23 Mar 2018 Wangaratta Chronicle, Wangaratta VIC (General News) by Anita Mcpherson A PROJECT designed to further increase the public appetite for Prosecco received a boost yesterday with the announcement of funding to support a marketing and growth strategy by Wines of the King Valley. The State Government will inject $50,000 of funds by means of a Food Source Victoria grant to support the $100,000 project, which it says is aimed at cementing the region as Australias official home of the Prosecco name and brand. Representatives from King Valley Prosecco producers including Brown Brothers, Dal Zotto, Chrismont, Pizzini and Sam Miranda gathered at Brown Brothers for the announcement which was made by Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford during a visit to the Milawa winery with Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria). Ms Pulford said the funding was provided in recognition of the work done by the representative organisation to raise awareness of the variety and in a show of the governments ongoing support for the industry, including its fight to continue using the Prosecco name. The project will analyse the potential and capacity of the King Valley wine region to capitalise on the growth in Prosecco sales and outline a strategic five year plan to meet the potential. Wines of the King Valley president Dean Cleave-Smith said he appreciated the support the group had received from government over the last 12 months as theyd taken the story of Prosecco to the Australian consumer. He said the opportunities for regional Victoria and Prosecco were enormous, factoring in the 50 per cent growth in Prosecco sales last year, coupled with an associated growth in tourism opportunities. The grant will allow us to do the formal business plan and due diligence around whats needed to seize the opportunity before us, he said. As an industry, to grow from $30 million to a $300 million is an enormous opportunity that is not lost on us. Brown Brothers executive director Ross Brown said the plan would help cement King Valley as the home of Prosecco in Australia, as organisation members work together to build its future growth. Caption Text: PROSECCO: Saluting the boost in funding for the Wines of King Valley marketing and growth strategy yesterday were (from left) Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria), Dean Cleave-Smith, Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford, and Ross Brown. PHOTO: Anita McPhersonLicensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.