UK now accounts for a third of all Prosecco production
The UK’s seemingly insatiable appetite for Prosecco has resulted in imports to the UK now amounting to over a third of all production.
The UK is Proseccos’s number one export market, with the UK, US and Germany between them accounting for three quarters of total Prosecco sales in 2016, with domestic consumption in Italy only accounting for the remaining 25%.
In order to keep up with the constant demand, the Proseccco DOC region has boosted production to an all time high to 3.55 million hectoliters last year. In 2014, annual Prosecco production only stood at 2.25 million hectolitres, meaning there has been a 45% jump in production in only two years. And production is set to increase by between five and seven per cent this year compared to a year ago. Last year 411 million bottles of Prosecco DOC carried a retail value of Euros 1.9 billion.
“As Prosecco grows ever popular, we are reassured by the data. Prosecco is, after all, a product of the land so will always be subject to Mother Nature, but given the changeable climate over the last few years the numbers are encouraging,” said president of the Prosecco DOC Consorzio, Stefano Zanette.
“We’re working hard to grow our markets globally and warmly welcome increased demand. We’ve been able to increase our volumes consistently every year, fulfilling the growing appetite from consumers for our wines,” he added.
Luca Gavi, director of the Prosecco DOC Consorzio, told Drinks Business that he was working hard to halt those producers who have jumped on the bandwagon and are only in it for the money.
He also said that more Glera grapes were to be planted within the Prosecco DOC region to keep up with growing demand.
Gavi admitted tp being “surprised” at how popular Prosecco had become in recent years, but said its status as an affordable sparkling wine for celebratory events is a big part of its success.