Like many industries, the wine business has been affected by the changing economy. While small businesses in other sectors have been struggling to stay afloat, those in the wine industry have had to make some adjustments to remain successful. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the latest trends affecting small businesses in the wine industry. We’ll also discuss how business owners can adapt to these trends and continue to thrive. So, if you’re interested in learning more about what’s going on in the world of small wine businesses, keep reading!
Classical Wine Definitions are Changing
One very interesting trend that many small businesses in the wine industry should begin paying close attention to is that classical wine definitions are beginning to change. Back in the day, the various wines were rigidly categorized by color; red wine, white wine, semi-sweet wine, etc. However, in 2022, there seems to be a change occurring and the new generations like to experiment with their wines, and they opt for brands like oddbins.com which offer a variety of options and high-quality products.
As the younger generations begin experimenting more and more with wine, these classical definitions will change more and more. For example, it’s not uncommon now to see red and white wine be produced and enjoyed in the same bottle.
Less Alcoholic Wine
Another very important trend to note for small businesses in the wine industry is that there is an increase in demand for wine that contains a much lower, or no alcohol content. This is primarily due to a shift towards healthy living, most likely due to the recent coronavirus.
To be more precise with figures, low or no alcoholic spirits increased by around 32.7% in 2020, with experts indicating that there could be a further increase of 31% in low and non-alcoholic beverages. In other words, there could be quite a need that could be filled in the near future.
Healthier Wine Drinkers
Much like an anticipated demand for low and non-alcoholic wine, it would appear as if there is also a global shift towards sustainability and healthy living. This trend has been on the rise for a while now, as evident from the fact that in 2019 already, more proteins were being consumed from plant sources by 28% of Americans, and health monitoring devices or apps were being used by 18% of Americans.
Similarly, in the wine industry, consumers are now beginning to look for vegan-friendly, organic, natural, and biodynamic wine. While it is true that as of right now this niche is relatively small, it could gain traction over the coming years as consumers become more aware of the healthier options available.
Make Room for Natural Wines
If you are a small business within the wine industry, you should be looking to make room for more natural wines. As mentioned above, the average wine consumer is slowly becoming more health conscious and aware of the different options available. One of those options, natural wines, has seen an increase in demand.
While the demand for natural wines was previously limited to areas such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, it has slowly made its way to Carolina and even Colorado. Wine sellers should take the initiative and make the option available to stay ahead of the curve.
More Ways to Drink Wine
One of the more interesting trends that smaller businesses should take note of within the wine industry is that consumers are now looking for more ways to drink wine, other than just from the traditional bottle. In 2022, there is an increased demand for convenience, and as such, there has been increased sales and demand for wines in different formats.
For example, the demand for canned wine has increased dramatically, especially among the younger generations, due to the convenience it offers. Other formats, such as bag-in-a-box, might see a decrease in demand as restaurants and bars open up.
Sparkling Wine is Becoming Normalized
Finally, the last trend on this list that small businesses should look to take advantage of, is the fact that the consumption of sparkling wine is becoming normalized. Back in the day, sparkling wine was considered to be a treat, or to be saved for a special occasion, however, in 2022, more and more people are including it in their weekly shopping lists.
For example, in 2019, sales of sparkling wine increased by 11% and were enjoyed by an increase of 13% of American drinkers. As more and more people knock sparkling wine off the “save it for a special occasion” pedestal, demand will gradually continue to increase.
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