June 21, 2023. – Can the Croatian wine industry enhance its growth and expand its export market through the implementation of a new communication strategy?
In the ever-evolving world of trade, it is no surprise that the internet plays an increasingly significant role as a platform. However, what is truly remarkable is the growing distribution of Croatian wines online across the globe.
At the GO Grow du Monde program conference, Dario Drmač, co-owner of Wine&more, an online platform and wine marketplace, shared insights on the advantages of innovative methods in promoting Croatian wines.
One platform, in particular, has gathered hundreds of domestic wines in one place and is diligently working on their promotion.
“Wine&more was created as a potential solution for fast distribution, focusing on the sale and promotion of Croatian wines. We believed in them and wanted to introduce them to the world,” says Dario Drmač, co-owner of Brza distribucija d.o.o. and the online platform Wine&More.
Having started from scratch without budgets for presentations at fairs, they were forced to approach the topic differently. The team behind the platform needed to find a way to take the first step, and an e-commerce solution presented itself.
“But a webshop, as a webshop, is nothing special. Anyone can create one, and therefore, you won’t reach the population abroad, which is essentially our target audience. So, we had to do something different, something innovative,” explains Dario, describing the early days of their concept.
Wine&more has been active in the market for over five years, starting from scratch, and Dario proudly states that last year, through all these channels, they sold over half a million euros worth of Croatian wines, with an average bottle price of 20 euros.
“Wine&more is essentially a marketplace. Marketplaces like Amazon and eBay connect distributors and buyers. We do marketing, promotion, customer support, and write about our wines,” explains this entrepreneur, revealing that they have published over 350 articles about Croatia, Croatian wines, and winemakers in English on the internet.
Interestingly, 80% of their sales are outside the borders of Croatia, spread across the globe, while the remaining 20% constitutes domestic sales.
“We offer over 800 wines and winemakers. We have created a central place where people can come, gather information, educate themselves, and ultimately make a purchase. We have created a context where individuals can buy what they have read about, what they have seen, and what they have experienced,” he explains.
Wine&more works with a network of distributors in various countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany. These distributors engage customers and sell the products, after which the distributors package and ship the items to the designated destinations.
“So, we are the ones who have the customers. We are an online space where people come to gather information, educate themselves, read, and to some extent, see what is available for purchase,” continues Dario.
Wine&more prepares promotions and collaborates with warehouses. If they have a winemaker who wants to run a promotion in a particular month, the distributor offers additional discounts.
“We communicate this, send it to our audience, they make the purchases, and the distributor packs and ships the products to the customers’ addresses,” he says.
The seasonal nature of their sales and the variation in market situations are evident in their sales structure and volume. Certain wine varieties sell more in specific parts of the year, and the situations differ from market to market.
For example, one of the best-selling wines on their webshop in the United States is Matuško, as revealed by Dario, who explains the reasons behind it.
“For a simple reason. A large number of Americans visit his wine cellar, experience the ambiance, get to know the winemaker and his story, taste the wine,” Dario concludes.
DO YOU WANT TO TRY CROATIAN WINES?
If you want to savor the exquisite flavor of Croatian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. Offering a wide range of wines from various winemakers, you can easily find what suits your palate.
Do you need help selecting the right wine bottle? Try one of their curated wine cases, and find the perfect vintage for any occasion!
