Presentation
The Grupo Rioja (Grupo de Empresas Vinícolas de Rioja) is a business association that joins more than fifty ageing wineries of the Rioja Appellation of Origin of all sizes and characteristics which represent approximately two thirds of Rioja wine sales.
The origin of Grupo Rioja is fairly recent, as it is the successor of two historic associations: the Grupo de Criadores y Exportadores de Rioja and the Asociación de Empresas de la Zona Vinícola Rioja which in 2008 decided to join, starting a new era by becoming into the main winery association.
The old Grupo de Exportadores was founded in 1968, as en exporter’s consortium and soon it would become the reference association in Rioja. Besides it was the first institution in the Appellation which develops promotion and marketing campaigns in the foreign markets. The AEVZR was born in 1981 as the reference sectoral organization of wine in the Federación de Empresarios de La Rioja, although integrated by wineries from La Rioja, Álava and Navarra.
Today, the main areas and activities covered by Grupo Rioja, are:
a) Defence and representation of the associates’ interests with all the related organisms of which Grupo Rioja is member (Consejo Regulador de Rioja, Federación de Empresarios de La Rioja y Álava, etc.) and with local, regional, national and international governments and institutions.
b) Information services to the members. Grupo Rioja offers permanent information of all the relevant events and news (fairs, prizes, activities, etc.), legislative changes and regulations, market information and sales statistics, etc.
c) Promotion activities. Independently form the own members policies, Grupo Rioja works in general trade promotion. Besides, as President of the Promotion Committee of the Consejo Regulador, Grupo Rioja works actively coordinating and designing the promotional activities and programs of this Institution.