Wine in Slovakia

2020 IMPACT

Consumer priorities shift to cost-savings in 2020 as pandemic hits Slovakia

In Slovakia, local-origin non-grape wine gained further consumer interest during 2020. Blackcurrant wine is among the most traditional and well-recognised fruit wine types.

Sparkling wine falls flat as socialising dries up

Sparkling wine posted consistent growth within wine over most of the review period. However, in 2020 total volume sales were not performing as well.

Consumers shift to off-trade wine

Wine was the second-largest alcoholic drinks category in terms of total volume sales in 2020 and off-trade sales were boosted by consumers migrating from the temporarily closed on-trade channel. Still light grape wine was particularly popular among Slovakians who as well as drinking the beverage by itself also increasingly used it in cooking as consumers made the most of their extended time at home.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Recovery may be painfully slow for on-trade players

Consumers will gradually shift from the off-trade back to the on-trade from 2021. In addition, local brands and new product launches will help drive sales growth over the forecast period, including non-alcoholic wines.

Bubble may have burst already for apple wine

Fruit wine options such as the blackcurrant and chokeberries options are becoming increasingly popular in Slovakia with brands such as Pereg being the most recognised names in the country. Affordable apple wine received rising interest in 2020, posting the strongest total volume sales growth in overall wine, amid diminished purchasing power among Slovak households.

Deepening wine culture in Slovakia stands to boost interest in both domestic and import products

While private label producers of wine may see some gains while Slovakia recovers from recession, local branded producers already benefit from consumer preference for domestically produced wine, as well as from established distribution networks for their brands, which enjoy higher visibility than private label options. Nonetheless, though the trend for local wine is expected to continue, in part due to the continued activities of the Guild of Winegrowers and Winemakers, interest in imported wines will also gain ground as consumers look further afield for new varieties.