The world’s largest online wine marketplace, Vivino, has launched in Australia, bringing a new export channel for Australian producers. The company says its presence will make it easier for producers to diversify into and drive sales and marketing in new markets.

Since opening an Australian office in 2021, Vivino has signed up 50 Australian wineries and 30 retailers, importers and distributors. Its app has been downloaded 1 million times in Australia and it has 920,000 registered users. Around 275,000 users interact on the app every month.

“We want Vivino to champion Australian producers of all sizes and be that channel to the world for their wines,” said James Fildes, Vivino’s General Manager in Australia.

“Vivino was set up to help people learn about and understand wine without the elitism that has often smothered the wine industry.

Yarra Valley winery Levantine Hill Estate has 10 premium wines on Vivino. It has used the platform to sell some high-value and highly rate wines in the US. The winery’s head winemaker Paul Bridgeman singles out user-generated reviews as a key selling point.

“I really like that the reviews are by ‘real’ people,” he said.

“You can see what customers like about our wines.”

Australian users have had access to Vivino for 10 years. The company launched its Marketplace service in Australia in June 2019, working with local producers to list their wines and forging partnerships with domestic retailers, distributors and importers.

The Australian business was run out of Hong Kong until March 2021, when Fildes joined Vivino to build the operation locally.

“Our monthly active users jumped to around 150,000 during the pandemic when everyone moved online,” said Fildes.

“Trade issues were also spurring Australian wineries to seek new markets. It was a crucial moment for us to become more involved in the Australian business. We have the tools and the means to connect them to a global distribution network and drinkers who regularly buy wine on the app.”

Vivino offers a new channel to market that is backed by insightful data and access to a global network of wine lovers.

“Our data shows there is growing curiosity and interest in Australian wine globally,” said Ewan Proctor, Vivino Category Manager, Australia.

“Importers are also keen to get more Australian wines into their market. What they need is a better understanding of the wine styles we make – and that’s where we can help.”

One of these producers is South Australian winery Eight at the Gate Wines. It has been on Vivino since November 2020 and has six wines listed. To date, the winery has racked up $50,000 in Australian sales, and $10,000 in Hong Kong and Japan. Co-founder Jane Richards says its wines had been rated by users worldwide prior to listing with Vivino.

“I don’t think Australians realise how huge the use of Vivino is on a global scale. We had no idea that when we listed with Vivino in Australia, it would open us up to other international markets,” she said.

“Vivino levels the playing field for producers like us that don’t have a giant marketing budget. They have a database of wine lovers we could only dream of having.”

Vivino provides personalised data so wineries can track brand awareness, engagement and sales at a global level.

“These insights help producers be more strategic about market entry,” said Proctor.

“It helps them see the markets where their wine styles are rating well. For instance, we can use our database of consumer ratings to find the wines with the taste profile that US palates prefer. We can recommend price points and ensure the right wines reach the right community of drinkers. This increases the chance that they will buy the wine.”

Vivino’s Australian office is in Adelaide and Fildes is based in South Australia’s Barossa Valley and Proctor in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Living among winemakers in two of Australia’s most famed wine regions helps them understand their products, stories, struggles and ambitions.

Proctor is also one of 15 people in Wine Australia’s Future Leaders program. Future Leaders is the Australian wine industry’s professional and personal development program.

It aims to create individuals with leadership qualities who can take their business and the sector to the next level, contributing to the future success and longevity of the Australian wine community.

“Our immediate goals are to work more closely with producers to tell their stories in Australia and overseas,” said Fildes.

“We’re also working out how to best engage with other markets and level the playing field for Australian producers.”

In future, Vivino intends to pool Australian wines into a central fulfilment facility for export to the markets in which it operates. This hub model is already in use in Europe.

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