The Squealing Pig brand has enjoyed tremendous success since its launch as a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc back in 2010.
The brand is now the number one rosé in Australia, the number two Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris by value. Its range of spritzed cans are performing well in the market and this month sees the launch of a Squealing Pig rosé gin. TheShout spoke to Treasury Wine Estates’ Deputy Chief Marketing Officer, Angus Lilley about the growth of the brand and the selective innovation which has been crucial to its ongoing success.
“Squealing Pig began in the 2010 vintage, the first wine was a standalone Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, then from there the story has just really flowed and grown,” Lilley told TheShout.
“The following year we released a Pinot from Central Otago. In 2013 we added a Pinot Gris and really from there it has snowballed.”
The rosé launched in 2015 and Lilley said that by that stage the wine probably benefitted from consumers knowing the Squealing Pig brand, in particular the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
“The style of the rosé immediately struck a chord with consumers. From day one it really capitalised on the growth of the brand, but at that time if you think back to 2015, that was when we really saw the rise of the rosé category as well. So we certainly benefitted from that, but I think the style of our wine has contributed enormously to the success.
“In terms of that style of the rosé, our winemaking team have really worked incredibly hard to make the ideal rosé. It’s refreshing, approachable, it’s that perfect light salmon colour and I think being made from Pinot Noir grapes also contributes to the style and consumer appeal that it does have.”
Price and the position in market are also contributing factors to the success of Squealing Pig, as Lilley explained: “We are definitely premium, sitting between that $15 to $25 mark across the portfolio, but offering great value for money at that price point as well. There’s no doubt that the quality stacks up, if not over delivers.”
From launching as a standalone Sauvignon Blanc to adding the new wines and cans, Squealing Pig has evolved rapidly in a short time and innovation does seem to be part of the brand’s DNA, but Lilley explained that TWE has been careful not to innovate just for the sake of it.
“It’s been a fun ride over the first 10 years that is for sure and I think we continue to see the journey and the brand growing. Over the last 12 months we have introduced spritzed wine in cans and that’s performing incredibly well. And we are about to release our first Squealing Pig rosé gin, which we’re excited about for summer. That’s another opportunity to recruit some new consumers. We hope we can bring fans of gin across to our wine and fans of our wine to the gin category and we see it has a real growth driver for the category as a whole.
“Selective innovation has definitely played a key part in the brand’s growth. Adding Pinot Noir, adding Pinot Gris, the rosé and the cans. The personality of the brand underpinned by quality has allowed us to innovate and continue to develop and evolve the portfolio.”
Looking at the launch of the rosé gin and what that means for TWE as a business, as well as the Squealing Pig brand, Lilley told TheShout: “The gin capitalises on two categories that are incredibly hot right now in terms of craft gin and rosé wine and brings them together. We think the combination of the two will have huge consumer appeal. Obviously those beverages are playing off the refreshment category driver at the moment, so by bringing rosé and gin together we see huge opportunity, particularly as we move into the summer.
“For the Treasury business this is, to some degree, a test and learn. We are hugely excited by the opportunity it presents but at the same time we are dipping our toe in the water here with the trial of a spirits product.”
The Squealing Pig rosé gin has been crafted with 10 botanicals including juniper berries, citrus peels, lavender blossoms, coriander seeds, angelica seeds, rosemary, cardamom, fennel, peppermint and laurel leaf with a dash of Squealing Pig Rosé added.
The gin is available now with the launch being supported by a marketing campaign comprising ATL advertising, PR, social media and activations both on- and off-premise, and it will certainly be interesting to see how this piece of innovation helps the evolution of the Squealing Pig brand.