Covering consumer trends, on- and off-trade, the importer landscape and how to work with monopolies, the briefings will prepare you on how to go to market, pricing strategy, category performance and in-market opportunities. The webinars were recorded in September 2023 but the content is still relevant and provides great insight into these markets.
This session features presentations from each of the three monopolies: Systembolaget in Sweden, Alko in Finland and Vinmonopolet in Norway. The session includes general market figures and the latest Australian wine export figures, the tender process for the monopoly, an overview of monopoly wine performance and Australian wine, and sustainability and specific requirements. The first presentation is on Norway, then Finland at 0.32.11 and Sweden at 1.02.00.
This session features a panel made up of importers and experts from across the four markets who will discuss the HORECA opportunities and how to take advantage of them. We explore the current trends for Australian wine, how to find an importer, and what is happening in the on-trade. Many of the importers work with the monopoly as well and this session builds on their relationship with the monopoly.
Additional resources
If you are heading into market, make sure you prepare for your visit and give yourself the best chance of success in your business conversations. Wine Australia has a number of resources and materials freely available to exporters to support you in your export endeavours:
- Australian Wine Discovered: Australian Wine Discovered modules provide perfect content for your next customer presentation, marketing materials, training or education sessions.
- Export Ready Hub: With comprehensive how-to-guides, our free Export Ready Hub explains everything you need to start, grow and diversify your wine exports. Learn how to develop an export plan, choose markets, find buyers, execute contracts and more.
- Export Market Guides: Find out everything you need to know about exporting to key markets, including about the regulatory environment, duties and taxes, labeling and permitted additives, all in one place.
- Market Insights Dashboards: All the export data we have available at your fingertips. Target the export markets that are right for you.
- Ask an Analyst: Need help navigating all the available data and insights? Book an online meeting or training session with one of our Market Insights Analysts.
- FOB to retail calculator: the FOB to Retail Calculator allows users to calculate what the bottle price will be on shelf (the RRP) in international markets for a given FOB value, and thereby assess and evaluate competitors in market through price point comparison.
Meininger's International
Meet the Presenters
Cathrine Hernes
Senior Product Manager, Vinmonopolet
Cathrine has been working at Vinmonopolet for more than 20 years and has had several different positions within the company. She has worked as a shop manager and also as one of the professional tasters in the sensory panel.
She took on the position of Product Manager in 2006 and she is now a Senior Product Manager with responsibility for wines from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. She also holds the position of Deputy Head of the Category and Assortment department.
Matteo Scarpellino
Category Manager, Vinmonopolet
Matteo has been working in the wine industry for more than 15 years, in which he has covered different positions, from Product Manager to Managing Director, in private import companies of different sizes and profiles.
He started as Category Manager at Vinmonopolet in 2019 with responsibility for the whole product assortment. He is also leading the sustainability work in the Category and Assortment department.
Oskar Markusson
Purchaser, Systembolaget
Oskar has worked at Systembolaget since 2009 in many different positions including in stores, customer service, auction and now in the purchasing department. He has been the purchaser for wines from Australia and Argentina since autumn 2022.
Karina Tiihonen
Product Manager, Alko
Karina is the Product Manager at Alko, the monopoly in Finland. She has worked at the monopoly for 10 years and has managed the Australian category for the duration.
Tom Murray Willis
Founder, Thirsty Bear Wine Agency
Tom founded Thirsty Bear in 2015 after moving from London to Helsinki in Finland. Thirsty Bear now represents 20 Australian wine producers in the Finnish market and sells to Alko, HORECA, travel retail, and corporate and private clients. Wine is supplied directly to Alko and through partner importer Viinitie.
René Langdahl
Wine Writer and Educator
René is wine writer, podcaster and educator in Denmark. He has been writing about wine for 17 years and he is a lecturer at the Danish Wine Academy. He co-hosts a popular podcast called Wine for beginners (and experienced), and he set up his own subscription website this year at renelangdahl.com.
Pierre Emmanuel Marchès
Partner / Senior Portfolio Manager, The Wine Merchant
Pierre worked for the monopoly in Norway for 16 years and spent nearly a decade as a Product Manager. During this time, Pierre visited Australia twice. He is now the Co-founder and Partner at The Wine Merchant, a newly established (September 2021) small wine import company.
Gerard Higgins
Portfolio Director, We&Wine
Gerard is the Portfolio Director for We&Wine, a subsidiary of the Pan - Northern European Fondberg Group. Born and raised in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley, he is now based in Stockholm after six years working with Pernod Ricard Winemakers as part of their Business Acceleration and Education Team. Gerard is an awarded sommelier and WSET Diploma Holder and is currently enrolled as a Master of Wine Student.