Spring is such an amazing time of year but one often stands daunted by the end of the year rush and the associated chaos waiting around the corner. Therefore, having time to sit down with some great minds in the wine industry reflecting on where we are and where we need to go, is almost a luxury. And that is what we got to do yesterday at the Adams & Adams WineLand Seminar.
As it goes with such things, the result and success of the day are not necessarily in clear answers, but rather in challenging our thoughts. And this brings me some reassurance. To know that the South African wine industry have such competent and passionate people, people who think, who challenge the status quo and who are really invested in the success of SA wine, brings definite peace of mind, even when the challenges are still on the table!
The focus has been on our mind-set, innovation, being consumer-focused and being an industry expert. Herewith some of the core messages as shared on Twitter that I will be toying with for some time and will discuss in following posts.
Search Twitter for #WineLandSem
- Innovation and creativity is in our DNA as South Africans, but what we sometimes lack is self confidence! @RicoBasson
- Don’t go back to basics. The basics didn’t work before how will they work in the future. Innovate. @WineSandile
- Mindset. Mind. Set. In stone. Really works against innovation. Take note, SA wine industry. @Konfytbekkie
- ‘#Innovation is different things to different people, no universal solution’. agreed @MulderboschV
Jacqueline Lahoud @JaxLahoud - Panel on innovation: Efficiency, competitive on the world stage, survival and profitability. @WineSandile
- Why do we need to innovate? To be effective/efficient, competitive, profitable & survive on the global field. @Carla_wino
- Bruce Jack – we would not be here if we were not innovative anyway. @EmileJoubert
- If you ask a different question, you will get a different answer = Innovation @DouglasKruger @WinelandSA
- 3 qualities that can make you an industry expert – knowledge, personality and publicity. @DouglasKruger @WinelandSA
- The wine industry is 1000 forks in the road. We need to simplify things for the consumer! David Cope @PublikWine
- We confuse the consumer, says @PublikWine‘s David Cope. We should sell on style, not varietal @AdamsAdamslaw @paulcluverwines
- @PublikWine‘s David Cope: Choose what sells. It’s easier for the consumer if you give them fewer options @AdamsAdamslaw @paulcluverwines
- @PublikWine‘s David Cope: Our ridiculous obsession with varietals doesn’t make it easier, we don’t simplify it for consumers @paulcluverwines
- And @foodie_za starts with a zinger: Stop listening to the consumer. They don’t know what they’re talking about. @Konfytbekkie