French Wine Companies Test Sustainable Development in Regional Study, Results due May 2010 (A002)

FRENCH WINE INTERPROFESSIONAL GROUP EVALUATING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN RESEARCH PROGRAM, RESULTS DUE IN MAY 2010

[USPRwire, Sun Feb 07 2010] Since April 2009, six companies in the winemaking industry have been involved in a research project for sustainable development. For a better part of a year, these companies, as part of Inter Oc (the interprofessional group of Pays d'Oc wine producers), have been part of a study that evaluates international sustainable development policies to help establish best practices see how these ideas affect all steps in the winemaking chain: from field, to production, to distribution, and finally, to the consumer.

Initiated by a research team from Montpellier 2 University and Inter Oc, this project aims to contribute to a structured course of actions and a collective commitment to the protection of our viticulture. The results are expected in May 2010.

Bringing companies together around a "green citizen" project

Inter Oc gathered six companies from France's Languedoc-Roussillon region and provided them with a sustainable development program. Next, Inter Oc is bringing in international expertise of researchers from Montpellier 2 University. Finally, a steering committee made of wine and sustainable development experts was established. By the end of the program's term, the six companies will have contributed their experience in the marketplace and share the initiatives of their sustainable development departments.

This research program will allow worldwide initiatives to be integrated at the regional level. It will assess the progress of worldwide vineyards in sustainable development as well as appraise current "green citizen" directives and their viability in international markets. On the other side, the program is currently evaluating consumers’ awareness of sustainable development in the top wine-consuming countries (France, Germany, Great Britain, Canada, USA) and the premium they would be prepared to pay for sustainable wines.

Major distributors will be assessed on their current and future demands regarding sustainable wines and on the triggers of their involvement.

Languedoc-Roussillon’s dynamic involvement

Taking into account the global concern for the protection of the planet’s resources, Inter Oc decided to mobilize around this project of general interest. All aspects of sustainable development will be studied in detail. Inter Oc hopes to contribute to the harmonization of sustainable development programs and its communication as expected by international wine organizations.

The meeting of companies, their professional body and the expertise of the research world will provide Inter Oc with solid foundations for its aspiration to sustainable development.

A commitment to concrete results

The research program started in early April 2009 with in-depth interviews of the six pilot companies. It continues now with consumer surveys in the five essential countries (United States, Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom). Concurrently, dozens of worldwide distributors will be questioned about their motivation regarding sustainable wines.

Finally, the sustainable development policy of major New World vineyards (New Zealand, California, Australia, South Africa) will be analyzed from the point of view of production, distribution and consumption.

The results of the program, expected in May 2010, will be shared with the partners of the project and will be the subject of a dedicated publication by Yann Chabin in June 2010.

Save the date

Sustainable development conference organized by Inter Oc at the Vinisud trade show in Montpellier, France, on February 23, 2010, at 2:30 p.m., followed by a tasting at the Inter Oc booth in Hall 1.

High-resolution images are available on request.

For more information, please contact:

INTER OC
Linda Filone
Communications and Promotions Manager
Tel.: +33 4 67 13 84 30
E-mail: linda-filone@interoc.fr
Web: www.vinsdepaysdoc.com

or:

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Tel.: (312) 327-5260
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr


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