Tavernello arrives in UK in Tetra Pak cartons

Italian cooperative Caviro has introduced its top-selling wine brand Tavernello onto the UK market in Tetra Pak cartons

Due on shelf in Tesco from mid-August, the range features two classic Italian wine styles - Trebbiano Pinot Bianco and Sangiovese at an RRP of £3.99 for a 75cl Tetra Pak carton.

Sourced from selected vineyard sites in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, the portfolio features a 100 per cent Sangiovese and a white blend of 80 per cent Trebbiano and 20 per cent Pinot Bianco. Tavernello winemaker Giordano Zinzani, in consultation with Tesco Senior product development manager Pierpaolo Petrassi MW, developed the exclusive UK blends in order to ensure the range is consistent with the demands of the UK consumer.

In addition, the original pack design has been reworked to deliver improved branding, greater shelf visibility and stand out, reinforcing the lifestyle and al fresco positioning of Tavernello whilst also communicating the brand’s heritage and tradition.

The launch of Tavernello will be supported by a nationwide sampling campaign throughout key Tesco stores in August, with further brand investment activities planned for early 2010. The sampling coincides with the launch of a dedicated UK website – www.tavernello.co.uk – which will be the central hub for all consumer facing activities.

Commenting on the development, Caviro export business unit manager Pier Luigi Calcagnile said: “We’re delighted to have launched Tavernello in UK. The launch follows an extended period of market research that allowed us to identify a gap in the market for an authentic, fruit forward and easy drinking Italian wine that over-delivers on quality at the entry-level price point. Italy’s No.1 selling wine brand* Tavernello has been enjoyed by Italian families for over 25 years and is the ideal everyday drinking wine.”

Tesco’s Petrassi MW adds: “It’s rare to launch a wine which truly breaks new ground for the UK wine market.  This piece of NPD reinforces Tesco's commitment to offer customers great value for money, as well as increasing our range of wines in alternative and more environmentally-friendly packaging formats”.

Established in 1983, Tavernello is at the forefront of technology and innovation, and was the first wine brand globally to use the patented Tetra-Pak technology. Tetra-Pak delivers an eco-friendly, sustainable and recyclable alternative to traditional glass bottles and is a convenient, accessible and easily transportable pack format for consumers. In addition, Tetra-Pak technology protects the wine from light and oxidation providing a wine of guaranteed quality and consistency.  Due to its unique shape and material Tetra-Pak is easy to transport, with one truck needed to carry the same number of packs transported by 25 trucks of the glass equivalent, thus resulting in a lower carbon footprint.

The Caviro cooperative represents 11 per cent of total Italian wine production with over 18,000 wine growers and 36 partner cooperatives.

Tavernello is distributed in key export markets including Germany, Japan, Russia, Switzerland, Scandinavia and China.

*Source: Iri InfoScan (Information Resources Inc.) Year ending December 2008, based on packaged goods, total wine by volume sold at grocery self service store > 100 sq m

1 August 2009 - Felicity Murray