Sparkling
Global Champagne exports in decline in COVID yet Aussies still drinking up THE UNPRECEDENTED HEALTH AND ECONOMIC CRISIS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE COVID19 PANDEMIC HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING FOR THE CHAMPAGNE SECTOR. Overall global Champagne exports declined by 17.9% in 2020, with losses in France and most international markets; by mid-August 2020, the region was predicting severe financial losses and confronting the difficulties of safely and sanitarily managing 100 000 seasonal workers required in the vineyards of Champagne for what turned out to be the earliest harvest in recorded history. However, as the Covid19 pandemic continues to have an impact on the pace of everyday life for most Australians, our consumption of Champagne has not declined. It has only increased. In fact, the export figures for 2020 released by Comité Champagne in April this year showed an overall increase of 11.2% in volume, meaning over 8 ½ million (8 516 583 to be precise!) bottles of Champagne arrived in Australia - the second-best year for Australian Champagne imports in history! The value of the Australian market also increased by over 11%, positioning Australia as the 7th largest export market in the world by value. The outlook for 2021 shows the same strong growth markers with monthly indicators revealing the demand for Champagne wines has continued in Australia, even with a large proportion of the population under harsh restrictions. The public lockdowns and government restrictions have seen a behavioural shift by many Australian Champagne consumers to online retail. This represents both personal research of preferred Champagne brands as well as Champagne sales. Many retailers and Champagne importers have described an increase in online traffic and sales and taken an adaptive response to services such
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as home deliveries and ‘click and collect’. However, this is a fast-developing area for Champagne retail, and it will be interesting to see how this trend continues to evolve, or if the Australian consumer chooses to return to traditional retail stores. The largest category of Champagne exported to Australia continues to be
export market for Champagne appears to have successfully recovered to roughly prepandemic levels, but in Australia the result is even more impressive. Australia is a unique and long-established market for Champagne, but the existing structure of our market seems to have changed. Where Australians traditionally enjoyed Champagne as an aperitif or with a celebratory dinner, they are now potentially opening a bottle to celebrate making it the end of another week of lockdown! Along the east coast, many of our best restaurants and bars remain closed and large social gatherings are currently prohibited, but still the popularity of Champagne continues unabated as the Australian consumer demands the authenticity and quality of Champagne wines.
the brut non-vintage style and while this makes up 92% of our market, this is not the whole picture of the diversity of Champagne in Australia. There were small increases in prestige cuvée, rosé and vintage Champagnes, but one of the most interesting increases is the number of Champagne brands that are currently available. Australia is a unique and established market for Champagne and there are now over 260 different Champagne companies exporting their cuvées here. Other international markets, with larger populations do import a much larger proportion of Champagne marques, but it is important to note that this increase reflects Australia’s enduring thirst for ‘something different’ and that Champagne from both the Houses and Growers make up this increase. At the end of July 2021, the global
CHAMPAGNE DAY: FRIDAY OCTOBER 22ND
As we head into the into the traditional ‘Champagne Season’ many Australians are finding new ways to enjoy a glass of their favourite Champagne. For Champagne Day 2022 Comité Champagne has created a countdown website for anyone to be part of the fun. Whether you are a commercial onpremise business, or retailer looking to host a Champagne event, or even if you are simply celebrating at home or in the back yard, it is easy to participate in this international day. Simply register your event at www. champagneday.champagne.fr/ and tag your favourite images on social media with the hashtag #Champagneday and enjoy the day anyway you can.
