The new technology has
been created by Christchurch
based Publica to
allow Giesen and Ara wine
brand information shared
immediately, with sweeping
aerial footage supported by
tasting notes and wine production
information. Group
marketing manager Angela
Flynn says an app has been
created to allow quick and
simple access to Giesen and
Ara wine brand information,
including vineyard footage
and tasting notes for more
than 100 distributors throughout
the world. “We live in
a world where media and
information sources are available
on-demand and at people’s
fingertips. Increasingly,
everyone expects anytime,
anywhere consumption of
media content. This provided
us with a new opportunity
to connect with people who
sell our Giesen and Ara wine
brands,” Flynn says. “Just
looking at the New Zealand
statistics made us confident
that developing an app was
an effective way to share our
unique story to distributors
and trade.” One of the most
exciting aspects is the 3D map
of the Wairau Valley that includes
stunning aerial drone
footage of some of Giesen
Group’s Marlborough vineyards.
“As far as we’re aware,
no other Marlborough winery
has presented their terroir in
this type of 3D map.” Publica
co-founder Mark Spurgeon
says the key to the success
of every app is ensuring its
features are easy to use, it
has strong user retention,
looks great and has a real
purpose. “The Giesen Group
app hits all these vital hallmarks
and together we have
created a true extension of the
Giesen and Ara wine brands
in an app that users can carry
around in their pockets.”
Flynn says the app has been
designed to ensure there are
a limited number of clickthroughs
for users to find
the information they require.
“Additionally, we made sure
it was easy for users to share
information by allowing them
to choose their preferred content
sharing app on their iOS
device directly from the app
allowing easy dissemination
of tasting notes and vineyard
profiles.” The free app
is available to download from
the Apple iTunes store, and
plans are underway for an
android version.
LION LIFTS
EARNINGS
New Zealand’s largest alcoholic beverage
company Lion - Beer, Spirits & Wine (NZ)
has seen a 4.3% revenue increase...and the
brewer and winemaker is attributing soaring
sales of craft beers, mainstream brands
and non-alcoholic drinks for the success.
The local Auckland-based unit of Japanese
brewer Kirin Holdings says 2017
net sales rose to $585m from $561m
the year before. Lion has been diversifying
its portfolio, acquiring Upper Hutt-based
Panhead brewery in 2016 to add to the Dunedin
based Emerson’s Brewing Co it acquired in
2012, increasing its exposure to the fast-growing
craft beer segment. In 2017 it launched its Good
Patron coffee brand and acquired 25% of Tauranga’s
Good Buzz Beverage Co to tap growing
demand for fermented drinks such as Kombucha.
“We’re really proud of the work we’ve done on
the innovation front and on diversifying our offering
across alcohol and alcohol-free categories to
meet changing consumer needs,” Lion NZ managing
director Rory Glass says. Lion also launched
a low-carb version of its Speight’s Summit Ultra
beer and launched Lindauer sparkling grape juice.
The company owns beer brands including Lion
Red, Lion Brown, Steinlager and Speight’s; and
the rights to international brands such as Corona,
Budweiser, Stella Artois and Guiness. It sells
Lindauer, Daniel Le Brun and Wither Hills wines;
and its spirits include Gordons and Bombay Sapphire
gin, Johnnie Walker whiskey, Wild Turkey
bourbon, Coruba and Bacardi rum, Smirnoff and
42 Below vodka. Outside of liquor, it has the
Vitasoy plant-based milk range, Yoplait yoghurt
brand and various soda brands. Lion has also set
an industry first by agreeing to pay suppliers within
30 days of receipt of invoice, the company says.
NEW APP A
FRONTRUNNER
Marlborough’s Giesen Group will share
quick and concise information on its vineyards
and wines with its global distributors
and trade partners via a new iOS app.
IN BRIEF
Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern says
New Zealand is not
ready to admit defeat
to the cattle disease
Mycoplasma bovis.
There are now 39
farms testing positive
for the disease and a further
1700 deemed to be at risk – the
most recent find in Waikato
in May. The disease causes
mastitis, pneumonia, abortions
and lameness and can result in
the deaths of cows and calves,
but it does not infect humans
and presents no food safety risk.
Ardern says the government has
been trying to tackle the disease
alongside industry for months.
“Hearing it had come into
Waikato is a blow around the
management of this issue.”
Yealands Wine Group
is celebrating success
after receiving four
trophies at the 2018
International Wine
Challenge. Three
of the trophies
were awarded
to Crossroads Winemakers
Collection Syrah 2014, with the
fourth going to Yealands Estate
Single Vineyard Sauvignon
Blanc 2017. All gold medal
winners were judged alongside
each other, with Crossroads
being named the outright winner
over the other Hawke’s Bay
Syrah entries, winning both the
Hawke’s Bay Syrah Trophy and
the New Zealand Syrah Trophy.
The NZ Alcohol
Beverages Council
has rejected a call
for mandatory
labelling on alcohol
bottles in light of a
new survey by the
University of Otago.
Executive director Nick Leggett
says mandatory labelling “is
the ambulance at the bottom of
the cliff” in terms of preventing
harm from alcohol, when what
New Zealand needs is further
education - starting younger
- in partnerships between
Government, industry and the
community.
10 JUNE 2018