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Cork producer Amorim's sales up 14%

Published:  02 March, 2011

Cork produer Amorim has posted a sales increase of almost 14% by volume in 2010, selling more than 3 billion cork bottle stoppers.

Cork produer Amorim has posted a sales increase of almost 14% by volume in 2010, selling more than 3 billion cork bottle stoppers.

The firm's core business Amorim's Cork Stoppers Business Unit showed volume increases of between 10-30% in old world wine markets, while in new world markets,  Australia increased 17.4% while US volumes were up 22%, or 20% in value.

UK unit sales increased by 50%, as major retailers chose natural cork closures.

"Passing the 3 billion barrier is an exceptional result ? particularly when you consider that in 2010 the world was emerging from the global financial crisis," said Amorim's chairman and chief executive, António Amorim.

"Along with the outstanding sales results, we witnessed strong consumer preference for cork in the US, an increase in the use of cork by the 'Top 100' US wine brands, and a return to cork closures by major supermarkets in the UK."

Amorim added: "In the wine industry, we have seen a number of wineries return to cork in the past 12 months, based on significant improvements in cork's performance together with sustainability and consumer preferences, as well as concerns over issues with alternative closures."

The annual global market for wine stoppers is estimated at 17 billion units. The cork industry produces around 12 billion stoppers, giving it a 70% share of the global wine closure market.  

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