MPI’s Diana Reaich: Building global trade relationships
Relationships are key to opening new trading opportunities and dealing with some of the rules that countries impose that impede the free flow of trade.
Information from the Ministry for Primary Industries shows exports of packaged wines in the 12 months to February 2025 were 134.6 million litres, down 6% on the previous year, comprising 48.9% of total export volume.
Meanwhile, non-packaged wine shipments for the 12 months to February 2025 were 141m litres, up 15% on the previous year and making up 51.1% of export volume.
New Zealand Winegrowers Chief Executive Philip Gregan points out that bulk wine figures do not recognise the difference between unbranded bulk wine and unpackaged wine produced in New Zealand and bottled under the company’s branding in market.
“At the end of the day it’s a business decision that people have made.”
This year approximately half of Indevin’s branded wine portfolio will be shipped in large format to be bottled in the United Kingdom, including Villa Maria, Vidal, Thornbury and Leftfield. Gareth Insley, Chief Operations and Supply Chain Officer, says the UK remains Indevin’s largest market, with Villa Maria in the top spot for New Zealand wine by both volume and value.
“Bottling in-market is a strategic move driven by both sustainability and service excellence,” he says. “This approach reduces the carbon footprint of each shipment by 27% compared to shipping finished goods, while also allowing us to be more agile and responsive to UK customers.”
