The Eden Collection

The best-selling organic wine brand, La Nature, has been relaunched as the Eden Collection to appeal to a broader range of wine drinkers

Extensive research carried out by Bottle Green into the organic wine consumer has resulted in a repositioning of their best-selling brand, La Nature.  For the process of brand development, Bottle Green commissioned research into the organic category and the La Nature brand some six months ago.  

Despite a potential market worth £30m in the UK off-trade (AC Nielsen), the key findings of the research highlighted that perceptions of organic wine were low and that, among respondents, the organic nature of the wine would not be their primary motivation for purchase.

"Consumers are generally looking for wine first and then they may consider the organic option once they see the product on the shelf," says Jerry Lockspeiser, managing director of Bottle Green.

"Our focus groups showed that there are three categories of drinker in relation to organic wine. Dedicated organic drinkers who seek out and buy wine because it is organic, total at most just 1% of the market.

Then there is the bigger group of about 10-20% who are organic dabblers buying organic products occasionally, if they are in the mood. Finally, there is the majority of about 80% who are sceptical, not interested or unaware."

The call to action for Bottle Green, as a result of these findings, was to continue to get the organic message across to those who are looking for it but not to discourage purchases from people who are looking for wine first and are not committed to buying organic products.

"We realised we needed to be able to appeal outside the small group of committed organic buyers who represent the current core consumer base.   This is such a tiny percentage of the total market and we need to attract the other 99%," says Caroline Sharland, brand manager, Eden Collection.

"The key to doing so for us was to realise that these 99% are looking to buy wine for pleasure, as something to enjoy, share and relax with, and not to be preached at about the organic cause. 

"The appeal to the 99% has to be on the same grounds as they would buy any wine because what they are buying first and foremost is a bottle of wine that meets their requirements for style, price, quality, taste etc.

After all, first and foremost we are selling wine, not an organic philosophy.  "That said, we should secondarily communicate the fact that the wine is made from organically grown grapes as this is a positive reason as to why it tastes good, and is an integral part of its personality and USP."

The next challenge was to change the face and name of their biggest selling organic brand La Nature.  Not an insignificant task considering that Bottle Green sold 150,000 9 litres cases in 2002.

According to Lockspeiser, the Bottle Green team was confident that La Nature was doing a good job of reaching the committed organic consumer but research indicated that the emphasis on the packaging was saying "organic" as opposed to "quality wine" and they needed to change the balance to appeal to the dabblers and sceptics.

Creating a contemporary image "Another key finding from our research was that consumers perceive the overall organic concept as contemporary," continues Lockspeiser. "But no organic wine brands seemed to be offering a contemporary positioning."

Several new propositions for packaging and names were researched and Eden Collection was chosen as a clear favourite as the most modern and distinctive packaging route and a name which would stand out from the existing organic wine offers in the market place.

The packaging also says wine first, then organic.  Importantly, the new wines were accepted by both groups of consumer – committed organic purchasers as well as the experimenters. "Organic products need to shake off their old fashioned ‘woolly’ image in order to motivate these potential new customers.

This is what we feel that the Eden Collection is doing." Lockspeiser concludes: "On trying the Eden Collection wines, we are confident that consumers will be convinced by the quality of the wine and will be willing to actively look for it and repeat purchase next time they are shopping.

It is increasingly important that the first time a consumer buys a bottle of wine made from organically grown grapes that it tastes really good and they like it.  Otherwise they will think ‘I bought that bottle, it was organic, I didn’t like it and therefore I don’t like organic wine.’  If this happens one disappointing bottle can turn people off all organic wine for life. 

"Therefore quality, modern, fruit driven, UK market style wines are paramount for the Eden Collection range.  This fact is uppermost in our wine maker’s minds when making and selecting the product.

"Our aim is for Eden Collection to become known as a wine which fits easily into consumer’s wine repertoire whether it’s because they are specifically looking for an organic wine or just wine in general." next time they are shopping.

It is increasingly important that the first time a consumer buys a bottle of wine made from organically grown grapes that it tastes really good and they like it.  Otherwise they will think ‘I bought that bottle, it was organic, I didn’t like it and therefore I don’t like organic wine.’ If this happens one disappointing bottle can turn people off all organic wine for life.

"Therefore quality, modern, fruit driven, UK market style wines are paramount for the Eden Collection range.  This fact is uppermost in our wine maker’s minds when making and selecting the product.

"Our aim is for Eden Collection to become known as a wine which fits easily into consumer’s wine repertoire whether it’s because they are specifically looking for an organic wine or just wine in general."

The Eden Collection – key facts:

1. The Eden Collection is an international range with two key varietal wines from four countries. It covers the needs of both Old World and New World drinkers, and those who like different styles.

2. The range is positioned at £3.99-£5.99 to be where most mainstream consumers in the volume market purchase.

3. Eden Collection wines are made and selected by Bottle Green’s winemakers: Nick Butler for the southern hemisphere and Mark Nairn for the northern hemisphere.  This range is tailormade for Bottle Green.

4. The Eden Collection range will be expanded as Bottle Green find wines that add something to the consumer choice and the quality.

5. A brand plan has been developed and budget is available for both Above the Line and Below the Line marketing.  The latter spend is to drive sales through major retail customers, focusing on what works best in each individual account; the former is to increase consumer awareness of the range and the availability.

6. The wines are all certified in accordance with EU organic standards.

7. The Eden Collection range will sit alongside other key organic ranges in the Bottle Green portfolio, including Les Etoiles, Terra Viva and La Domaine de la Grand Bellane.

8. Bottle Green is the UK’s largest importer of organic wine having sold 350,000 cases of organic wine in to the UK market in 2002.

9. Bottle Green Ltd, 19 New Street, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 4BH. Tel: 0113 205 4500 Fax: 0113 205 4501 E-mail: info@bottlegreen.com Website: www.bottlegreen.com

10. Eden Collection has a dedicated brand manager, Caroline Sharland located at Bottle Green’s Leeds office. She can be contacted on 0113 205 4500

The Range

France

Merlot £4.99

Chardonnay £4.99

Spain

La Mancha Blanco £3.99

La Mancha Tempranillo £4.99

La Mancha Tempranillo Bag in Box £15.99

Argentina

Torrontes £4.49

Barbera £4.49

Australia

Chardonnay £5.99

Shiraz Cabernet £5.99

Current Stockists include:

Asda, Nisa, Safeway, Waitrose

Malcolm Gluck on the Eden Collection

1. La Mancha White 2002. Delicious citrus and a roasty, gently herby, toffeeish melon.

2. Torrontes Argentina 2002. Marvellous delicious grapefruit, citrus, hint of spice. Hugely refreshing.

3. Chardonnay Vin de Pays d’Oc 2002. Lovely cultivated melon and citrus, excellent structure, fine finish.

4. Australian Chardonnay 2002. Rich, calm, melony fruit, cosy, untypical, gentle, almost daring to be elegant and demure.

5. Tempranillo La Mancha 2002. Dry, plummy, fruity, and balanced.

6. Barbera Argentina 2002. Juicy, spicy, intense plum fruit.

7. Merlot Vin de Pays d’Oc 2002. Juicy, spicy, very generous berries, big savoury tannins.

8. Australian Shiraz/Cabernet 2002. Very warm, rich, generous-hearted fruit.