Altogether Unique 2024: Harnessing research, innovation, creativity and leadership

“If you are on the edge you have to do edgy stuff,” Kevin told the audience at the Wine Business Forum; Navigating the Beverage Superhighway, on day one of Altogether Unique 2024 in Wellington in August.

Certainly the two-day industry event, which also included a Celebration Dinner, Women in Wine Breakfast and inaugural Research & Innovation Forum, showcased research, insights, creativity and innovations at the cutting edge, whether reflecting on advancements already in place, including artificial intelligence, or those poised on the horizon. Attendees heard about the opportunities and risks of emerging market trends, including warnings on the risks of commoditisation. “Once you are in that space there is no way back up,” says Felicity Carter.

Like the Business Forum, the Research & Innovation Forum reflected the rapid rate of change, exploring Indevin’s data-powered winery, the potential of new enzymes in the winemaker’s toolkit, the ability to harness microbiomes in vines and robotics in vineyards, and updates on Bragato Research Institute’s grapevine improvement work.

Altogether Unique 2024 was held in a time of great pressure in the wine industry. In a recent survey by Wine Marlborough, more than half the grapegrowers from the region who responded said the 12 months leading up to August 2024 had been “significantly worse” than the year before, thanks in large part to market demand and economic conditions The next year would be about the same, according to 42% of respondents, while 39% thought the 12 months to August 2025 would be worse.

Despite those headwinds, and perhaps because of them, the Altogether Unique events were well supported, with growers, winemakers, marketers, scientists and innovators heading to Wellington for the learnings of the two forums. “We have to listen to those who know what it’s like at the sharp end, and are more in touch with consumer sentiment than we are as producers,” says Lawson’s Dry Hills Marketing & Sales Manager Belinda Jackson. “It comes back to being prepared to listen, learn and adapt or die really.” Yealands Senior Winemaker Anthony Walkenhorst says both days reflected the rate of change in technology, innovation, environment, and consumer demand. “We’re at the start of the big changes that are going to happen and the forums were a reminder that we have to be prepared.”

Being prepared was the focus of the final session at Altogether Unique, with the launch of the New Zealand Roadmap to Net Zero 2050 (page 22). One of the panellists in that session, Whitehaven Wines Sustainability Manager Josh Barclay, responded to a question around how New Zealand’s industry can make a difference. As in the past, it has the opportunity to be seen as a leader, hopefully inspiring others to forge ahead with changes, he says. “Yes, we are small, but that does not mean we cannot lead by example.”