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Rafael Cascales, Commercial Delegate of FENAVIN: "The prospects for Spanish wine are very good in Southeast Asia"

In his opinion there is a middle segment that is experiencing a high growth rate, and that is precisely where Spanish wineries should focus.

At FENAVIN Asian importers are able to obtain a good and realistic impression of the Spanish wine offer, in a very short time.

“The prospects for Spanish wine, in Southeast Asia, are very good in light of the crisis in China,” says the FENAVIN Delegate in the area, Rafael Cascales Sisniega, while adding that Spanish wine is creating an ever increasing gap in Asian countries, although there is some heterogeneity, since Singapore, already considered a ‘mature’ market is not the same as Vietnam, a more recent and thriving market, and where demand is now higher, as is also happening in the Philippines. Likewise, Malaysia stands out, not so much for its internal consumption, but because it is used as a “logistics hub” in the region.

 

And what should a winery that wants to sell in these countries take into account? Above all, -Cascales points out-, that there are markets without a wine culture in general and, therefore, will have 2 quite different segments: on the one hand, the elites that usually have more knowledge and experience and will look for a high or very high segment; and on the other hand, the low price segment, which is often focused on the image of the label and bottle.   

 

Additionally, there is a middle segment that is experiencing a high growth rate, and it is where Spanish wineries should focus, in his opinion.

 

And regarding the most interesting sales channels for Spanish wine in Southeast Asia, he considers that “specialized ‘retail’ is the ideal channel for recognized brands, or wines that want and can invest in marketing; which translates into the higher segment. The volume, however, is usually in the gift or direct sales channel, where there is room for wines from all segments”.

 

Given that FENAVIN is right around the corner now, the commercial delegate explains that the National Trade Fair on Wine allows importers “to get a very good and realistic impression of the Spanish wine offer in a couple of days. They value this a lot, because they enjoy the opportunity to taste a large variety and wines that surprise them in a short space of time, multiplying their interest and purchasing possibilities”.