Creating a sustainable Riverland wine industry

A flexible and voluntary buy-out that addresses a major industry challenge and sets a sustainable future.
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The benefits

Participation in the buy-out is voluntary and flexible for growers.

Removes the significant financial burden of the bulk wine contract from CCW and its members.

Growers will have greater business certainty and the ability to plan for the future.

Enables a sustainable and ongoing source of demand for Riverland growers’ grapes.

The only option that allows CCW’s growers and Accolade to remain viable.

Those who wish to exit the industry can do so, while those who want to continue can do so with greater certainty.

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Our shared interest with growers

We’re a global premium and commercial wine company, producing some of the world’s most-loved brands. We’ve been in the Riverland for more than 150 years, and we partner with local growers to produce around a third of South Australia’s entire grape crush.

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The challenge: a perfect storm

The Australian wine industry is facing an unprecedented combination of external challenges.
Increased costs, softening consumer demand and the loss of, and anticipated slow re-entry to, the bulk wine market are all contributors.

While demand has declined, supply of grapes has persisted at a high level, leading to a significant structural imbalance. The stock-to-sales ratio for red wine is about 50% above the 10-year average.

As a result, the market value of grapes – particularly red grapes – is now unsustainable and below production costs. Something must be done to keep our industry alive and thriving for many years to come.

Accolade has not been untouched by this – the sustainability of the business was challenged. Accolade is in the process of a debt for equity swap with its lenders and is working to recapitalise its balance sheet. For the future sustainability of Accolade and therefore its growers and CCW, a new supply agreement must be reached.