Is the faltering U.S. economy causing consumers to indulge more frequently in the grape? U.S. wine direct marketers would say yes. And they’d be backed by a 7% increase in sales of their products during 2008, with final figures reaching $3 billion.
The big winners within this category were wine club, Internet and mail order operations, which increased revenue by 28%, 26% and 24%, respectively. Tasting room sales slipped by 1% from 2007’s level, and event sales dropped by 11%, according to a survey of more than 3,500 wineries by VinterActive, a wine marketing advisory organization.
The current year is shaping up to be even better for wine DMers. Fifty-nine percent of all wineries say customer direct sales will be their fastest-growing channel this year. Most managers anticipate growth of between 5% and 10%, according to the survey.
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