"We are still far away from the French. This is where we need to work" – Gruppo Lunelli on boosting Italy's "high-end" sparkling wine position.

Gruppo Lunelli, a family-run company in Italy, has been steadily growing its presence in the global sparkling wine market. The CEO, Matteo Lunelli, believes that sparkling wine is the most promising category in the wine market due to its contemporary appeal and association with conviviality. He sees a trend towards premium sparkling wines and believes that Italian sparkling wine, such as Ferrari Trento, has the potential to position itself in the high-end segment. Gruppo Lunelli's strongest markets are currently Italy, the US, Germany, and Japan, but they are also exploring opportunities in Mexico, the Middle East, and the UK. The company focuses on building its brand through on-trade channels, such as restaurants and bars, and aims to increase its global sales outside of Italy. While they are cautious about entering the retail market, they plan to expand their presence in independent retailers and eventually multiple retailers. Gruppo Lunelli is open to mergers and acquisitions but is selective in seeking brands with a long tradition and excellent products. They do not currently plan to venture into non-alcoholic wines due to the lack of technology to produce authentic wines without alcohol. [Extracted from the article]