WINETECH Technical Yearbook 2020

Cultivar names are a burden to the consumers Since wines are often categorised based on cultivar, it was surprising that six of the professionals were of the opinion that consumers find cultivars confusing. Some considered the cultivar information as an unnecessary burden for the consumers. However, thi excluded the better-known cultivars, such as Sauvignon blanc and Merlot, which were considered to be generally recognised by the consumers. Price The professionals reinforced the importance of the price of the wine, similar to opinions voiced in published research.

Y wine selection behaviour in retails that were identified by the professionals.

“average” person. Not only is the prospective buyer faced with an extensive selection of styles, brands and price points, but also the uncertainty about the taste of the wine. While the phrase “average consumer” should be carefully defined, we were interested in the wine selection behaviour of Gen Y consumers (Generation Y, born between 1981 and 1996). This segment was identified in an industry-wide survey to show the most growth potential for consumption of SA wine. However, little has been published in the public domain on which factors influence their selection of wine in retail. The question arises whether we really know and understand the which- wine-and-why mind-set in the retail setting of this fast-paced consumer segment. This question was addressed as part of our Department of Science and Technology (DST)/Winetech-funded research at Stellenbosch University on South African consumers’ perceptions of wine. Data on Gen Y wine selection behaviour in retail were obtained from two sources, namely (1) industry role-players and (2) Gen Y consumers themselves. Here we report on the feedback from industry role-players. INDUSTRY ROLE-PLAYERS PERSPECTIVES ON GEN Y WINE SELECTION BEHAVIOUR The seven industry role-players who participated in the study were selected

The importance of a high price was mentioned, in light of its desired effects on the consumer’s perception of the product:

FIGURE 1. Vocations of South African wine industry professionals consulted for their perspectives on Gen Y wine selection behaviour in retail.

The importance of a high price was mentioned, in light of its desired effects on the consumer’s perception of the product:

Gen Y is willing to pay more for red than white wine according to the professionals.

a known brand and the presence of wine awards. CULTIVAR NAMES ARE A BURDEN TO THE CONSUMERS Since wines are often categorised based on cultivar, it was surprising that six of the professionals were of the opinion that

from a wide range of vocations as shown in figure 1, to get a broad perspective of industry professionals who interact with the consumer in different ways. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were held with each of the professionals, their feedback was subjected to thematic analysis using text analytical software and

the information was pooled. Below, we provide a summary of the aspects regarding Gen Y wine selection behaviour in retails that were identified by the professionals. APPEALING BOTTLE EXTRINSICS When considering the outer appearance of the bottle, South African Gen Y consumers specifically look out for an appealing label,

Gen Y is willing t pay more for red than white wine according to th professionals.

WINETECH TECHNICAL YEARBOOK 2020 103 • Gen Y looks for an appealing sensory profile The “typical” Gen Y consumer looks for a specific tast and style of wine, especially sw eter, lighter-bodied red ines. Emphasis was put onto the importance of flavours to Gen Y. It was suggested that communicating flavours on the bottle label might be more important than communicating cultivar names. The importance of food and wine should also not be ignored, especially in SA