Aligning with the national brand: differentiation strategies and export success in Greek wineries

Purpose This paper investigates how Greek wineries’ strategic alignment with the 2009 national branding strategy correlates with their export success. It aims to identify distinct strategic profiles and determine which differentiation strategies are associated with superior performance in international markets. Design/methodology/approach Using survey data from 132 Greek wineries, a two-stage cluster analysis was used to segment wineries into five distinct strategic profiles based on key organizational and marketing dimensions. The robustness and stability of the resulting typology were verified through a series of statistical validation tests. Findings The analysis reveals a positive association between strategic alignment with the “on-brand” national strategy and export intensity. The most successful exporters are “Quality-Driven Organic” firms that fully embrace the strategy’s tenets. However, the findings also uncover multiple, complex pathways to success, including scaled-up producers of local varieties and conventional producers of international varieties. Research limitations/implications This study is cross-sectional and limited to Greece. Future research could use longitudinal data to compare findings with other “Old World” regions. Qualitative work could further explore managerial decision-making and other unmeasured capabilities that contribute to success. Practical implications The identified winery profiles serve as a strategic roadmap. The findings provide guidance for managers on how to configure their resources, whether focusing on premium organic production or scaled-up local authenticity, to achieve international success. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper provides the first empirical test of how firm-level alignment with a national branding strategy correlates with export performance. By identifying distinct strategic profiles, it offers a granular, data-driven assessment that moves beyond macrolevel analysis to provide actionable insights for both wineries and policymakers.