“Digital administrative processes make our work much easier. We use EasyGov for entering changes in the commercial register and for debt collection.”

Family is important to Terravigna. Managed in its third generation, Terravigna sells sustainable wines from renowned brands as well as small family businesses and boutique wineries from across Europe to Swiss caterers, hotels and wine shops. Raphael Steffen takes us on an excursion into the diverse world of oenology.

Mr Steffen, please briefly introduce yourself and your company Terravigna.

My name is Raphael Steffen and I am co-owner and deputy managing director of Terravigna AG. Terravigna was founded by my grandfather in 1980 and was later taken over by my father Thomas, who now runs the company together with my sister Annina and me. Terravigna was one of the first wine merchants in Switzerland to import quality wine from Italy.
Working across generations, we all put together to offer our customers the best possible service. The combination of extensive experience and new ideas, as well as the courage to be unconventional at times, is a key reason for the success of our business.

What do you particularly enjoy about your work?

Working in a family business involves a wide range of tasks. This variety makes it special – from customer contact at events and advising sommeliers to visiting winemakers. Developing continuously in this dynamic market environment, setting new trends and launching innovative products and sales channels – it’s all fun!

What could you do without in your everyday life in business?

All the administrative tasks that are not directly related to our field, but still have to be completed. These tie up resources that could be put to use elsewhere.

Where do you see the added value in the authority offering more and more administrative processes for SMEs on a digital platform? How has your daily work changed as a result?

In digitalisation. Digital administrative processes make our work much easier. Thanks to the simple and user-friendly interface and faster processing, the workload is reduced considerably, processes accelerated and precious time saved. We use EasyGov for entering changes in the commercial register and for debt collection.

How will Terravigna develop in the future? Do you have any plans moving forward?

Terravigna has grown substantially in the last 14 years: from a small sole proprietorship to one of the most important wine importers in Switzerland. The close connections with our employees, customers and suppliers are important to us. That is why we focus on quality growth. We are therefore pleased to be able to be closer to our customers in Zurich with the opening of our new wine shop in the city.