In 1994, the Wine Market Council commissioned the first consumer survey to study the attitudes and behaviors of wine drinkers. The study was conducted by Merrill Research and was repeated in 1997, 2000, and 2003. Beginning in 2005, the Merrill study became an annual Wine Market Council project. Numerous focus groups consisting of core and marginal wine consumers segmented by age and gender have also been conducted over the years. This qualitative work has helped us to delve into the underlying attitudes and perceptions of these wine consumers.
Each year, Wine Market Council places increased focus on timely issues in the industry, for example, emerging consumer segments such as Millennial generation young adults, or the root of increased wine consumption. In addition to in-depth analysis of our tracking study data to investigate these topics, each year qualitative research is conducted to supplement what is learned from the quantitative data. In 2007, Wine Market Council explored the consumer in the on-premise setting. A series of one-on-one interviews were conducted among top sommeliers in six U.S. markets to study consumer attitudes and behavior toward wine through their eyes.
An excerpt of the results of the 2007 consumer tracking study can be found in our Consumer Research Summary.
|
