Beverage Trade Network asked hundreds of wineries in their survey on what will they be focusing on apart from staff’s safety. 128 people replied in 3 days and here were the top 5 things that wineries, breweries and distilleries will be focusing on.

1. Going more Digital: As wineries can still sell and fulfill their online club orders, wineries are doubling down in this. Not only club orders, wineries are also doing whats called “order and pick up”. In this locals can order over phone or online and wineries will keep their order ready for pick up.

2. Shutting down plans: 20% of the respondents are planning shutting down plans, as that may be the best course of action. As we are not in the harvest reason mainly in USA, wineries are thinking that would be the best way to save cost. The good news is half of the wineries that are planning to shutdown for next 1-2 months are NOT planning layoffs.

3. About 9% of the wineries are bottling more right now and shipping more to fill current rush orders  at retail. When asked to these wineries, they are NOT planning layoffs.

4. No 4 thing that wineries and distilleries are planning to do right now, is getting into Hand Sanitizer. Most have already started this process and are waiting for approvals.

5. 5th popular thing they said was to service current retail customers.   

Other things that wineries are doing include:

► Focusing on retail while the restaurants are out of commission

► Growing our DTC channels that are already in place.

► Create new selling platform together with small local businesses. Online platform with home delivery options.

► Virtual and Digital tasting tours and select case packages.

► More virtual presence

► Once this is over, there will be a huge rush for events as people are free to return to normal life and will want to have enjoyable experiences. I intend to produce or be a part of many events.

► Focusing on directing all traffic to the website for online sales, and including a shipping incentives

To get a full detailed report, please complete the survey here

What To Do: COVID 19 Action Business Adaptive Plan Survey

The results of this survey will be shared with you helping you navigate this phase. Detailed Actionable report will also be shared with you from the survey, We are expecting about 300 businesses to fill this survey, so the data should help you. People who fill this survey will only get access to a detailed report.

Estimated Time: 15 - 20 Mins.

Start Survey:

This survey is done by Beverage Trade Network and Sommeliers Choice Awards. These are unprecedented times - but there are ways in which restaurants, bars and the rest of the wine world can work to improve the situation and you as a winery, wine importer and wine distributor can help them

As on-premise industry is one of the hardest hit sector in COVID-19, we will be extended our benefits to help the sommelier and on-premise buyers to navigate the space. BTN will be putting up a brand-new portal BTN Online Courses and giving free memberships to sommeliers to learn and apply new techniques to navigate the time.

If you are a winery, wine brand owner, wine importer or a wine distributor and are in a position to enter your wines and ship, we would encourage you to enter now and get savings. SCA is on track to happen in August but now is the time to ship samples to avoid delays.