N.Z. bulk wine for U.K. suggested

Press, 13 August 1980, Page 24

N.Z. bulk wine for U.K. suggested

By KEN COATES in London New Zealand is advised to think- big in diversifying its exports, by the director of the New Zealand-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce, Mr P; L. Morgan. He suggests wine producers in New Zealand should prepare for largescale shipments bf good quality wine to Britain. At least one tanker company, he says, would love to ship whisky south and return filled with wine. But any company seriously attempting to enter the British market would have to think in terms of at least several thousand .cases a year, and work in with a leading chain of wine stores. Mr Morgan says he has been in touch with one main New Zealand wine producer who has plans to greatly increase his acreage of grapes. “But I don’t really think he appreciated the size of the United Kingdom market, and what is involved in exporting here.” 'ln an article which he concedes is “deliberately provocative,” in the chamber’s latest newsletter, Mr Morgan quotes deprecatory remarks made by New Zealanders about their country, including one by the Prime Minister, (Mr Muldoon), that “if New Zealand sank into the ocean, nobody would notice.”

Mr Morgan says that far from sinking unnoticed into the ocean, New Zealand has become a significant trading nation, “a symbol of highquality foodstuffs and a leader of the ’civilisation of the Free World in the Pacific.” Half the function of the chamber, he .says, is promoting north-bound trade, although the 'commodity boards effectively looked after New Zealand's traditional exports. “So . we look round for something to promote — and we- don’t mean a few crates of Maori carvings, or pretty picture books ' of beautiful New Zealand.” With Europe’s 200 million population, and even Britain’s 56 million, if New Zealand wanted to recoup the costs of the long ocean voyage, it must have a lot to sell. He noted New Zealand’s success with butter, but warned that the British housewife would not chase about looking for items of New Zealand origin. Goods had to be available and of high quality. The Australians were already making strenuous efforts to improve their share of the British market with a wine centre in London: They encouraged articles in the glossy magazines, and made “special offers” of sample

cases sponsored by various wine and food societies. “You can actually buy the stuff in shops, but although there is an importer of New Zealand wines, they are carried as a slight curiosity on about page 23 of his catalogue,” Mr Morgan said. “Stocks are very small and you cannot buy the precious liquid at your local wine store.” Mr Morgan favours .an approach to the British market based on large quantities of good, medium-quality, re- ’ liable wine. A start could be made by ■ marketing in the south-east of England, with a population of about 8 million of the most regular wine drinkers in the country. Shipping in bulk and bot- : tling in London could be investigated, and a start should not be made with advertising until the wine was ; on the shelves of at least one '■ extensive chain of wine 1 stores. ! “If you are seriously going to export to a sophisticated i market area, in which the customer is pampered with a vast choice of competitive • goods, you must think big,” ■ says Mr Morgan. ; “Forget about a few exam--1 pies of pottery crafts — you ’ can sell those to tourists in : New Zealand. Spot the big : market and get your share t of it.”