Anyone attending Millésime Bio for the first time is often, let’s say, surprised. Instead of large-scale booths and a hall plan organised by country or region, the fair has a minimalist, wooden look: each stand is the same size, and their location is decided by lottery. Yet, despite this unusual setup, the fair has grown steadily in recent years. So, does marketing for green products follow different rules compared to the glossy world of fine wine? Or is this just another Gen Z quirk? (Although organic and sustainable practices are based on distinct concepts, they are considered together in this article for simplicity.)
Consumer perspectives
At least when it comes to sustainability, studies consistently show growing consumer interest, despite political pushback. As early as 2020, a McKinsey consumer sentiment survey in the US revealed that the majority of consumers said they care about buying environmentally and ethically sustainable products.
It’s hardly surprising that Gen Z plays a key role here, as confirmed by a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). “Political and ecological activism, a focus on health, and a desire for transparency and sustainability are crucial for this generation,” said Stephanie Rumpff of PwC Germany.
“54% of Gen Z actively seek out information to find out whether a product has been organically grown or produced,” adds Dr. Christian Wulff, Consumer Markets Leader at PwC.
But this doesn’t automatically lead to purchases. According to Mintel’s Global Outlook on Sustainability 2024-25, while young consumers aged 16 to 24 are twice as likely to be vegetarians (at 6%), their overall sustainable behaviours are in line with the general average. By contrast, the highest levels of engagement are seen in consumers over 55. Mintel attributes this to greater financial means and life experience, according to Richard Cope, the company’s Senior Trends Consultant.
Sustainability as a differentiator
Regardless of marketing potential, many winemakers see sustainability as a core value. "All our wines are certified organic," says Boris Kranz of the Weingut Kranz in Germany’s Pfalz region. "We’ve followed sustainable practices for over 30 years because we believe this makes better wine. Moreover, our customers recognise that we are closer to the product."
Nevertheless, in saturated markets like wine, sustainability can make a decisive difference. A joint study by McKinsey and NielsenIQ showed a strong correlation between ESG-related claims and sales performance in the US. Between 2017 and 2022, products with ESG claims — assertions made by businesses about their environmental, social, and governance performance — grew 18% more than those without. Brands that earned over half of their sales from such products also saw higher repeat rates.
This effectiveness depends on the specific claim. The study identified six categories – general claims such as ‘environmentally or socially sustainable’ and more specific ones such as ‘organic’, ‘vegan’ or ‘sustainable packaging’ – and found that the rarer, more specific claims had the greatest impact. For instance, "vegan" led to an 8.5% increase in sales, while the most common, "environmental sustainability," resulted in only a 2% uplift.
Wine industry experience supports this. Although — as noted by Nicolas Richarme, president of SudVinBio, the organization behind Millésime Bio, at the start of the fair — the organic wine sector is navigating a complex global landscape, marked by declining wine consumption and an uncertain economic and geopolitical environment, demand for organic wine is not declining. And Jacques Frelin, co-founder of Millésime Bio, added: “Organic wines are faring better than conventional ones.”
Still, "organic" alone is no longer enough. “Being green was once a strong message. Now it’s the baseline. Marketing must include other angles like price or health,” said Xavier Nyssen of the Domaine Serre Besson in the Rhône. He warned against overly moralistic messaging: “Consumers don’t want to feel preached at.”
As winemaker Boris Kranz points out, different customers care about different things: “For about a third, organic is key. Flowering plants and the protection of insects are important for them. And of course, so is the fact that we, as a company, treat the environment with care. For others, craftsmanship, quality, or even packaging, are more important.”
Willingness to pay
The most important question is: does it pay off? Producing organic wine is usually more expensive. Can producers recoup those costs through higher prices?
According to studies, the answer is clearly yes. A study by Simon-Kucher found that while 38% of consumers cite affordability as the main barrier to sustainable purchasing, 54% say they’re willing to pay a premium. PwC’s 2024 Voice of the Consumer survey also found that 80% of consumers would, on average, pay 9.7% more for environmentally friendly products.
However, these findings don’t always align with real-world experience in the wine sector. As Romain Paire of Domaine des Pothiers (Loire) puts it: “If two products cost the same, people choose the organic one. Otherwise, price wins.”
Indeed, McKinsey/NielsenIQ found that not all sectors perform equally well. ESG-related claims led to above-average growth in 11 out of 15 food categories, a trend that’s clearly visible in the fruit and vegetable aisles of most supermarkets. Beverages, however, seem to be treated differently by consumers: only two of nine beverage categories performed well. Wine wasn’t evaluated separately, but beer and cider underperformed. One possible explanation is that alcoholic beverages aren’t seen as nutritional. Another is that prices are already perceived as high, and price sensitivity is increasing.
But there is also reason for hope in the wine industry. Xavier Nyssen sees opportunities for modest price increases — but only if customers understand the added value. “Organic means more work, more care. You have to be ten times more careful to avoid diseases and crop failures. We must communicate that better,” he says.
The value of trust
Using green topics for branding and storytelling makes sense, but details are important. McKinsey found that products with multiple ESG claims grew twice as fast as those with only one, suggesting that consumers see multiple claims as a sign of genuine commitment.
Trust remains crucial. Consumers today are better informed — and more sceptical. The Simon Kucher study showed that nearly 70% research sustainability claims before trusting them, and 57% believe brands they use are guilty of greenwashing.
Transparency and authenticity are therefore essential. Many producers rely on certification labels, but with more than 1,000 different environmental and food badges, navigating them can be overwhelming. Standardisation would help, though it's unlikely in the short term.
Must-have or nice to have?
Properly and credibly communicated, organic and other green claims can serve as clear differentiators. When it comes to communication, the industry could certainly do more. “One challenge is that the marketing in these categories has generally focused on other drivers of choice,” said Vinit M. Doshi, Consumer Growth Strategist and co-author of the McKinsey/NielsenIQ study.
Another challenge is that the growing number of organic producers makes it harder to stand out. “Organic is the new normal,” said Andrea Oberto of the Piemonte winery Azienda Agricola Erbaluna. “Our customers already know we’re organic. Now they want to know what else we do.” And this is where it's important not to miss emerging trends. “If you look at the natural wine scene, for example, we need to be careful not to be seen as the more ‘chemical’ producer,” he said.
According to McKinsey/NielsenIQ, smaller brands benefit most from ESG messaging. Which brings us back to Millésime Bio. With its modest wooden stands and slightly chaotic charm, perhaps it’s the perfect embodiment of organic marketing.
Gustavshof is a 25 hectare winery located in Rheinhessen. The estate has been certified organic for 20 years and has worked biodynamically for over a decade. Meininger’s International spoke with managing director Andreas Roll.
How important is organic to you?
For us, organic means far more than just avoiding chemicals. It’s a way of farming that promotes life, builds soil fertility, and produces truly vibrant food. We see this not only as a sign of quality and purity, but as a way to help secure the future – for our farm and for generations to come. That’s why we focus on making our land more resilient in the face of climate change.
Is being sustainable or organic a selling point for your customers?
Some customers certainly value it, but our customer base is very diverse. Many choose our wine simply because it tastes good. Still, I often wish more customers would take an interest in the topic and use their purchasing decisions to actively support climate and environmental protection.
How important are certifications for you and your communication? Is there any prospect of greater standardization?
Unfortunately, many winegrowers tend to shape their story around what sells best. Look at the websites of 100 estates that use glyphosate: not one will mention herbicides, and 95 will try to make it seem as if they’re practically organic – either without any certification or by relying on sustainability certifications, which is misleading for consumers. As long as there is no standardization of the organic and sustainable content across different certifications, it’s essential to distinguish between genuine organic certifications and broader sustainability labels to ensure transparency and credibility. That’s why we are EU-Bio, Demeter and FairChoice-certified.
Most interviews were conducted at Millésime Bio 2025 in Montpellier. The fair covered travel expenses.
