ASIAN MARKETS HAVE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE FOR MOLDOVAN WINES – CASTEL MIMI DIRECTOR

Moldovan winemakers must focus their efforts on markets which are not producers and where the growth of wine consumption is registered, maintains Director of the Castel Mimi winery Cristina Frolov.

She told to Infotag that one of such markets is the Asian market, where Moldovan wines are gaining increasing popularity.

“Over recent years we are making efforts to extend our presence in Asian markets. China and South Korea are the main sales markets for the Castel Mimi. Also, we have good presence in Romania. Asia is one of the most rapidly growing markets in the field of wine consumption against the old European countries, where it is falling”, Frolov said.

Talking about problems faced by exporters on Asian markets, the winery director said there are certain geopolitical factors.

“For example, Moldova and China have not signed a Free Trade Agreement yet, which makes Moldovan wines less competitive in the Chinese market. Romania and Georgia, after signing such an agreement, have considerably increased wine exports to China and Korea. Moldovan wines are exported at ex works pricing – 10 euros per bottle. Similar wine from Romania gets to Chinese markets at a price approximately 30% lower. While the ultimate consumer of course takes the price into account first of all”, the Castel Mimi head said.

Talking about target markets, the entrepreneur said that the Castel Mimi is seeking to raise its market share in such countries like the US, the Northern European countries and Poland.

On the other hand, according to her in recent years the winemaking branch underwent many changes.

“Thus, from the point of view of exports we managed to suspend exports to some markets we had worked with for many years. Since 2019 we are no more working with Ukraine, while the Russian Federation remains a market with the smallest presence in our portfolio. We also closed the old project, which is over 10 years old, developed together with Germany. These partners saw no development of wine portfolio at the level of quality we aspire to. Wines Moldova is producing already demand a different approach, positioning and presentation”, Cristina Frolov said.