Christopher Beros, Asia director for California Wines, spoke to db during Vinexpo Singapore about a renewed focus on the Southeast Asian market.

The latest US wine exports figures indicate a year-on-year growth in the Southeast Asian market, including Singapore, where exports have grown by almost 5 per cent. Christopher Beros, Asia Director, California Wine Institute for Greater China and Southeast Asia, spoke to db in Singapore during Vinexpo, where the United States was nominated as the country of honour.

Singapore, he said, is a bit unique in the same way that Hong Kong in that it’s a city state which makes it an “addressable markets.”

“For the longest time, Singapore wasn’t that significant. It was sort of static. Now we see it growing and becoming bigger,” he added.

Wines of California is running a multi-pronged marketing push in Singapore with the California wine month initiative which includes on-and off trade promotions as well as PR and marketing activations through KOLs, traditional media and social channels.

He explained his strategy: “The idea is that we blanket the market as much as possible so people cannot avoid California wines.”

In addition, the advocacy group is pushing the extensive California education program, Capstone, through two newly appointed education providers in Singapore.

Lim Hwee Peng School of Wine was selected last year, and this year, a second provider, The Beverage Clique Academy was appointed to deliver the program.

California wines market penetration in Singapore remains less than 5%, and Beros is hopeful these activities will help “move the needle” to a 8-12 per cent share of the pie in the next two years.

The upswing continues through South Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

“Southeast Asia is growing, and Singapore is obviously well positioned for that growth. There’s a little bit of a tilt towards Southeast Asia from Greater China, and we see that in Vietnam too,” he added.

Vietnam is on fire right now, he said, and Beros is driving awareness of California wines with the help of seminars and food pairings led by Elaine Chukan Brown and local sommeliers.