With sales up sharply, how organic wine manages to do well

With a turnover which increased by 6.3% to 1.5 billion euros last year, organic wine is not experiencing the crisis. He even swims against the tide of the organic food sectorat half mast with sales down 4.6% in 2022 according to the Organic Agency. Its relative good health ― the market has tripled in five years ― also goes against the decline in wine consumption, with a drop of 70% in 60 years.

It is this trend that the Circana institute wanted to verify, by launching a study with a sample of 1,054 buyers at the beginning of September to establish their profiles. “Unlike other organic food products, the French organic wine market is marked by its less dependence on mass distribution. This contributes to their good health,” notes Christophe Ferreira, consultant at Circana. Moreover, if the market grows overall, certain sectors such as large-scale distribution or specialized organic stores are lagging behind (-7%).

Strong progress in certified vineyards

Conversely, the hotel and restaurant industry, wine merchants and direct sales constitute the preferred sales and purchasing channels. Purchases from producers are even up by 5%: almost a third (30%) of production is sold this way. With organic, the sale in the cellar with personalized advice is regaining color. As for price, it obviously plays a role. Between 5 and 10 euros, 27% of buyers believe that it is essential that a wine be organic, notes the Circana study. And above 15 euros, the proportion rises to 36%.