Marq Wine Group Announces Georgian Wine Exports to the U.S. Top One Million Bottles

Efforts Achieve 29% Average Year-Over-Year Growth For Six Years Running

Georgian Wine Exports to the U.S. Market (bottles)

Julie Peterson, founding partner of Marq Wine Group, announces that Georgian wine exports to the U.S. achieved 29% year-over-year growth for the last six years, reaching more than one million bottles; this achieved a campaign objective set by the Ministry of Agriculture one year ahead of schedule. In addition to surpassing the volume goal, there was significant value increase during the same period, as the demand for Georgian wine continued to climb. The U.S. now consistently achieves one of the highest average ex cellar prices for Georgian wine worldwide.

Former Head of Marketing & PR of the Georgian National Wine Agency, Mr. Irakli Cholobargia -- who selected and partnered with Marq Wine Group over the last six years -- notes: "Julie and her team applied methods of continual communication, amplification, and improvement, and the needle started to move right way. From the sampling system to the consolidated shipping program, Marq removed market barriers for Georgian wine producers and created a systematic pathway for growth. We trusted the strategy, coordinated with the team on the execution, and the results prove that their system works."

Peterson explains: "The key to developing sustained export growth to the U.S. market -- for any region -- is to position the category so the wines overdeliver for the price, create an integrated strategy and execute it consistently over a period time, and systematically cultivate relationships and educate along the supply chain. When you build consistent presence, you build significance. We created a system for Georgia that synchronized the supply chain from the producer through to the restaurant or retailer in order to build momentum."

Marq Wine Group works with strategic partners Deussen Global Communications and Whole Cluster consulting. Christine Deussen comments: "One million bottles is a huge achievement for Georgia. We saw the effects of the economic development generated by access to this market every time we visited." Taylor Parsons, founder of Whole Cluster, adds: "The continued volume growth in Georgian imports is fantastic, but the real story is the nature of that growth, which is built on a foundation of real education and sustained exposure in critical areas of the market. This is the type of real engagement that will pay continued dividends in the years to come."

Marq Wine Group, known for its success in building value and volume for wine regions, partnered with Wines of Provence to grow the region's wine exports to the U.S from 300,000 liters in 2008 to more than 20 million by 2017. Meanwhile, the average bottle cost paralleled this success, achieving sustained growth and bringing the market value from $3.4 million to $132 million in that same period. 

Alejandro Vich
Deussen Global Communications
New York, NY 
Mobile: 646-673-3155
avich@deussenglobal.com

 Julie Peterson
Wines of Georgia - U.S. Office
Marq Wine Group
Washington, DC
Mobile: 202-999-7533
julie@marqwine.com

Source: Marq Wine Group