Different ways Dan Murphy’s and Unovino hope to support smaller producers

Over the past week, established retailer Dan Murphy’s and new online wine marketplace Unovino have each outlined new approaches that they hope will increase the level of support given to small Australian drinks suppliers and producers.

For Unovino, this approach involves an equity raising that it hopes will expand its reach. Additionally, Unovino also hopes to further develop its remote cellar door concept which can transform any licensed venue into a cellar door. Brisbane’s Adelita wine bar was first to trial the concept.

“We’ve been trialling Unovino’s remote cellar door technology for a month and it is now making up about 10% of our wine sales as diners take advantage of the opportunity to sample a few excellent drops from Riversdale in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley,” said Chris Hollingsworth, Owner.

“We are forever being asked where our wines are from and how diners can get their hands on more of what they’re drinking. This innovative new system allows them direct access to the winemaker without having to travel to a cellar door, or scour bottle shop shelves where they aren’t likely to find these special, small-batch wines.”

Alternatively, Endeavour Group is seeking to increase support offered to smaller suppliers by extending its free delivery offer at Dan Murphy’s Marketplace, which connects smaller producers with its 5.4 million active consumers.

"Our Marketplace platform is designed to empower small suppliers by providing them with wide ranging visibility and a chance to maintain their unique business identity," said Martin Price, Dan Murphy's General Manager e-commerce.

"The free delivery offer has enhanced our platform's appeal, resulting in over 10% year-on-year growth. This success demonstrates how our Marketplace not only benefits customers with great deals but also plays a crucial role in supporting the growth of Australian beverage suppliers."

Dan Murphy’s announcement follows shortly behind this disruptive public campaign launched by Naked Wines last month. This campaign, which sought to raise awareness about the Ideal Conditions YouGov report it helped to create, saw Naked Wines place billboards outside Coles Liquor and Endeavour Group retail outlets encouraging consumers to “vote with their feet.”

Since then, Drinks Trade heard responses from both Coles Liquor and Endeavour Group, which can be viewed in here. More recently, various small suppliers have offered their feedback on how the Dan Murphy’s Marketplace has helped grow their business.

“The Dan Murphy’s website has fantastic digital reach in Australian retailing,” said Craig Douglas of Forester Estate.

“We have been enthusiastic users of the Dan Murphy’s Marketplace platform for the past eight years. From the early days when we had only four wines listed, to today when we have twenty different wines listed, the Dan’s Marketplace platform has provided fantastic exposure for the Forester Estate brand and the different wines we have to offer.”

Stefano Di Benedetto, Founder of Solbevi, added: “As a small start up business…it is extremely hard to find platforms to sell your product. However, Marketplace put us on the map.”

According to Unovino’s Managing Director Adam Coward, premium wine currently presents significant opportunity, with the sector having experienced an average annual value increase of 19% since 2016.

“Since launching a year ago, what we’re seeing in Australia is a craving for premium products and a shift to quality over quantity, reflecting a broader swing towards health-conscious choices and a desire to support local producers,” he said.

“With a platform geared at supporting independent Australian winemakers and offering anyone access to rare premium wines, Unovino is in the perfect position to tap into these consumer trends.”

Unovino’s current equity raising campaign follows on from its previous efforts to seek investment being blocked by the way Liquor Licensing laws were worded in South Australia.

Coward said, “we are excited to now be able to offer the opportunity for a crowd source funding raise after successfully obtaining the official definition of a shareholder in South Australia from the Liquor and Gaming Licensing Commissioner. This clarification clearly paves the way for larger numbers of the general public to be able to invest more easily in a wine business like Unovino as long as the share is under 5%.”

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