1999 - 2001- Masi Agricola,
Italy
IWA was retained by the Boscaini family who owns Masi Agricola
in Verona, one of Italy's leading premium wine producers, to structure
a joint-venture company in Argentina.
Masi has planted a 200 + acre vineyard in Tupungato. The company
will produce a unique Argentine red wine that will be introduced
to the world market in 2004.
IWA is responsible for managing the following aspects of the project
:
- Negotiation of the agreement between Masi
and Argentine partners;
- Development of the company business and marketing plans;
- Start-up management of the local company.
2000 - 2003 - Vina Ventisquero - Chile
Agrosuper is one of Latin Americas leading agricultural companies.
It is the largest producer of meat and fresh food in Chile with
annual revenues of over US$ 500 million. In 1997, Agrosuper recognized
the potential of the Chilean wine sector and invested US$60 million
in the development of its wine project, Vina Ventisquero. The
Vina Ventisquero project includes 1,500 hectares of vineyards
planted in Chile's most prestigious wine growing regions, and
a 21,500 tonne state-of-the-art winery.
IWA
was retained to structure joint ventures and establish global marketing
and distribution for the 1.5 million cases of premium Chilean wine
that are expected to be at full production in 2006.
Working with IWA, Vina Ventisquero signed an agreement in the UK
with the leading distribution company, PLB and distribution started
in early 2002. IWA also structured distribution agreements for Vina
Ventisquero with Cannon Wines Limited and Appellation Imports in
the United States in 2003.
1996 - 1999 - Mildara Blass, Australia - Chile
IWA was engaged
by Mildara Blass to develop a global growth strategy for the company
and served as the Project Manager for the development of their
Chilean wine venture. This involved :
- Providing a strategic country analysis with rationale for the
project;
- Review of costs and implications of the alternative methods of
entry into the Chilean wine business for Mildara Blass : acquisition,
joint-venture or winemaking project;
- Following the IWA recommendation for a joint-venture, the alternative
companies were screened and reviewed; negotiations were initiated
and concluded with Vina Santa Carolina;
- An agreement was reached with Vina Santa Carolina in Chile to
combine resources and winemaking skills in the production and marketing
of a jointly owned Chilean wine brand. Production started with the
1998 harvest and Mildara Blass introduced the Dallas Conte brand
to market later that year.
1993
- 1994 - Vina San Pedro, Chile
In 1993 Vina San Pedro (VSP) was the third largest winery in Chile,
with annual exports of over 1 million cases. The company had experienced
some organizational difficulties and engaged IWA to assist VSP in
three key areas :
- Research and hire an international winemaking team to improve
wine quality;
- Change the U.S. importer or stabilize and improve the existing
importer relationship (1992 VSP sales were flat in a U.S. Chilean
wine market that was growing at 15 percent);
- Develop new packaging for VSP products including their leading
international brand;
- IWA identified and screened technical teams in Europe, Australia
and the U.S. and brought in a winemaking team on a long-term contract.
With five winemakers at VSP during the 1994 and 1995 harvests the
improvement in wine quality was dramatic. In 1995 the VSP Sauvignon
Blanc received a Best Buy recommendation from The Wine Spectator.
IWA stabilized and improved the VSP US importer relationship and
negotiated a new distribution contract. IWA also managed the repackaging
of the two major product lines.
Vina San Pedro was sold to a major Chilean investment group at the
end of 1994.
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