The sixteen South Australian wine producers participating in Wine Australia's US Market Entry Program have been announced.

Golding Wines located the Adelaide Hills in one of them. Darren Golding, Founder and Managing Director, says the US Market Entry Program will support their winery in its efforts to diversify exports into the US market.

“We’re currently not exporting to the US which is why the program offers us a great opportunity to focus on expanding our sales into this new market,” Mr Golding said.

“We would like to build relationships with a select number of distributors to achieve distribution in five key regions in the US, focusing on areas that are yet to be saturated by Australian wines, allowing our brand to stand out from the crowd.”

“We selected the US market as we have identified that the opportunities currently available align well with our business and our plans for growth. Up until this point, we have only exported a small portion of our total production to China and Singapore. We feel there are also some exciting opportunities in the UK and will look to establish in the UK market in the next 12 months.”

The other wineries selected for the program are:

  • Atlas Wines
  • Burge Family Wines
  • CW Wines
  • Greenock Creek
  • Handcrafted and Redhead Studios
  • Hither & Yon
  • Hollick Estate
  • Islander Estate
  • Knappstein Wines
  • Longview Wines
  • St Mary’s Wines
  • Tomich Wines
  • Turkey Flat
  • Watkins Family Wines
  • Welland Wines

Delivered by Wine Australia, the 12-month program is designed to educate wine producers about the technicalities of the US market, including compliance, marketing, pricing, sales, PR and logistics, ultimately to support the businesses as they nudge into the US market and expand. The program is funded by Wine Australia with South Australia's government subsidising 50 per cent of the cost.

South Australian Minister for Trade and Investment, Stephen Patterson said the program provides participants with insights into one of the largest and most complex wine markets in the world.

“The United States has a three-tier distribution system and complex laws,” Minister Patterson said.

“Sixteen producers are receiving a 50 per cent rebate off the cost of participation and will have the opportunity to gain valuable market knowledge, guidance and introductions to key importers and distributors.

“Over the last four years, Wine Australia’s US Market Entry programs have been successful in helping 75 per cent of Australian wineries achieve first orders in the market worth a total value of $2.4 million.

“The US Market Entry Program is one of the initiatives under the Wine Export Recovery and Expansion Program which aims to expand business-to-business opportunities for new-to-market companies, brand promotion and wine education for existing brands, and international trade visits, when travel is permitted.”

The program is worth $5.4 million, delivered over four years.

Aaron Ridgway, Wine Australia’s Regional General Manager, Americas, said, “A place in Wine Australia’s Market Entry Program is a highly effective way to approach the unique challenges and significant opportunities in the US market.

“The program has been substantially expanded to provide more services and benefits to members and we look forward to a big year.”

For further information about the program, visit here. For further information about the programs available to South Australian exporters, visit www.export.sa.gov.au/wine

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