Ehrmanns Update

With Fairtrade wine sales topping £20.7m in 2007 and growth forecasted to continue at a rate of 46% each year, Ehrmanns predicts Fairtrade wine will take a 3% share of the UK wine market by 2012; overtaking long established wine countries in terms of retail importance.

Amidst the bear pit of major brands hustling for shelf space a quiet revolution is taking place in the UK wine market.  From small beginnings with the launch of Thandi, the world’s first Fairtrade wine in April 2004, the last few years has seen exponential growth in UK Fairtrade wine sales with more and more wineries, principally from South Africa, Chile and Argentina, being awarded Fairtrade status.

Working with four Fairtrade wineries, Los Robles (Chile), Thandi and Stellar Organics (South Africa) and Soluna (Argentina), Ehrmanns has worked hard to establish itself as the leading importer of Fairtrade wines in the UK.

Ehrmanns Managing Director, Mark Chapman is clear about the value Fairtrade brings to UK retailers both large and small:

“Last year British consumers spent close to £500m on Fairtrade products and the Fairtrade mark is now recognized by over 60%* of consumers.  So there is huge awareness and interest in Fairtrade.  Wine is a relatively new Fairtrade category compared to coffee or chocolate, so the potential for growth is very strong.  This potential; combined with the high off promotional rate of sales, makes Fairtrade wine very good business for retailers.”

Chapman is also proud of the contribution Fairtrade wine sales have made in changing the lives of the farm and winery workers of Ehrmanns Fairtrade partners, where the proceeds of the Fairtrade premium have been spent on projects planned by the individual communities.

Maria Malan, Farm Manager at South African Fairtrade winery, Stellar Organics.  Malan is in no doubt about the effect Fairtrade has had on her life:

"My life and those of my fellow workers have changed since the farm became Fairtrade accredited.  Nowadays the workers also share in the profit of the farm and the Fairtrade premium has enabled us to build housing and a small community centre which also functions as a crèche.”

Notably too, a number of well known wine writers including OZ Clarke and the Telegraph’s Johnny Ray have poured critical acclaim on a number of specific Fairtrade wines demonstrating the fact that increasing numbers of consumers not only recognize the Fairtrade mark as a trusted symbol of ethical trading , but also a mark of quality.