(Guelph, ON – June 4, 2007) Results of a market research initiative into the
behaviours and attitudes of Ontario wine drinkers bode well for the Ontario
grape and wine industry.
The market research was undertaken by the Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO) with
funding provided by the Canada-Ontario Research and Development (CORD) Program.
Over 500 Ontario wine drinkers were interviewed about their wine purchase and
consumption habits with the help of a market research firm.
As a result of the survey, almost one half (45 per cent) of Ontarians say they
are drinking more wine than they were three years ago, consuming an average of
15 glasses of wine per month. In particular, young people between the ages of 19
and 29 are rapidly becoming keen wine connoisseurs. Sixty-one percent of wine
drinkers agree that drinking wine in moderation is good for your health.
In the past, French wines were considered to be the ‘best’ and all other wines
were compared to them. Today, Ontario wines have gained considerable recognition
and Ontarians are rapidly becoming loyal to their local vintages. Domestic wines
now account for 51 per cent of Ontarian’s wine consumption and 43 per cent of
Ontarians consider themselves advocates of Ontario’s products. Over half of the
people surveyed indicated they have become more impressed with Ontario wine over
the past three years.
Consumers are becoming more adventurous with their wine choices too. Fifty-five
percent of consumers enjoy trying new wines. However, most wine drinkers are not
overly confident in their knowledge and rely on past product experience and
recommendations. Since 97 per cent of wine is purchased from the LCBO, a huge
opportunity exists for Ontario wineries to provide information and to promote
their products through a single venue.
Of interest, though, to the GGO is the fact that people who drink Ontario wine
tend to purchase lower priced products and be less frequent consumers.
Purchasers of imported products, on the other hand, tend to spend more money per
bottle and drink more red wine.
With all of this information at hand, the Grape Growers of Ontario is now poised
to undertake several new marketing initiatives to promote their local products.
One huge opportunity exists to better market the Vinters Quality Alliance (VQA)
designation.
While most consumers surveyed had heard of the term VQA, they were not
familiar with what it meant. In fact, the VQA logo on a bottle of wine assures
the consumers primarily that the wine is made from 100% Ontario-grown grapes of
approved varieties. It also assures the consumers that the wine has been tested
in a laboratory, tasted by an expert panel, its packaging reviewed and its
claims of origin and wine-making procedures verified. The VQA was launched in
Ontario in 1988 and in B.C. in 1990 as an "Appellation of Origin" system by
which consumers could identify high quality wines based on the origin of the
grapes. It should be a key feature in positioning Ontario wines domestically.
Today, there are more than 130 wineries in Ontario, producing over 44 million
litres of wine from about 17,000 acres of vineyards. It’s an industry which
provides more than $450 million to the province’s economy every year. In fact, a
2005 study by KPMG showed that every bottle of Ontario wine sold in the province
adds $4.25 in value to the Ontario economy. Now that the GGO has a better
understanding of what wines Ontario drinkers prefer, this industry should
continue to grow and prosper.
This project is funded in part through contributions by Canada and the Province
of Ontario under the Canada-Ontario Research and Development (CORD) Program, an
initiative of the federal-provincial-territorial Agricultural Policy Framework
designed to position Canada’s agri-food sector as a world leader. The
Agricultural Adaptation Council administers the CORD Program on behalf of the
province.
Cheers.
Wine Labeling Requirements:
|
VQA Ontario
• 100 percent Ontario-grown grapes of approved variety
• meets minimum sugar levels for grapes at harvest as
set for each grape variety
• made from a minimum of 85 per cent of grapes grown
in a single vintage
• label indicates the vintage year
Estate Bottled
• 100 percent of the grapes come from a single estate
• produced and bottled on a single estate
Vineyard designated
• 100 per cent of the grapes come from a single
vineyard |
Type of Wine/Percent of Consumption/Drinker profiles
| Red – 46% |
More popular with males
Tend to be heavier wine drinkers, willing to pay more for wine
From more affluent households |
| White – 26% |
More popular with females
Multigenerational Canadians |
| Rose – 7% |
More popular with younger females
Tends to be individuals who don’t often drink |
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For more information:
Nadine Armstrong
Communications Manager
Agricultural Adaptation Council
Ph: 519-822-7554
E-mail: narmstrong@adaptcouncil.org
Website: www.adaptcouncil.org
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