“When you say Luxembourg, people think of finance, but they rarely think of wine,” says Antoine Clasen. In its 100th year of existence, Bernard-Massard is experiencing a meteoric growth in exports, with a 50% jump in volumes since January. “It’s completely crazy,” says the general manager, attributing the phenomenon to consumers’ need to indulge themselves.
“Our positioning is to be at the top of the range, just below the champagnes, but above the others,” he says. This strategy is coupled with occasional communication campaigns, but also with a network of local importers active in some 30 different markets, mainly in Europe and North America.
From Belgium to the Seychelles
Belgium represents half of the 1.5 million bottles exported each year, ahead of Canada with 500,000 bottles. “Exports are small markets where you plant a seed without knowing if it will grow or when. Often, we only see the results after 10 or 15 years,” says Clasen.
This is a long-term process, which is carried out without adapting the recipes. “Our approach is to say that this is our product: this is how we make it, this is how we like it,” says the director.
Bubbles are Bernard-Massard’s flagship product, although preferences vary from one country to another. The Cuvée de l’Écusson is mainly sold in Luxembourg, Finland and Canada, while the Cuvée Sélection has its fans in Belgium and the Cuvée Bio is very popular in Finland, thanks to good press reviews.
“We are experiencing some frustration in certain countries where we are encountering difficulties,” says Clasen. For example, the Luxembourg company has not yet succeeded in penetrating the Swedish market, even though it is a neighbour of Finland where the brand is distributed. The same goes for Denmark.
For a company like ours, exporting is not easy. You have to fight to find your place.
“For a company like ours, exporting is not easy. You have to fight to find your place,” says Clasen. Recently, Bernard-Massard launched in new markets such as the Seychelles and Africa, proof that the company is still keen to expand its catchment area.
Last year’s health crisis is unlikely to have affected its foreign business, as export volumes actually increased by 5%. “We have succeeded in making a place for ourselves in this universe dominated by large players, often French or Italian, who nevertheless have higher sales budgets than us,” says Clasen, resolute to see the glass as half full.
This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.