Foster’s chief issues call to arms for ‘Brand Australia’

Australia’s wine industry has been challenged to ‘retake its position as the leader of new world wines’ by new Foster’s wine chief, David Dearie.

Speaking at the Adelaide Wine Show, Dearie rebuked the Australian wine industry for not having a globally recognised ‘Brand Australia’, adding that the growth potential in Asia was ‘unbelievable’.

‘All I’ve heard in the two months I’ve been here is how troubled the wine industry is – the over-supply is terrible, the future’s looking bleak.’

‘The answer lies in creating and generating demand. I think we simply need to go and take these opportunities and excel at where the opportunities lie in the global arena,’ Dearie said.

According to the Mr Dearie, consumption of imported wines in central and eastern European and Russian markets is growing at ‘an incredible rate,’ with Australian wine suffering from having ‘no identity around the world.’

‘I see a tremendous opportunity for us to go and create a brand that brings Australian wine to life and generates a real, clear and solid set of messages,’ he added.

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Written by Chris Snow in Adelaide