Incorporated in 1997 in Sydney, Australia, AWC Australia (‘AWC’) is a well-established wine buyer, and consolidator of assembled portfolios of wine products, servicing strategic partnerships with a number of large scale internationally based Retail groups.
Led by Lester Solden, a former International Banker, with over 30 years business experience in the Asian region alone, the company has evolved as a company identifying and evaluating wines, assembling portfolios made up of exclusive products acquired from a variety of boutique wine producers from a large diverse number of regions in Australia, NZ and Italy for large scale international Retail groups, then subsequently performing a strategic advisory role in the ongoing category management.
Key to the company’s success has been the establishment of a network of strategic supply chain partnerships with major internationally renowned Retail groups, assisting their category development, buying exclusive products on their behalf to support their direct import strategies, as well as formulating and then implementing, merchandising and marketing plans by way of support.
The company has forged strategic supply chain partnerships with major retail organisations as its primary focus, and relationships have developed over many years with a number of the world’s leading Retail and Cash and Carry companies operating in Asia, including DAIRY FARM INTERNATIONAL, METRO AG, and WALMART as well as a number of locally owned retail groups in different countries.
Within the Asia region, retail wine category development, although still fragmented but growing well, continues to require significant outsourced assistance to develop, as interest in wine expands among local consumers. AWC plays an important role working with its key established strategic partner relationships in various countries, assisting with their wine [and now food] category development, and contributing with commitment and expertise for the identification and procurement of exclusive brands, data analysis, merchandising, marketing ideas and staff training etc.
A further major expansion of the Group in the last few years into food [gourmet food snacks, pastas, sauces, juices, and water from Australia and Italy] reinforced relationships with many of the existing and emerging strategic partnerships.
Recent association with a cooperative of Australian seafood divers will further enhance the company’s ability to grow relationships into Asian markets with a new range of live wild caught Australian seafood including abalone, king crab, sea urchin and lobster with quality assurance and continuity of supply constantly demanded from the increasing number of consumers wary of product quality standards. The creation and purchasing of specific retail products e.g. frozen abalone, enhances a new range of items that are attractive and competitive for retail and supermarket groups.