Wine Australia’s Next Crop program is expanding to four regions for 2025, delivered by Coonawarra Grape and Wine, Barossa Australia, Wine Victoria and the Queensland Wine Industry Association.
Emerging leaders in the Australian wine sector will have new opportunities to develop their skills through the Next Crop program, an opportunity for wine regions to design and deliver a leadership development program for rising stars in the industry, at minimal cost for participants.
It is a three-way partnership between Wine Australia, regional partners and a provider organisation. The program provides a regionally targeted platform to introduce leadership, business and management skills to build capacity within the sector, and acts as a stepping stone to the Future Leaders program.
While Next Crop is typically delivered in two or three regions each year, a once-off expansion to four in 2025 reflects the priorities of the One Grape & Wine Sector Plan, which aims to strengthen leadership and collaboration across Australia’s wine regions. This decision responds to strong demand from the sector and a collective commitment to investing in the next generation of leaders.
This year marks the first time Next Crop will be offered in the Coonawarra wine region and Queensland. It is also returning to the Barossa, while Victoria’s program will focus on the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Gippsland.
Wine Australia senior program manager, Jo Hargreaves, said Next Crop aims to build confidence in regionally based emerging leaders across the grape and wine sector, providing development opportunities to support career interests and to foster broader leadership engagements within the region, or beyond.
“By aligning with the One Grape & Wine Sector Plan, we’re supporting leadership growth in regional communities and helping to create a more connected Australian wine sector,” said Hargreaves.
“The leadership, business and management skills that the program will provide will help build the capacity of the grape and wine sector in the Coonawarra, Queensland, Barossa Valley and Victoria.”
