Jean-Fredric Hugel - Place Vs Brand @wbis2014

HUGEL & FILS12 generations of family

tradition

A brief presentation Family business, today run by 3 members of

the family (12th generation) – 28 employees

100% family-owned and fully self-financed.

Wine growers from father to son in Riquewihr, Alsace since 1639

Total annual production averages 110,000 cases; over 90% is exported to more than 110 countries

Today’s Hugel headquarters in Riquewihr

The importance of the place vs. the importance of the brand. The secrets behind a successful wine brand?

The importance of the brand and the importance of the place. The secrets behind a successful wine brand?

Be coherent Don’t try to become super premium if you

can’t sustain it. Don’t try to mass market your wines if you

can’t supply when (if) it’s a success. Don’t open a market if you cant sustain

and support it.

Your positioning can only be yours, make sure it is unique, so it stays yours…

Know your strengths: Our name, because the brand is

important. Our capacity and experience in opening

markets. Our adaptability to any export market’s

requirement. Our ability to build our brand image.

…We have become really good at being first.

1. Our brand: Our brand is our name, our brand

ambassadors are members of the family. Our brand is short and easy to pronounce

in most languages. Our label has become a signature across

the world. We avoided supermarket and mass

distribution to keep a high end image.

2. Our capacity to open new markets: Present in 110 different countries Recently opened markets like Vietnam,

Burma, Serbia… Present in tradeshows, present on the

field. Working with the right people (Frederick

Wildman; Summergate; Jeroboam; John Fells UK)

Establishing stable export markets

Loading a shipment for Sao

Paulo in 1950 The labelling room in 1930

3. Our adaptability to any export market’s requirement: We count 3 people working full time on

duties and shipping. We count 5 people for labeling, packing

and orders display. Hundreds of different labels. A method which allows us quick changes

in destination. A website in 9 different languages(!)

An informative and supportive An informative and supportive websitewebsite

The new technologies of information help us communicate more easily than ever before.

Conclusion: Know / find your strengths. Work on your strong points. Chose your distribution wisely. Define your goals and tactics. Being first is often better than being the

best. Try to be both.

HUGEL & FILS3, rue de la première armée

68340 RiquewihrFrance

Tel: +33 3 89 47 92 15 Fax: +33 3 89 49 00 10

info@hugel.com