines, and especially in her work with Proof Insights to make the case for wine. Sexism in the wine trade. The trade response to implementing change towards better sustainability and more inclusiveness as a result of these discussions is stimulating and we need to ensure these discussions continue to happen. We cannot lose momentum because we must make the wine business better for those coming.
In technology, app startups like Bowimi are simplifying field sales and lead generation with the help of artificial intelligence; Another example of this is Bottlestudio, which helps producers create lists and presentations with the help of AI, from white papers to shelf speakers.
The wine industry needs to look at what's happening in other grocery categories — like soft drinks and Pepsi-Cola's new smart can — to see what's possible now with packaging and innovation
Don't forget the originals, Vivino and Wine-searcher, which are still useful tools for those in the wine trade. Recently, at Cannes Lions, Pepsi's “smart can” was unveiled, encased in a flexible, high-resolution 3D display to help the brand tell its story; Likewise, wine itself was an early user of augmented reality to help tell stories, whether that be cocktail inspiration displayed visually on the label, or 19 murders with its infamous stories. Whether you like them or not, they're popping up everywhere — and while no ideas are perfect, they fail fast and innovate fast. Today 19 Crimes is one of the largest wine brands in the world.
Being decisive
What I would love to see more of in our industry is decisiveness. Consumers are ready for this. The challenge is the gatekeepers. Those guarding the gates are not exclusively from the old guard either. It's a cultural problem, especially for distributors who these days are doing less and less work servicing accounts as costs rise and employers struggle to make ends meet.
The challenge facing large logistics companies is that they tend to have both painful ends of the stick – customer complaints and tight margins. This has led to an epidemic of poor service, where the only innovation in “business as usual” has been cost cutting. Fortunately, the epidemic has begun to be crushed.
It has been exciting to see the steady rise – and eventual takeover – of Hallgarten, where bold buyers like Steve Daniel can wave the flag of Chile and Greece, adding color to the already diverse and exciting wine scene in the UK and where the business of looking after your wine accounts is distinct and up close.
There's also North South Wines, led by the inspiring Kim Wilson, whose wealth of wine brand partnerships has thrived in raising the bar for quality everyday and specialty wines, driven by the demand for fewer but better wines. Resilient in the face of Brexit, eager small wine importers are leaning into niches and cash-strapped to share the best undiscovered wines.
Then you have companies that graduate a little closer to the majors, like Wanderlust Wine or Graft Wine Company, both of which bring something different and exciting to the playing field and juggle a mix of on-trade and off-trade demand.
When you're not defending the top of the hill, you're innovating to climb it. Often times, getting up a hill requires collaboration, and whether it's a bottle of wine or the latest innovation in wine, sharing is one of the joys of our trade.
This pursuit of innovation, and the way it enables startups, spin-offs and wine companies to solve problems, has the beginnings of a buzz. It's a way to generate passion around the wine business and change the tide of doom and gloom caused by declining consumption and lakes of unsold wine. Instead, the producer, retailer, communicator or consumer can enhance their wine experience in different ways, and ultimately sit down and sip something that is better – for the planet, the producer and the drinker.
*You can find out more about what Ben Franks does at Canned Wine Co on her website here.
