Top Tips to Navigating the Bulk Wine Market
Whether you are starting a new private label, trying to procure wine to meet demand or offloading excess inventory, understanding how to successfully buy and sell bulk wine is an essential part of any modern wine business.

From pre-bottled shiners to recently harvested grapes, the wide range of market opportunities available in the bulk wine industry makes it one of the most complex commodities to trade in.
Regardless of if you are buying or selling bulk wine, negotiating the best deal to fit your company’s needs can be the difference between a successful year of profits and one of lack luster sales.
So, how can you ensure you are getting the best deal when trading in the bulk wine market?
Here are ten tips for wineries, negociants, brokers, and large volume wine buyers and sellers on how to maximize profits and build your business.
1. Dependability Can Be Leveraged
As a seller, being a dependable supplier means retaining important contracts year after year. Limiting variances in the quality of your product and vineyard costs means you can consistently give your buyers a trustworthy solution to their needs. The longer you develop your relationships, the easier it will be for you to start leveraging them across the industry. Building your reputation will let you confidently expand your customer base to bigger and more important buyers.
On the flip side, buyers who regularly source from the same suppliers can also use their existing relationships to leverage their payment terms. When you are looking to grow and money is tight, you will be happy to have established strong relationships with your suppliers. Being able to ask for more stock on flexible payment terms is a whole lot easier when your partner already knows you are a good for it. If you aren’t in a growth year, then regularly providing a bulk wine supplier with a steady check means giving yourself the chance at negotiating a better bottom line.
2. Relationships with Key Market Makers Are Important
Whether they are buyers or sellers, bulk wine traders are some of the most knowledgeable, business minded people in the industry. Working with influential clients who can ensure profitable partnerships for years to come is the first step towards successfully trading in the bulk wine market.
Make it your priority to get to know all of the most important supermarket buyers, negociants, and bulk wine traders on both the supply and demand side of the business. Being recognized as a key supplier to successful brand owners (or buyer of the some of the industry’s best product) will guarantee that your business will thrive as theirs does too.
3. Bulk Branding Works
Gone are the days of ‘behind closed doors’ bulk trading. The market has grown enormously over the past twenty years and with so many different people trading the commodity branding has become the normal.
Developing your company’s brand in the bulk wine industry means building and developing your professional relationships around your company’s name and just like in any other business, this means putting some of your hard earned dollars into crafting an image that resonates across the industry.
4. Competitions Add Value
Part of your marketing strategy should be to develop a portfolio of award winning juice. Sending samples to be tested can greatly increase both the value of the bulk wine as well as its bottled end product. Whether it’s been put into tetra packs, premium labels or is still in stainless steel tanks, the more marketing you put towards your product, the easier it will be to sell.
5. Tradeshows are Invaluable for Networking
Connecting with suppliers, buyers and brokers at international trade shows is one of the best ways to expanding your network base and getting new clients. The more trade shows you can attend, the better your chances at finding lucrative trading partners that fit your company’s needs.
Take the time to plan your yearly trade show attendance. This means reaching out to new and established clients and contacts to schedule meetings and generate awareness about the opportunities you can provide them.
Continue reading this article at BTN News.
