Weinkellerei Peter Mertes takes new avenues

Weinkellerei Peter Mertes is Germany's largest winery and Number One when it comes to German wine exports -  and is also a staunch KHS customer.  This winery currently has five filling systems from KHS in operation. The most recent investment was in a KHS canning line. What is special here is that this is the first winery worldwide to put a KHS canning line into operation. Michael Willkomm, managing partner at Weinkellerei Peter Mertes says,  "We registered a consumer desire to drink semi-sparkling wine, wine, and mixed wine drinks from cans on certain occasions.  Our laboratory tests revealed that the quality of semi-sparkling wine and beverages containing wine offered in cans varies tremendously.   We have come to the conclusion that, among other things, this is because contract filled products are pasteurized,  which could change the taste.  There is then a risk that after initial test purchases consumers have the impression that the taste of canned drinks is inferior in comparison to beverages filled in other types of container.  We want to counteract this with the help of our wine expertise, cold sterile filling, and top filling quality." As Germany's biggest winery, Weinkellerei Peter Mertes is in a good position to take countermeasures of this kind.  More so considering that the company is active in a sector where cans are in great demand: the retail sector.  The winery has been consistently focusing on this distribution channel since the early 1960s. The Peter Mertes winery was among the first to supply products to the, back then, up and coming cash and carry markets and self-service department stores and was also one of the first wine distributors to be listed at discounter stores emerging a decade later.  The company was established in 1924. Michael Willkomm is the third generation to manage this family-owned winery. In 2012, Weinkellerei Peter Mertes sold 250 million filled units; 40% of which were distributed abroad to more than 80 countries around the world.  The main export countries are currently the U.S.A., Russia, and the Netherlands. Evidence of particularly rapid growth can currently be seen in Asia. The retail sector can choose between 20 different Peter Mertes family brands or decide in favor of developing and producing private labels.  Private labels are in great demand especially outside Germany.