Georgian wine first time on the Market- and Product plan of Norwegian State Monopoly - VINMONOPOLET

A key element in Norwegian alcohol policy has been to remove the private profit motive from sales of wine, spirits and strong beer. As a result, VINMONOPOLET that was founded in 1922, is wholly owned by the state, subordinated to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.

VINMONOPOLET has the exclusive right to retail wine, spirits and strong beer in Norway. The products are purchased through importers holding the required license for import and who have signed a purchase agreement with VINMONOPOLET. Approximately 200 wholesalers have signed this agreement.  

VINMONOPOLET is distributing a Market- and Product plan twice a year. This plan is available for the wholesalers and covers what VINMONOPOLET is planning to purchase for a 12 month period.

In order to fulfill its main goal - promotion of Georgian products, including Georgian wines in Europe, EUGBC works on the promotion of Georgian wine in Norway and facilitates raising awareness regarding the peculiarities of Norwegian wine market to Georgian wine producers. In this regard EUGBC has organized the visit of the representatives of Georgian Wine Producing Companies in Norway in November 2006. During the visit, EUGBC organized a reception in Oslo, where the guests had an opportunities to test different sorts of Georgian wine. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the CEO of Norwegian state monopoly VINMONOPOLET, Journalists, representatives of Diplomatic Corps, Norwegian Governmental Structures and Georgian Wine Producing Companies, as well as wine experts, Norwegian importers and other guests attended the reception. After the reception, professional testing of Georgian wines was organized. Experts of VINMONOPOLET tested various sorts of Georgian wines and spirits from different Georgian wine producing companies.

To keep Georgian wine and spirit producers updated, EUGBC prepares the information on alcohol market in Norway as well as rules of importing and taxation of wine and spirits and functioning of Norwegian state monopoly in this sector. The information will be provided in a simple and understandable way through respective publication (in the Georgian language with an English summary) and seminars prepared by EUGBC for potential exporters of Georgian wine and spirits.

After exerting the efforts, EUGBC is glad to announce that Georgian wine is listed on the Product Specifications Basic Range for launching in July, September and November 2010 (for details please visit EUGBC website www.eugbc.net - News) published by the Norwegian State Monopoly – VINMONOPOLET and can be exported to Norway starting from July 2010.