Robert P. Koch
President and Chief Executive Officer, Wine Institute
Robert P. (Bobby) Koch is President and Chief Executive Officer of Wine Institute. In this capacity, he is principal spokesman for the Wine Institute, the public policy advocacy association representing 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses responsible for over 85 percent of the nation’s wine production and more than 90 percent of U.S. wine exports. His primary responsibility is promoting and protecting the interests of the California wine industry and directing the industry’s legal, governmental, regulatory and trade barrier activities within the United States and overseas.
Mr. Koch received his B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland in 1983. Mr. Koch and his wife, Doro, have four children and reside in Bethesda, Maryland.
Japan is the third largest market for California wines outside the U.S., representing 6% of total U.S. wine exports.
Japan is the third largest market for California wines outside the U.S., representing 6% of total U.S. wine exports. Export sales of U.S. wines to Japan grew from $5.8 million in 1985 to $61.1 million in 2008. Approximately 350 California wineries have representation in Japan, and California continues to export and sell more premium wines to Japan each year.
Funding from the USDA’s Market Access Program enables Wine Institute to conduct annual California Wines programs in the Japanese market such as our highly regarded and long-running “Wine-by-the-Glass” restaurant promotion, our California Wine Grand Tasting events, and a number of retail promotions supporting California Wines.
Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy association of California wineries. It brings together the resources of 1,100 member wineries and affiliated businesses to support legislative and regulatory advocacy, international market development, media relations, scientific research, and education programs that benefit the entire California wine industry.
Since 1985, Wine Institute has served as the administrator of the Market Access Program, an export promotion program managed by the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service. Currently more than 150 California wineries participate in the Wine Institute’s International Program.
Wine Institute’s export promotion programs, guided by a committee of participating wineries, are aimed at educating the foreign wine trade and media about the quality and range of California wines. Analysis of foreign markets and information on market entry are also provided as an important service to wineries new to the export scene.
