News

Diam announces aggressive US market push

DIAM says it is committed to engaging with winemakers, retailers and distributors to drive awareness of current issues and ensure all key stakeholders start to ‘think’ about the benefits of the closure options available.

The programme will feature a series of integrated activities including market visits by key Diam representatives, media and trade interviews, closure seminars and presentations with leading AVA’s, roundtable debates at key wine conferences, fairs and competitions in addition to further US-based research studies with UC Davis.

DIAM is a technical cork, produced by the patented Diamant super-critical CO2 process, delivering a consistently neutral, TCA-free cork closure. Validated by several world-wide independent laboratories, the Diamant process uses super-critical CO2 to eradicate 2,4,6 – trichloroanisole (TCA) and 150 other compounds.

Globally, Diam technical cork closures saw value sales of €57m in 2008, and enjoyed an 8.5 per cent increase in US market share in 2008.

Commenting on the market push, Diam commercial director Dean Banister said: “Diam has an opportunity to increase its US market share by delivering a driven closure that is TCA-free, doesn’t scalp flavours, is consistent and offers winemakers varying levels of oxygen transmission rates (OTR). The global trend within the closure market is to move away from poor quality and under performing natural and synthetic closures - we are firmly focused on driving the debate and delivering a real solution to the somewhat neglected US market.”

The company reports that, globally, over 1800 wineries and distributors are using Diam, including premium producers such as Louis Jadot, Hugel, Stonestreet, Freemark Abbey, Kunde, Bouchard, Dourthe, Tempus Two, Tyrell's, Moët & Chandon, Pernod Ricard and Constellation. In addition, UK retail giant Tesco has recently nominated Diam as one of only three permitted closure types for its own-label wine range.

July 09