This is an opportunity for New Zealand producers to get into Hayden Higgins says. Californian wine brand Barefoot Wines is one of a number who are taking advantage of the desire for single serve packaging. This is an opportunity for New Zealand producers to get into Hayden Higgins says.

Rabobank’s new horticulture and wine analyst believes there are a number of opportunities ahead for the New Zealand wine industry.

There are also some challenges – legalised marijuana being one of them, as Tessa Nicholson discovers.

Hayden Higgins began with Rabobank back in 2010 and just recently was appointed into a new role where he is responsible for the bank’s horticulture and wine sector research in New Zealand and Australia. He is replacing Marc Soccio, who left the bank last year.

Based in Hawke’s Bay, Higgins is also one of 10 members of Rabobank’s Global Beverage Sector team, giving him insights into more than just the New Zealand sector. It is those insights that have shown him where the opportunities and challenges lie in the years ahead.

Describing the New Zealand wine sector as being on a “progressive growth phase” for a number of years, he says the development of the US market has been a vital part of that. He believes it is also an important market in terms of returning value to exporters.  read on . . .>