Wine from Austria: More Record Exports, Domestic Predominance

The year 2018 once more set a record for exports of Austrian wine, with 170.3 million Euros around the world, 6.9% more than the previous year. In addition, the bountiful 2017 vintage helped to exceed the fifty-million-litre mark in exports for the first time since 2010. Austrian wine was also extremely successful on the home front: the retail grocery trade recorded an increase in sales of 6.9% in 2018, and in terms of value, the market share of Austrian wine in this sector rose to more than 70%.

A graph shows the export figures 1985-2018, © Austrian Wine.
© Austrian Wine

Export: increases in both volume & value

The outstanding 2017 vintage sent Austria’s wine exports soaring to new heights in 2018: 52.6 million litres of wine valued at 170.3 million Euros were sold in foreign markets – a historic figure in terms of value. This amounts to an increase in volume of 10.5%, as well as a revenue increase of 6.9% compared to the previous year. The average price was 3.24 € per litre, which amounted to a slight decrease compared to 2017 (3.35 €). However, this had been expected due to broader market penetration across all price segments, thanks to the greater harvest volume of 2017.

Despite the emergence of bulk wine sales in the market in the last quarter, caused by the voluminous 2018 harvest, the continuously growing sales of bottled wine once more provided the driving factor.

Similar growth in both EU & non-member countries

Non-EU markets, whose share of total export value for 2018 reached almost 30%, made a notable contribution to the outstanding figures. For example, significant growth in the United States (+19.7% volume, +21.2% value) and Canada (+66% volume, +62.6% value), clearly demonstrates that years of work done by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board and many dedicated winegrowers have paid off in North America. On average, EU member states also show gratifying increases in both volume and value. Germany remains Austria’s largest export market, but its share of sales dropped below 50% for the first time due to strong growth in the other markets – by comparison, it was still over 70% in the year 2000.

A map shows the ten most important export countries, © Austrian Wine.
© Austrian Wine

Domestic market: growth in retail grocery & home consumption

Austrian wine finds itself increasingly in demand not only abroad: the domestic market continues to show positive development. In the retail grocery sector, Austrian wine has been at a record high in recent years: sales rose to 58.3% in 2018 (+6.9%, foreign wine: -10.5%), and revenue increased to 70.5% of sales (+5.0%). Domestic consumption of Austrian wine also grew again: a 67.5% market share in volume (+3.9%) and 74.2% in value (+5.2%). In the hospitality industry, Austria recorded a pleasing result once again in 2018, with 90.3% of sales and an 88.3% market share, thus maintaining its status as the undisputed market dominator, despite slight losses in volume.

AWMB General Manager Willi Klinger reports, with satisfaction, “Austrian wine is on the right track. For fifteen years, exports have grown by an average of 6.5% per annum, while a greater domestic market share can hardly be imagined. If we maintain our current successful quality strategy, within five years every litre of wine from Austria will be sold at a profit.”

Facts

Wine exports 2018 (source: Statistik Austria):

  • 52.6 Mio. L (+10.5% compared with 2017)
  • 170.3 Mio. € (+6.9% compared with 2017)
  • Average price: 3.24 € (-0.11 € compared with 2017: due to broader market penetration in all price categories, thanks to the voluminous 2017 harvest)

Export details:

  • Increase in bottled wine sales as well as bulk wine (the latter caused by the voluminous 2018 harvest)
  • Non-member states outside the EU: noticeable growth figures, already almost 30% of total export value
  • Increases in EU nations as well

Domestic market:

  • Retail grocery (source: AC Nielsen, scanning data for retail grocery trade):
    • +6.9% volume (market share 58.3 %)
    • +5% value (market share 70.5 %)
  • Home consumption (source: GfK, scanning data for private households):
    • +3.9% volume (market share 67.5 %)
    • +5.2% value (market share 74.2 %)
  • Hospitality industry (source: Gastro-Data):
    • market share value 88.3 % (+0.5 percentage points)
    • market share volume 90.3 % (-0.8 percentage points)

Downloads

Export Graphic incl. Top 10 Export Countries (PDF)

List of Most Important Export Countries (PDF)

Press release

Austrian Wine Marketing Board

Ms Sabine Bauer-Wolf
Weinakademikerin
Head of Communications

Mr Georg Schullian
Teamleader Press, PR & Corporate Design

[t] +43(1)5039267 [f]: +43(1)503926770
Prinz-Eugen-Straße 34 / 1040 VIENNA / AUSTRIA
Austrian Wine on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
FN 78 209p / Handelsgericht Wien

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