Airing between regular episodes of the VinePair Podcast, “Next Round” explores the ideas and innovations that are helping drinks businesses adapt in a time of unprecedented change. As the coronavirus crisis continues and new challenges arise, VP Pro is in your corner, supporting the drinks community for all the rounds to come. If you have a story or perspective to share, email us at [email protected]
In this “Next Round,” VinePair CEO Adam Teeter interviews Adam Sager, co-president of Winesellers, Ltd., a full-service importer representing foreign producers around the globe. Winesellers Ltd. provides these wineries with comprehensive marketing, social media, and sales services.
Sager discusses Winesellers’ history, from its inception in 1977, when his pharmacist-turned-wine-selling father opened the now family business, to the present. Sager outlines how the business has faced pandemic-related challenges, and shares some of the techniques Winesellers, Ltd. has used in adapting to loss of on-premise sales. These methods include virtual wine tastings, sale events, working with e-tailers, and ramping up digital marketing efforts. Winesellers, Ltd.’s brand Santa Julia even participated in VinePair’s Great Drinks Experience, evidence of its participation in online tasting events.
Sager also explains the appeal of value wines, describing them as having “high quality level and an excellent brand experience compared to the price paid.” In Sager’s view, a value wine can occur at any price point, as long as that wine over-delivers on experience for the given cost. Additionally, Sager says Winesellers has had more of a focus on DTC (direct-to-consumer) sales, and notes the uptick in value wine consumption during the coronavirus pandemic. His data sources show that consumers are drinking a larger volume of wine, while spending less per bottle.
During a time when international traveling seems unlikely, Sager endorses drinking value wines as a “wonderful” way to feel a sense of adventure through the stories and countries of origin each wine label is connected to.
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