Schlumberger and wein.plus enter into exclusive
Cooperation

Schlumberger's partners can now take full advantage of the European wine platform wein.plus and benefit from new digital formats

Meckenheim, December 2022. Massive cost increases, high inflation, a growing consumer reluctance to buy and further advancing digitalisation - the wine industry is currently facing special challenges. The Schlumberger distribution company from Meckenheim and the European platform wein.plus, based in Erlangen, have agreed on a cooperation to support the companies in the best possible way. From now on, the wineries, wine merchants and restaurateurs associated with the Schlumberger Group will benefit free of charge from all the advantages of a Business Premium membership at wein.plus, such as discounts on packaging and logistics or a stronger visibility on the internet. In addition, there will be jointly developed digital formats.

"Our aim is to supply our customers with premium products from all over the world via all sales channels and at the same time to strengthen our partners and offer them optimal solutions for a strong presence and successful distribution. Digital solutions are playing an increasingly important role in this," says Rudolf Knickenberg, Managing Director of the Schlumberger Group. "With wein.plus, we provide our wineries and retailers with a strong partner with the highest level of internet expertise, with whom they can optimally meet the challenges of today. Together we offer not only innovative ideas, but also concrete support."

For example, Schlumberger's partners benefit from particularly favourable wein.plus framework agreements, such as for packaging, shipping, logistics and organic certification, and can thus significantly reduce their costs immediately. In addition, they massively increase their presence on the net through the platform and thus reach more customers. Other advantages include the free provision of bottle photos of tasted wines, a rating of their products on wein.plus, integration into the popular wein.plus:find+buy system, support for online and hybrid tastings and many other tools to increase customer loyalty.

The exclusive cooperation between Schlumberger and wein.plus is long-term. The common goal is to develop further offers beyond the existing benefits, especially in the digital area. "It is impossible to imagine the European wine scene without the Schlumberger Group. We are pleased to have found a strong partner in Schlumberger, with whom we can open up new possibilities for the wine scene to counteract the consequences of inflation and buying restraint and at the same time also effectively use the opportunities offered by digitalisation for themselves," says Utz Graafmann, founder and managing director of wein.plus.

Thus, Schlumberger and wein.plus are jointly developing new digital formats to open up low-cost and effective ways for wineries to communicate with retailers and end customers. Schlumberger is the main sponsor of the new monthly online tastings, which will take place on special topics for end consumers and professionals. "With this presentation, which is in line with the spirit of the times, we are creating real added value for our B2B customers. They can target interested end consumers and offer tasting opportunities that can be taken advantage of both online and offline," says Rudolf Knickenberg. "Via the professional platform of wein.plus, we can hold tastings with twenty to several hundred participants." The online events also use wine.samples from wein.plus - a cost-efficient alternative to wine fairs, professional tastings and sampling. In this process, the original wines are filled into sample bottles (approx. 50 ml) using a tried-and-tested, aromatically neutral process with the aid of inert and protective gas, and are shipped at a particularly low cost.

Furthermore, the Schlumberger Group will support wein.plus:conference as a partner. In this new online format, renowned experts will provide information and answer questions on topics such as current trends and target groups, online security, logistics, digital marketing and many other issues in the wine industry.

Rudolf Knickenberg, CEO of the Schlumberger Group and Utz Graafmann, Managing Director and Founder of Wein-Plus GmbH