GG_N44_COMPLET_ITA

IMPORTERS
– DENMARK –
AMKA GROUP
Looking to the long-term
What started off in 1978 as a hobby for Anna-Marie and Karsten Søndergaard,
who sold wines to friends and family from their garage in a small village in
Denmark, has evolved into a multi-million-bottle business spanning 9 North
European countries. Their son and current AMKA CEO Frank Søndergaard outlines
the company’s ethos and growth prospects across the region.
By Ellen Budge - Photographs: courtesy of AMKA Group
Frank Søndergaard, Amka Group
Perhaps what characterises AMKA group most
is its extreme specialisation. Each one of its
35 million bottles in annual sales – of wines
with some beers and spirits – accesses the market
through a dedicated company. “In Denmark,
for instance, we have one company that specialises in
wine sales to Horeca, another in spirits, then wines to
supermarkets and another to online outlets”, explains
Søndergaard from the company’s base in Denmark,
where it owns six companies and sells around half its
total volumes. Its broad-ranging distribution reach –
from off-premise to Horeca, travel retail, online and its
own bricks-and-mortar outlets – proved to be a precious
asset during the Covid crisis. “What we thought was
going to be a horrendous year, actually turned out to
be not bad at all with declines offset by increases in
other channels”. Drawing on a producer portfolio of
some 300 suppliers also allows the company to tap into
growth markets, with Sweden often leading the way.
From organic/sustainable to cans/PET bottles and bag-inboxes,
what starts in Sweden often filters down rapidly to
Norway and Finland, then Denmark. In response to this,
AMKA has recently established AMKA Nordic, addressing
the needs of the monopolies and Horeca channel with
a clear strategy. One strong consumer trend AMKA
is witnessing region-wide is the tendency for lighter
drinks. “Easy-drinking, lighter wine styles are definitely
on-trend because they match the lighter food we’re
eating”, stresses Søndergaard, who has also noticed the
importance of references – reviews and endorsements –
particularly in online channels which are rapidly growing
across Scandinavia. Whatever the trend, Søndergaard
feels that as a 100% family-owned business, AMKA is
well-equipped to think long-term: “Often today, it’s not
so much the buying and selling that matters as making
long-term projects with our partners”.
SUMMER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 35