To Örebro University

Purpose: The low level of supply chain maturity and the lack of industry best practices in wine supply chains are stated to be some of the biggest challenges for this industry. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to explore practices in the wine supply chain, and to evaluate a framework of supply chain practices through a multiple case study.

Design/methodology/approach: A multiple case study approach is used, through which the case of a multi-national wine producer is compared to the supply chains of small Australian winemakers.

Findings: The findings corroborate that performance, while highlighted in production and the quality of the product, is less in focus in terms of efficiency and effectiveness in the supply chain. The wine supply chain is very manufacturing and marketing-focused, with distribution supporting these activities. The case study shows that supply chain practices such as customer orientation, process integration and visibility are key to the wine supply chain, albeit they are not discussed in supply chain terms.

Research limitations/implications (if applicable): The research indicates the link between supply chain practice and performance, yet the directionality of this link remains to be established.

Practical implications: Wine researchers have called for more research in supply chain management. This paper aims to fill this gap and in addition provide practitioners with practice examples.

Original/value: This paper is a first evaluation of a conceptual framework on supply chain practices in the wine supply chain. This framework is very useful for eliciting current practices but also for benchmarking with other companies in the wine industry.