\t\t\t\t\t\tAussie premium wines were spotlighted in Seoul at the Taste the Wonders of Australia activation. Image courtesy Wine Australia<\/p>\n
In February, Australia\u2019s premium wines were showcased in South Korea\u2019s capital city Seoul as part of the eighth Taste the Wonders of Australia market activation, organised by the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group.<\/p>\n
The two-day event provided a platform for strengthening engagement with South Korean wine importers, restaurateurs and industry leaders, allowing Aussies to spotlight the quality, safety and reliability of our premium wine and produce.<\/p>\n
The Collaboration Group who delivered the program consists of Wine Australia, Hort Innovation, Dairy Australia, Meat & Livestock Australia, and Seafood Industry Australia. These organisations collaborated as \u2018Team Australia\u2019 in order to deliver a targeted industry roundtable, hands-on workshops, a media conference and the Taste the Wonders of Australia Gala Dinner.<\/p>\n
Wine Australia\u2019s regional manager for Asia Pacific, Sarah Roberts, said South Korea is a \u201crelationship-driven\u201d market and emphasised the importance of Australians being present.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe roundtable discussions were extremely valuable in understanding the broader economic, political and regulatory environment we\u2019ll be operating in going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wine seminar was also very well received, with more than 50 attendees. The session focused on pairing Australian wines with Korean cuisine, which really resonated with the audience. Our Australian wine educator did a fantastic job bringing the story to life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Roberts highlighted the \u201cacademic\u201d nature of the South Korean market.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople take wine education seriously. It was great to see attendees deeply engaged and taking notes throughout the session. The key message that landed strongly was that Australian wines pair beautifully with Korean flavours and cuisine.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also claimed that the strong health and wellness trend in Korea is shifting consumer interest towards lighter wines, a desire that plays \u201cdirectly into the strengths of Australian wine\u201d and thus creates a strong opportunity for market growth.<\/p>\n
February\u2019s activation in South Korea was the eighth for Team Australia, with previous programs taking place in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, and a previous visit to South Korea.<\/p>\n
In the past four years, the group has met with over 1700 government and trade representatives, \u201cleveraging the export capability of each sector to drive market access, expand commercial networks and supports long-term growth for Australian producers\u201d.<\/p>\n
The next destination that the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group has its sights set on is China.<\/p>\n