New collaboration provides new unbranded and unbiased research to Wine Market Council members
St. Helena, CA, September 7, 2016 — Wine Market Council, a non-profit association of grape growers, wine producers, importers, wholesalers, retailers, and other affiliated wine businesses, today announced a partnership with the Wine Business Institute, a research and education institute of the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University, to bring an academic perspective to Wine Market Council’s research and industry insights. This fiscal year, the Wine Business Institute’s Hamel Family Faculty Chair in Wine Business, Dr. Damien Wilson, will advise Wine Market Council on methodology, research topics, as well as contribute knowledge of other industry data sources.
“Our relationship with the Wine Business Institute greatly benefits our members by adding a new layer of transparency to our research,” said John Gillespie, President of Wine Market Council. “We are thrilled to offer our members this new unbranded and unbiased research that will help them in their everyday businesses.”
Driving the direction of Wine Market Council’s research program has been the Wine Market Council staff and research committee, which is made up of member representatives from Nielsen, Constellation Brands, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Wine Communications Group, Breakthru Beverage Group, and the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University.
“The Wine Business Institute is pleased to collaborate with the Wine Market Council and contribute its expertise and leading-edge insights to one of the world’s most dynamic industries. This important partnership benefits from decades of cooperation among the industry’s greatest minds and global business leaders, working to solve its most important issues,” Dr. Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair in Wine Business said.
Professor Wilson has 20 years of international wine industry experience in Australia, France and the U.S. He is former Director of Wine Business programs at Burgundy School of Business in Dijon, France, and widely known for expertise in wine production, distribution, sales, and service.
Wine Market Council membership is open to wine producers, importers, distributors, grape growers, and other wine industry affiliated businesses and organizations. The council provides its members with insightful consumer research on U.S. wine consumer behaviors and attitudes. Minimum dues for all member categories are $400 (if calculated dues are less than $400) and members wishing access to all research data, in addition to reports, must pay minimum dues of $1,000 (if calculated dues are less than $1,000). To become a member or inquire about membership visit the Wine Market Council website WineMarketCouncil.com or email admin@winemarketcouncil.com with your inquiries.
About the Wine Business Institute
The Wine Business Institute (WBI) is an education and research institute of the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at Sonoma State University (SSU). SSU is the first institution of higher learning in the U.S. to offer certificates and degrees focused on the business of wine. It is the first school of business in the world to offer an executive-level wine business degree. In 2017, SSU will open the Wine Spectator Learning Center, a state-of-the-art education complex dedicated to training the next generation of business leaders for a dynamic and changing wine industry. With its unique location, expert faculty, and deep relationships in the world of wine, SSU attracts current and future professionals from California and around the world to experience the wealth of connections among students, alumni, and industry leaders.
About Wine Market Council
Wine Market Council is a non-profit association of grape growers, wine producers, importers, wholesalers, retailers, and other affiliated wine businesses and organizations. The council’s mission is to grow, strengthen, and stabilize the wine market in the U.S. on behalf of all segments of the industry. Wine Market Council provides its members with consumer research that is proprietary to Wine Market Council members, who incorporate it into their strategic planning, marketing and sales execution. Wine Market Council was established in 1994 as a non-profit (501c6) trade association working through all tiers of the U.S. wine industry to grow the wine market. More information can be found at WineMarketCouncil.com and on Twitter @WineMktCouncil.
