Canadian Export Success For Kim Crawford Wines
December, 2004 – Kim Crawford Wines is celebrating a major exporting triumph opening up the Canadian market. The
company’s Sauvignon Blanc has become the first New Zealand wine to achieve a “general listing” with Quebec’s government
liquor distributor, the SAQ.
The general listing means the iconic New Zealand wine can be stocked by SAQ retail outlets (which number almost 400),
opening the way for huge sales growth in the Quebec province, says Kim Crawford Wines’ Marketing Manager, Erica
Crawford.
“This listing approval is the result of a few years focussed sales work in Canada and follows our very successful
showing earlier this year in Quebec’s top international wine competition, the SAQ-organsied Sélections Mondiales des
Vins,” says Erica.
Kim Crawford 2003 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was awarded the Grande Médaille D’Or (top gold medal) for the best wine in
the Sauvignon Blanc category and also won the Prix du Jury décernés par pays, as the overall best New Zealand wine at
Sélections Mondiales, held in Montreal in June.
Erica says Canada is an increasingly important market both for Kim Crawford Wines and for New Zealand’s wine industry as
a whole. “This SAQ general listing is a huge marketing boost for us opening up Quebec, which is Canada’s second most
populous province,” says Erica.
“It’s important we do well in Canada, both for ourselves and the New Zealand wine industry in general. We believe that
this listing will open the door for other NZ wine brands into Canada and we’re really excited about that. We intend to
make the most of this opportunity to grow our sales in Canada and do what we can to facilitate success of other kiwi
wineries with us.”