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Wellbeing trend fuelling organic wine sales

The wellbeing and ‘clean’ drinking trend is helping to fuel sales of organic wine at Sainsbury’s, according to a recent report compiled by the supermarket.

Sainsbury’s ‘plate of the nation’ report found that consumer interest in what goes into their drinks and how they are made is leading to a spike in interest for organic wines.

“More customers are seeking beer, wine or spirits that align with wider changes they’ve made to their diet, while not compromising on a great taste or experience.

“Whether that be drinks that are organic, vegan or lower in alcohol, this represents a greater shift towards mindful, purposeful drinking,” said Jack Banks, specialty beer and ‘NoLow’ buyer for Sainsbury’s.

Sainsbury’s was the first supermarket to launch an organic wine range in the ‘70s, and the organic market continues to attract new converts in the UK.

The supermarket’s SO Organic range has grown by 35% in the last year, with 42% of the growth coming from newcomers trying the range for the first time.

Chilean producer Cono Sur’s organic wine range is up by 50% year on year at the retailer, and is proving particularly popular with eco-conscious consumers aged 25-44.

According to the Soil Association, global organic wine sales are likely to top 970m bottles by 2023, twice the number sold in 2013. Last year organic wine sales were up 47%, with a current market value of £50m.

In keeping with this ‘clean’ drinking trend, interest in minimum intervention orange wines is on the rise in the UK, with the Instagram-friendly style proving popular with millennials.

“Orange wine has the added benefit of containing fewer preservatives and being more of a natural wine due to the way it’s produced.

“It’s gaining ground with people who are drinking out, and we’ve seen a 469% increase in website searches as customers seek it out to drink at home,” said Sainsbury’s wine buying manager, Tom Holliday.

“Orange wine offers intense flavours, so it isn’t for everyone, but unlike a lot of wines, it pairs well with any type of food you throw at it,” Holliday added. Sainsbury’s is due to launch a new orange wine, Nature & Sun Chenin Blanc from South Africa, this year.

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