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Dutch and Polish Importers and Journalists Very Impressed by Macedonian
Wines; Orders Forthcoming
"I didn't know Macedonia as a wine country
until now. I tasted some wines in the Netherlands
and was curious to come and see what
is going on here.
What I see is a big change in the Macedonian
wine industry! There is lot of investment, and
many new and rebuild wineries with great
export potential. To achieve better positions in
markets, the wineries need to present their
wines together and to present Macedonia as a
country."
- Ronald de Groot, Editor in Chief of "Perswijn
Magazine" for national private TV (pictured
above)
 As part of the process of developing an Export Marketing Plan for Macedonian
Wines, jointly supported by AgBiz and CBI (Centre for Promotion of Import
from Developing Countries), winery representatives and other
participating stakeholders identified the Polish and Dutch markets as having
particularly good prospects. In their efforts to enter and grow in these markets,
Macedonian wineries needed to develop marketing and promotional
campaigns to present their high quality wines and enhance their visibility.
In October 2010, USAID's AgBiz Program in partnership with CBI organized
Wine Road-Show presentations in Poland and the Netherlands starting with
wine seminars and professional wine tastings, and followed by B2B meetings
with the most relevant importers, distributors and wine journalists. For the first
time, ten Macedonian wineries - Skovin, Dalvina, Bovin, Stobi, Popova Kula,
Tikvesh, File, Imako Vino, Vardarska Dolina and Ezimit - had the unique opportunity
to jointly present their high quality wines to Polish and Dutch buyers
and promoters.
 More than 300 guests, including the most relevant wine buyers, importers and
wine distributors participated in the promotions, official seminars and wine
tastings in Poland and Holland. The Macedonian Ambasadors to the
respective countries and the Deputy Minister of MAFWE greeted the
audiences and encouraged business partnerships for exporting Macedonian
wines. Wineries presented their portfolios and discussed sales opportunities
with wine buyers from all market segments. Potential importers evaluated the
quality of the wines, their profile and potential match with consumer preferences
- and reviewed price offers. Many took wine samples and agreed to
trial shipments.
"Classic and modern at the same time"; "What a surprise" were just a few of
the very positive articles and accolades published about Macedonian wines in
"Perswijn" the largest independent, professional wine magazine in the Benelux
region.
One month later AgBiz coordinated an inbound buying mission to Macedonia
for the most interested importers and wine distributors, including Dobre Alkohole
and Makro Cash & Carry from Poland and Vinoblesse from Holland, as
well as the Chief Editors of both "Magazine Vino" and "Perswijn". They visited
the 10 wineries that were presented in Warsaw and Amsterdam, they observed
the vineyards, wine making technology, the types of wines produced
and their capacity to meet EU standards.
The richness in color and flavor and the uniqueness of the wines they tasted,
especially "Vranec" which they named "Macedonian Shiraz", encouraged the
marketers to start serious negotiations for importing wines, and the journalists
to write extensive and positive articles about Macedonian wines.
"…The countryside is beautiful; you have some excellent indigenous varieties;
the vineyards are very well-developed; there are nice archeological places
and you can put all these together, and create a story to tell…" said Tsjitske
Brouwer from Vinoblesse, a major wine importer from the Netherlands.
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