Brancott Estate launches new vegan and organic range in UK market
Top New Zealand producer Brancott Estate is cashing in on the trend towards all things organic and vegan with the launch of a new brand in the UK.
The company, owned by Pernod Ricard, has unveiled its Living Land series, which is being listed exclusively by Tesco.
The new range is produced from fully organic grapes grown from Marlborough certified by New Zealand’s leading organic certifier, BioGro. Already available in the domestic New Zealand market, the line up includes a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, though currently only the Sauvignon Blanc will be launched in the UK.
There was a growing desire for organic wines in the market according to Pernod Ricard’s off-trade channel director Chris Shead who added that eco-sustainability and the rise of organics were two top drinks trends that have changed the wine world in the past two decades.
The sector is on the rise and expected to grow further in value by 10.5% and reach £1.15 billion by 2022, according to Nielsen. Brancott Estate’s chief winemaker Patrick Materman said the launch was a key milestone that underlined the brand’s ongoing commitment to environmental initiatives.
“Ever since we first planted Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough more than 40 years ago, we’ve known our vineyards are our greatest resource,” he told Drinks Business. “As a founding member of New Zealand’s original sustainable winegrowing initiative, we have strong views on developing and running environmental programmes and have always made a conscious effort to limit any impact on the environment.”
According to brand owner Pernod Ricard,Brancott Estate is currently the number two New Zealand Wine brand in the UK and accounts for 12.8% of New Zealand’s wine sales according to Neilsen, and commands a higher than average price at £7.01.
The brand is also growing 5.6% in value terms, on volumes up 5.9%, it said, with a number of the Brancott Estate lines outperforming the category, including its Terroir Series, which is growing by over 45%.