Wine and businesses are resilient, and will grow again. But nothing (or little) will be as before

It is a matter of fact the world, in general, and that of wine particularly, are facing an epochal change of scenario, linked to the change of consumption, consumers, climate, and not only. But, this, in history, happened cyclically, with wine which, in the same way and better than other sectors, was able to support suffering periods, adapt to scenario changes again, and explore new roads every time. And, also this time will be so, even if nothing will be as before in terms of occasions and modalities of consumption, organization of businesses, and not only. As Jean-Marie Cardebat, considered as one of the most authoritative wine economists in the world, professor of Economics at the University of Bordeaux, director of the Research Department ECOr, affiliated professor at Inseec Grande École, and Director of Chair Wines & Spirits of Paris, Davide Gaeta, professor and lecturer of Economy of Wine Business, and Agri-food Markets and Competitiveness – Department of Management, Verona University, and Federico Girotto, Ceo Masi Agricola of family Boscaini, among the very few realities of Italian wine listed on the stock exchange, and chosen as case history for the academic research “Resilienza e preparazione al prossimo ciclo di consumo globale di vino. Masi: un caso studio originale” - “Resilience and preparation to the next cycle of global wine consumption. Masi: an original case study”.
“The cyclical ongoing of economy has always influenced global wine consumption  - explained Cardebat -  and, the current framework is not an exception. If, on the one hand, the current economic and geopolitical context brought to a contraction, the nature itself of economic cycles suggests that, by maintaining the inflation phenomenon under control, 2026 could mark the turning year with the starting, in 2027, of a new phase of recovery for a new sustained growth for wine sector. The recovery won’t be a simple repetition of the post: consumption sociology has changed, and the next cycle will see new trends and consumers protagonists. The premiumization remains a key trend with an increasing shift of the demand towards quality research, and towards high value segments. In this scenario – added Cardebat – it is indispensable to invest early on what could be the basis of the new growth cycle, by reinforcing the brands, and valorizing consumption experiences such as wine tourism, a sector which registered an important development in the last 15 years with estimates over 50 billion dollars for 2025. Moreover, emerging markets could redefine global balances with an interest in growth for red wines. It is important that wine market is capable of identifying the signals, and anticipating the trends to adopt forward-looking strategies”.
“The evolution of economic cycles determined the necessity of remodulation of the organization of company business. Our research  - added Gaeta -  identified some key factors of resilience which can allow wine companies to consolidate their growth, and to support the evolutions of international markets such as: a structured organizational model, and a solid governance allowing to grow, and to continue to innovate; a transparent management of information; focused strategies of acquisition and diversification of products portfolio. An other crucial element is the capacity to adapt to the evolutions of the demand throughout a flexible approach both in the supply of grapes, and in the width of product range. The segmentation of the distribution, a weighed and diversified presence on international markets allow also to mitigate the risks and development opportunities. There are also other elements contributing to reinforce the competitiveness of the businesses such as the attention of company identity, strategic marketing, and the innovation oriented to sustainability. Therefore, we looked for all these factors analyzing a case of brand market leader such as Masi, and noticed how the company was capable of moving in a challenging context. The company was able to combine tradition and innovation, valorize its territorial rooting, adopt an advanced monitoring system to ensure an effective management of production and distribution, and implement a strategy of forward-looking growth. Therefore, it emerged how Masi represents a model of resilience capable of transforming the challenges into sustainable growth opportunities”.
“We appreciated the research a lot, and we are proud to have been part of it: on the one hand, it can represent a contribution to wine sector operators – added Federico Girotto, ceo Masi Agricola, and president, and ceo Canevel Spumanti -  to understand and acquire awareness on real problems of the same, and its referring markets closing the space to omissions, pessimism, and, especially, to the illusion that everything could be back to be as before. On the other hand, research outlines the necessary characteristics to cope effectively with the unavoidable evolution path of company ecosystem clearly whose necessity runs in parallel to the changes of the sector. In Masi, we try to increase resilience in different ways, but mainly by reinforcing the strategic processes of identification, analysis and risk mitigation, by never distracting from our polar star; the brand. In the years, Masi group activated different strategic levers which allowed to reply early to the evolution of economic cycles by transforming challenges into opportunities. In an overall outlook, in these ten years since the listing, we have worked on sustainability – with Masi Green Governance project – on the communication and distribution omnichannel, and on the reinforcement of Masi Wine Experience, which, this year, will start Monteleone21, the visitor center in Valpolicella replying to the new demand of wine tourism sector. In the end, we invested in product innovation, such as with Fresco di Masi, the product line of organic wines expressing our vision of authenticity, current times, and attention to consumer, and extension of portfolio. The recent disembarkation in Oltrepò Pavese is an example of it with the acquisition of tenuta Casa Re, and the launch of sparkling wine Metodo Classico Moxxé del Re, where we count to replicate what was made in Valdobbiadene, with Canevel Spumanti, a brand which continued to grow also in terms of export”.