Grapes galore for eCAP

Barossa Grape & Wine Association (BGWA) is Barossa’s peak wine body, acting on behalf of more than 550 grape growers and over 170 wineries; with a purpose to build brand equity, foster regional collaboration and support winemaking excellence, environmental custodianship, and economic success.

BGWA’s key strategic imperatives are to strengthen Barossa’s positioning and brand image as Australia’s premier high-end wine producer; foster wine and culinary tourism capability; and to forge connections with fine wine channels and buyers.

The eCommerce Accelerator Program (eCAP) has been designed to assist small to medium-sized exporters in selling their products or services digitally and globally, by embracing and leveraging eCommerce.

The association is a recipient of eCAP and is representing a cluster of Barossa wine exporters in the pilot.

The wine brands include Bethany Wines, First Drop Wines, Greenock Creek Wines, Heathvale Wines, Irvine Wines, Langmeil Winery, Schild Estate Wines, Soul Growers, The Standish Wine Company, The Willows Vineyard, Thorn-Clarke Wines, and Tim Smith Wines.

Their aggregated exports over the last five years totalled $73.9 million, with exports specifically to China at $27.9 million.

BGWA plans to use eCAP funding to build the first Australian regional online wine store in China, Barossa Online Wine Store Program Cluster, in collaboration with their Chinese promotion partner – Beijing Wine Master.

One key objective of the initiative is to directly connect a selection of premium Barossa producers with high yielding export markets in China; this will be executed as a regional online channel.

In the initial phase, each participant in the cluster will feature five premium Barossa wines for sale online through the store.

This initiative is expected to increase the cluster export revenue of premium products into China by 10% (approx. $2.8 million) relative to the counterfactual situation in the short-term.

For information and support available to South Australian exporters, visit Exporting from South Australia.