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The global wine sector is facing significant disruptions in different links of the supply chain and there are increasing signs some of these changes are structural and will require strategic responses, according to a new report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank.
In its latest Wine Quarterly report, Rabobank says, since the middle of 2021, at least five aspects of the global wine supply chain – agricultural production, freight, labour, geopolitics, and energy – have started to face significant disruption all at once, causing “headaches” for wineries around the world.
Rabobank Global Beverages Strategist Stephen Rannekleiv said while some of these disruptions had been driven by short-term cyclical factors and may see improvements in the near to medium term, unfortunately, others are starting to appear to be more structural in nature.
“As wineries grapple with so many disruptions, the immediate responses have been more tactical than strategic. This makes sense because it has not always been clear which challenges were short-term cyclical issues, and which changes were likely more structural in nature,” he said.
“However, we would argue that energy prices and geopolitical factors are more structural in nature, and any ‘solutions’ moving forward should take them into account. We need to reassess supply chains with a fresh, creative perspective. Old assumptions that have formed the basis of the current operating model – like free trade, cheap fuel, and cheap freight – should be questioned. It is important to rethink how to thrive in a context where the rules of the game are different.”
The report says the five key factors challenging the sector are:
Mr Rannekleiv said the impact of this variety of disruptions is felt very differently by wineries in different regions or price segments.
“Wineries in Europe have been hit to a much larger degree than other regions and European producers are taking the greatest brunt of rising energy costs,” he said.
“For producers in Australia, geopolitical factors have had the greatest impact by far. In 2021, exports to China, their largest market, fell by 97 per cent, after China imposed tariffs of 166 per cent to 218 per cent on imports of Australian wine.”
The report says pricing actions have been the “first and most obvious line of defence” by wineries to try to maintain margins.
But as consumers face rising cost pressures for numerous basic staples, it says, other more structural and strategic responses may be worth considering. These could include complete rethinking of packaging; shifting more of the supply chain operations closer to the end consumer where possible to improve efficiency; and diversifying (of markets and/or sourcing) to help mitigate geopolitical risk.
Rabobank New Zealand is a part of the global Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 120 years’ experience providing customized banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 36 countries, servicing the needs of about 8.6 million clients worldwide through a network of close to 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank New Zealand is one of the country's leading agricultural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the New Zealand food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 30 offices throughout New Zealand.
Media contacts:
David Johnston
Marketing & Media Relations Manager
Rabobank New Zealand
Phone: 027 477 8153
Email: david.johnston@rabobank.com
Denise Shaw
Head of Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: +612 8115 2744 or +61 2 439 603 525
Email: denise.shaw@rabobank.com
