VINEYARD TO THE WORLD

Unlocking our Potential Be Bold, Be Ambitious, Be Generous

STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-20251 The Murray River, lifeblood to , and one of the world’s great rivers, gives life and beauty to its ancient landscape, known by today’s people as, the Riverland.

For more than 130 years, pioneers, soldier settlers, migrants and, most recently, corporate businesses, have farmed in the region and worked with the river to produce food, wine, wealth and prosperity for the region’s communities, and the nation’s economy.

These people can be rightly proud of the economic transformation of the region, achieved through human ingenuity, in harmony with the river, its environment and the community. What was a desert land has been transformed to an emerald corridor. This plan outlines the next steps in the transition for Riverland Wine acknowledges and respects the river, the land, the people, and the the first peoples of the Riverland, their wine industry. custodianship of the land, and their spiritual relationship with this country.

1 Unlocking Our Potential STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2025

2 Riverland Wine serving our Members From the Committee From

Standing, L to R: Jim Markeas, Henry Crawford, Brett Proud, Jo Pippos, Chris Byrne, Peter Hill, Brett Rosenzweig, John Angove. Seated: Kate Kroemer, Sheridan Alm. Absent: Bill Moularadellis, Joe Russo

3 Contents The Management Committee of Riverland Wine is pleased to present the Strategic Plan for 2021-2025.

The Riverland wine industry has emerged increase value, and retain a greater share of 3 Message from the from 15 years of suppression more streamlined, wealth within the region for reinvestment. Committee more productive, more educated; on the To meet these challenges, this plan is verge of the new wine era. Wine growers and 5 Our Structure winemakers in this region are embracing new constructed with four key elements, or technologies, new structures, new varieties, and Strategic Keys; knowledge, branding, 7 We are the Riverland new (emerging) challenges. The present-day continuous improvement, and influence. To imperatives are to expand existing markets, to a large extent, the industry 9 Our Members discover and grow new markets, to sharpen has relied on the Riverland to maintain its the region’s competitive edge and play a part critical mass, its high levels of innovation, 11 Our Vision, Our Mission in solving the challenges of our time – climate export volumes, new technologies and change, water security and carbon neutrality in competitiveness. 12 Strategic Keys wineries and vineyards. This plan is underpinned by the core themes 15 Objectives and of leadership and engagement, research The plan must guide the investment of levy Outcomes funds so that the industry is equipped with development & extension, competitiveness, the tools it needs to grow the value of every and market growth leading to profitable and vineyard, winery, every litre of wine and to sustainable wine businesses. increase the regions share of all In preparing this plan, the Management wine markets. Committee has also been mindful of the Simultaneously, this plan envisages new emerging threats and opportunities around generations of growers, producers, marketers, biosecurity, climate change, water reform, and technologies that will generate growth, provenance, and digital solutions.

Chris Byrne Brett Proud RWICD Chair RWGA Chair

4 Representing the Riverland’s winegrape growers & wineries

Riverland Wine Industry Fund (Trustee Minister for Agriculture)

Our Structure Riverland Wine LEADERSHIP

ADVOCACY

Management Committee ENGAGEMENT Riverland Winegrape Growers Association Inc - 8 Directors Riverland Wine Industry Development Council Inc - 5 Directors PROMOTION

Chair: Chris Byrne TECHNOLOGY General Manager: Jo Pippos ADVANCEMENT Administration: Kate Kroemer INNOVATION

Influence Delivery Groups

External Delivery Agents

5 Riverland Wine is the face of the Riverland wine industry and proudly represents both South Australian Riverland winegrape growers and wineries. It is the union of the Riverland Winegrape Growers Association (RWGA) and the Riverland Wine Industry Development Council (RWIDC).

6 ‘The Powerhouse of Australian Wine’ 31% OF AUSTRALIA’S ANNUAL CRUSH

A large proportion of Riverland wine is sold in bulk or as unbranded bottles to other Australian producers and customers, or sold on the global market.

Most of the wine is neither labelled as Riverland, nor acknowledged as part of another wine. This is not necessarily a problem, but a fact to be considered in developing strategies to grow market share.

Until recently, the region was characterised as a producer of dual-purpose grapes, supplying non- varietal generic wine blends, with only notional reference to quality. While this offer has steadily been transformed into high quality, fit for purpose, varietal grapes and wine, the region’s image has lagged, particularly within South Australia. This negatively impacts the value of Riverland grapes and wine.

Riverland Wine has no direct control over the sales success of those wines. Nevertheless, it follows that as the demand for Australian wine grows, the demand for the region’s wine will grow.

Our organisation will explore what role we can play in improving and increasing relative market share in The Riverland is the largest producer of wine every emerging, developing, or mature market, while performing better than, or at least equal to, others in grapes in Australia, supplying approximately 31% any chosen category. of Australia’s wine in 2021. ‘leading industry innovation.’

7 ’ "Celebrating the Diversity of our Region - from small, boutique multigenerational family owned & operated vineyards to industrial scale efficiency" 62% N SHARE OF I O G E are the Riverland We SA CRUSH R E N I Langhorne Creek W Coonawarra D

N Padthaway A McLaren Vale L

R

E V Adelaide Hills 2021 Vintage Data 2021 Vintage

I CRUSH BY REGION R Clare Valley Limestone Coast Eden Valley Currency Creek OTHER 558K TONNES CRUSHED 20.6K 50+ 900+ 85 109 HECTARES WINE GRAPE COMMERCIAL EXPORT OF VINES BRANDS GROWERS VARIETALS MARKETS

Data sources: Wine Australia & Vinehealth Australia, 2021 8 Niche

Our growing number of niche producers supply high value grapes from alternative varietals, old vines and biodynamic vineyards that have exceptional consumer appeal.

Diversified Commodity Our diversified growers produce Many of our growers are caught in a high value grapes in conjunction commodity trap, unable to achieve with income sources that include economies of scale as producers off-farm income from horticulture, are not able to offer product tourism, wine production and as differentiation. For these producers, lessors of water. the challenge is not whether to transform their businesses, but how. OUR MEMBERS Scale Publicly listed We have some of the world’s largest Some of the largest publicly owned and most efficient vineyards that wineries in the world owe much of utilise both traditional and new their success to the high efficiency business models. We are Australia’s production of the region and the largest organic vineyard, having region owes much of its current and achieved unmatched scales of future success to their global reach production. and long-term commitment.

Boutique

Local and out-of-region wineries that produce very high value, differentiated wines from Riverland grapes are emerging constantly. The region is proud of the beautiful wine products and stories that these boutique wineries are producing. 9 Our Members

SHARING THE WEALTH

10 11

Our Vision sustainable wine industry forthe To providecoherent leadership, Riverland winesarerecognised drive aprofitable, dynamicand resources, andcoordinationto benefit ofmembers, markets and enjoyed byconsumers around theworld. and community. Our Mission Four foundational themes represent the Strategic Keys that will support Strategic Keys our Vision and Mission and help unlock our region’s potential. Unlocking our Potential

1. 2. 2. KNOWLEDGE BRAND

Increasing industry capacity for effective Achieving long-term relationships decision making and risk management and recognition that reflect our quality & consistency Industry capacity and skills are enhanced and supported, and growers have adopted research The Riverland is established and maintains and development initiatives a pre-eminent position in the market and mind of consumers

4. 3. INFLUENCE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Building influence to increase opportunities Encouraging & promoting excellence & outcomes from industry levies and benefits in operations from vine to dine from industry research & development Continuous improvement in grower and Riverland Wine’s commitment and broader industry capability increases resilience and social responsibility through engagement and ability to adapt to future change collaboration is valued and enhances the spirit of pride, achievement and leadership

JOURNEY TO PROFITABILITY & SUSTAINABILITY

12 13 member basedorganisation to achieve regional success.’ ‘Working collectively asa Strategic Keys three keys. keys. three economy. will inform knowledge This the other more wealth the circular within the region -boosting water. and less diesel It less will chemicals, fewer retain digital resulting platforms and dashboards, in using example, water weather wine markets, markets, data, For more the things about that success. will support and organise to itto know enable more businesses the knowledge aregion as but wewillso, harvest That may be success. for necessary knowledge in small, have medium and the large businesses taken granted for often It’s that individuals operating and operating models. business of whatworld, influencespricing, of and emerging have wines the on of our of its the impact markets, and their circumstances, environment, businesses its We will build operating the region’s of its knowledge makingdecision and risk management Increasing capacity industry for effective KNOWLEDGE

Unlocking our Potential

BRAND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT INFLUENCE Achieving long-term pricing that reflects our Encouraging & promoting excellence in Building influence to increase opportunities & quality and consistency operations from vine to dine outcomes from industry levies and benefits from industry research & development Through the intimate knowledge of the region’s The term Grape and Wine 4.0 (from ‘Industry 4.0’) customers, consumers and their values, the Riverland describes how transformative technologies connect Riverland Wine will actively engage members to Wine brand will be re-established. the physical world with the digital world. identify issues and look to articulate innovative solutions that are responsive to industry needs, and Successful improvement in regional brand value In order to overcome the paradigm of ‘running manage strategy implementation. Riverland Wine gives us the opportunity to take advantage of, and to stand still’, the continuous improvement will build the capability to influence at the regional build, our brand in global markets to obtain the methodology of 'Plan Do Check Act' will be used level and beyond. long-term price that our product quality and to apply knowledge from the transformative consistency deserve. We will build national influence to increase the technologies to the region. This will result in the region's share of global opportunities, outcomes from We will provide leadership in obtaining funding Riverland wine region being Australia’s most industry levies and benefits from industry R&D. and cross-sectoral development of wine, food and innovative and progressive wine region. Specifically, tourism experiences that are globally competitive, this will be achieved through the improvement We will attract support for regional branding sophisticated, and driven by strategy. Over time, this of our capacity as business operators, improved and marketing and attract suppliers of value- will increase the value of our grapes and wine and training and skills development, support of research added services in important areas such as skills eliminate poor experiences that downgrade our and development, regionally focused production development. By deliberately building influence and regions value. optimisation projects and improving our water national position, we will build our value in the eyes of management and use. the industry, its suppliers, and consumers alike. Externally, Riverland Wine has successfully influenced policy of the three tiers of government, peak industry bodies and research institutions, that has resulted in a greater allocation of resources directed to Riverland Wine to service its members and meet its organisational objectives. Importantly, key stakeholders have supported the research, development and adoption spending in Riverland Wine's keystone projects. Journey to profitability and sustainability

14 OUR STRATEGIC KEYS are underpinned by responsive, interconnected and complementary Objectives & Outcomes Objectives that will drive benefit for our members and allow us to grow dynamically to meet the needs of our growers, wineries and the broader wine community.

KNOWLEDGE

OBJECTIVE K1 (K, CI) OBJECTIVE K2 (K, CI) OBJECTIVE K3 (K, CI)

Coordinate and leverage knowledge to enhance Support and promote adoption of initiatives and Promote uptake of innovation and technology to effective decision making and risk management to outcomes of research by facilitating the delivery of improve grape and wine production practices support the success and retention of regional wealth. effective extension programs. and profitability.

INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES

• Equip leaders and • Regional producers have • Deliver best practice • Levy contributors • Drive a culture of • Our region utilises tools participants to influence sound knowledge of their information and understand the impact of innovation, excellence and and capabilities to make culture change through operating environment, technologies for viticulture funding on Riverland Wine continuous improvement effective on and off farm developing a collaboration- businesses and and winemaking practices, and how it is utilised for within the Riverland to decisions to guide decision first mindset and circumstances including water use, pest industry benefit attract leading global making in all aspects of innovative thinking to players, academics and their business & disease management, • Practice change shown achieve industry and • Industry participants are commercial entities biosecurity and by wine businesses, with • Users trust systems regional objectives engaged in, and supportive looking to collaborate or sustainability increased knowledge, to deliver and create of, co-design approaches invest in the region • Collaborate with people attitude, skills and economic and to knowledge sharing and • Clear end-to-end pathways from other agricultural aspirations (KASA) and • Guide and support the environmental benefit for innovative thinking built into projects and innovation areas to share uptake of best practice provision of a technology their operations initiatives enabling knowledge, skills and through effective extension driven performance Riverland Wine to be more resources to enhance and adoption programs framework that responsive to members’ regional capability and encourages continuous capacity needs and foster an improvement and environment where encourages participants to • Gather, collate and ideas are applied to real understand and monitor disseminate research situations performance outcomes through available communication • Provision of leadership and • Identify and prioritise channels support services to the existing areas of knowledge Riverland wine industry and expertise that warrant through appropriate revision, further investment staffing and resourcing of or critical thinking to Riverland Wine encourage uptake

RELATED KEYS RELATED KEYS RELATED KEYS

15 INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES - How we will drive action to achieve Outcomes

OUTCOMES - How we will measure Success

BRAND

OBJECTIVE B1 (K, B, CI) OBJECTIVE B2 (K, B, CI) OBJECTIVE B3 (K, B, CI)

Develop a critical mass of successful producers Understand our markets and provide leadership to Obtain long term recognition and reputational who are united behind a clearly articulated aid promotion and development of wine and wine enhancement by building our brand in existing and regional identity. tourism experiences across the region. emerging markets.

INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES

• Strengthen industry • A collaborative and • Seek to gain a clear • Leverage wine, food and • Development of a suite of • Sales opportunities and cohesion through direct, informed industry understanding of tourism based economic Riverland branded digital brand recognition in two-way communication organisation able to consumer preferences, development in the and traditional promotional established and emerging with producers and other identify and address key regional strengths Riverland to increase materials that provide the markets are expanded value chain participants issues for the benefit of its and positioning using recognition of our wine opportunity for stakeholder upon by Riverland members market insights to help region and its product collaboration producers • Development and participants shape their facilitation of regular, • Industry and members • Riverland Wine • Collaborative trade or • More labels and producers business decisions understands and proclaim the appellation specific, coherent industry participate in two way marketing opportunities communicates to presented to wine Riverland extension activities that feedback, adding value • Develop and promote a members challenges and producers to facilitate include; and credibility to Riverland regional identity based on opportunities that present market growth and Wine’s industry objectives the region’s measurable • Fact sheets and within the wine and wine prosperity and strategies strengths with regard newsletters tourism sphere • Field days and trials to variety, wine style, • Regional initiatives and and unique Riverland opportunities are explored, • Workshops & training characteristics developed and effectively • Project updates supported and managed, • Regular surveys of • Utilise parallel perspective including Riverlation stakeholders to gauge to understand, objectively Wine & Food Festival and engagement and uptake analyse and communicate Riverland Wine Show of knowledge both immediate situation • Yearly scorecard of and future threats, influence and activities opportunities and impacts produced and provided within markets and tourism within annual reporting mechanism Journey to profitability and sustainability RELATED KEYS RELATED KEYS RELATED KEYS

16 OUR STRATEGIC KEYS are underpinned by responsive, interconnected and complementary Objectives & Outcomes Objectives that will drive benefit for our members and allow us to grow dynamically to meet the needs of our growers, wineries and the broader wine community.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

OBJECTIVE CI1 (K, B, CI) OBJECTIVE CI2 (K, B, CI) OBJECTIVE CI3 (K, CI)

Improve economic, environmental, and business Promote, support, and encourage environmental Investigate, contribute to, and cultivate industry productivity awareness and competitiveness stewardship and sustainable wine production resilience by encouraging the use of data and across the value chain. practices in viticulture and winemaking. benchmarking tools.

INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES

• Facilitate development • Industry shows increased • Promote, support and • Industry practice change • Improve awareness of the • Industry understands and promotion of tools productivity and encourage industry with increased knowledge, availability of and provide and utilises data and and programs designed profitability through the participants to develop skills and attributes a pathway for making benchmarking to improve to enhance business utilisation of benchmarking and adopt Sustainable through the provision of informed decisions and decision making on and productivity, whilst working and monitoring Winemaking practices and informative and relevant understanding of digital off farm environmental credential tools created by Riverland with funding partners and become environmental • Users trust system to • Riverland Wine and it’s information dissemination Wine, including KY# and other wine related bodies champions deliver innovation that members are better VitiVisor platforms • Consolidate and redirect positioned to anticipate • Create a culture of • Sustainable and reliable creates social, economic approaches to wine • Assist industry participants and environmental values portions of funding to and react to economic, commitment to production enhance the to navigate data be used to invest in social, environmental, and sustainable, responsible Riverland’s environmental management systems, regionally led projects that regulatory changes as production and ethical stewardship and improve maintain protection of their address transformational they arise practices, ensuring that performance and data and increase the use the full potential of the challenges identified reputation of data for decision making Riverland’s unique natural • Create a community environment and • Young innovators are of regional leaders and resources are realised long inspired through education early adopters to identify into the future to explore, design and common problems in develop transformational order to drive innovation • Actively contribute to, solutions in collaboration demand, as well as share and advocate for land with industry participants potential solutions to and water use policies increase the speed of and proposals to protect uptake viticulture land use where appropriate

RELATED KEYS RELATED KEYS RELATED KEYS

17 INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES - How we will drive action to achieve Outcomes

OUTCOMES - How we will measure Success

INFLUENCE

OBJECTIVE I1 (K, CI, I) OBJECTIVE I2 (K, CI, I) OBJECTIVE I3 (K, CI, I)

Effectively harness and coordinate resources Coordinate regional priorities to ensure that Foster, support, and build meaningful to provide a focused, proficient and influential Riverland Wine understands and meets the relationships to increase influence at local, state representative body. needs of industry and stakeholders. and national level.

INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES

• Riverland Wine strategies, • Riverland Wine ensures • Identify, coordinate, • Members have confidence • Riverland Wine actively • Riverland Wine programs and structure that there are appropriate prioritise and develop areas that Riverland Wine is participates in programs representatives are reviewed regularly to levels of transparency, of knowledge and barriers actively listening to the that foster and encourage encouraged and provided ensure they are adequate, accountability and industry to industry performance needs of its industry students and young with opportunities to proficient and coherent focus to meet the needs of in collaboration with participants people to participate in advocate at forums and on the wine industry committees on behalf of its members members • Riverland wine industry • Effectiveness and the region appropriateness • Riverland Wine continues • Identify, seek and allocate members are confident • Work with industry that levy funds are used • Riverland Wine of Riverland Wine to engage in, and develops specific project funding or partners, institutions appropriately and agencies to increase industry members and staffing, management meaningful, strong wine industry levy funds awareness, drive and representatives are invited and committees are relationships with key to industry priorities in motivate opportunities to provide meaningful continuously evaluated, stakeholders and industry consultation with agencies for collaboration and to and deliberate input at monitored and adjusted partners through open and and institutions when adopt a more coordinated meetings and forums on a to suit changing industry regular engagement appropriate and industry led approach regular basis needs • Develop and promote to respond to future • Monitor and evaluate the industry awareness of opportunities, threats and appropriate utilisation of the need to constantly trends industry and contributor embrace change and • Act as a key node in funding to lead and grow through innovation, the innovation system, manage projects to derive adaption, adoption and connecting industry maximum benefit for the diversification participants with Riverland wine industry opportunities and supporting innovation in the region Journey to profitability and sustainability RELATED KEYS RELATED KEYS RELATED KEYS

18 www.riverlandwine.com.au

19 STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2025