Participation up 30% at World Bulk Wine Exhibition

With the World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE) set to take place next month, organisers have reported a 30% increase in the uptake of sales stands.

While the registration deadline is still open, the WBWE has already attracted 30% more participants to its seventh exhibition compared to last year, helped by a 10% increase in its exhibition space.

Exhibitors from nineteen countries including Germany, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, China, the United States, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Malaysia, Moldavia, Portugal, South Africa and Spain are set to take part in the 7th World Bulk Wine Exhibition in Amsterdam next month. Together, these countries make up 95% of the bulk wine market, according to the show’s organisers.

The international growth of the bulk wine sector has resulted not only in a rise in the volume of exports, but increasing competition and diversity of its wines.

“The WBWE displays an ample range of bulk and bag-in-box wines, from appellation wines with a protected geographical indication to those with a varietal appellation, as well as generic wines intended for either mixing, or making sparkling wine or flavored wine such as vermouth”, the show’s organisers said.

“This diverse offer and the potential for multiple sales contracts, as well as origin to destination packaging agreements, make this international gathering a very exclusive one indeed.”

In 2000 global bulk wine exports totalled 20.34 million hectolitres, with a value of €1,231m, with each litre selling for an average price of €0.60 Euros, according to the OEMV (Spanish Observatory for the Wine Market). In 2014, exports reached 37.83 million hectoliters – an increase of 85% in the past 15 years – with a value of €2,715m. In 2014, each litre sold for an average price of €0.72.

In terms of the 2015 harvest, Italy, France and Spain are expected to be the biggest wine producing countries, with each predicted to produce 48m hectolitres, 46m hectolitres and 37m hectolitres respectively.

The World Bulk Wine Exhibition will be held on 23 and 24 of November at the Amsterdam’s RAI.