South Australian wine exports to Canada are up almost 16% since US bottles were pulled from Canadian shelves early this year.
The SA Government says new Australian Bureau of Statistics figures revealed their producers made an extra $6.4 million (up 15.6%) in Canada in the five months since that country’s largest liquor retailer boycotted US imports.
The government says the new data follows a month-long campaign in April targeting Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) stores and followed a high-level delegation visit led by SA Trade Minister Joe Szakacs.
“We acted quickly and decisively in response to the LCBO’s decision to ensure we delivered the best opportunities for our industry,” he says.
“The wheels were in motion immediately to launch a promotional campaign into LCBO stores and we haven’t let up since.
“It was important to be in market with our industry to make sure we’re building those relationships with importers and to get South Australian wine on the palate of Canadian consumers.”
WINE TARIFFS
The LCBO removed US bottles after the US imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian wine imports and a retaliatory tariff was imposed, a decision likely to cost the American industry their annual $1.1 billion revenue from sale to the north.
Szakacs and his team met with senior LCBO and government officials in Toronto last week, joined by SA Wine Industry Association CEO Inca Lee and seven exporters including Wirra Wirra, Mollydooker and Angove Family Winemakers.
The government says LCBO officials told them during the meeting that Australian sales had increased 15% since the boycott began (the highest of any country) with South Australian bottles making up three-quarters of Australian imports.
The government says that $47.5m of SA wine was sold to Canada from April-August this year compared to $41.1m for the same period last year.
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