Top trade exhibitions for 2016
Millésime Bio, Montpellier, France, 25-27 January
Founded in 1993 by winemakers of the Sudvinbio trade association, Millésime Bio is the world’s biggest trade fair dedicated to organic wines.
The 2016 show will mark its 22nd instalment, with last year’s event attracting nearly 5,000 visitors and 800 exhibitors from countries including Austria, Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile, France, Hungary and Germany. For 2016, organisers have appointed Ecocert, one of the world’s largest organic certification organisations, to ensure that all wines conform to EU organic regulations.
All stands provided at the show are identical, with the aim of reducing the financial advantage of larger producers able to fund more elaborate stands over smaller producers. Other features of this trade-only event include a self-pour tasting area and schedule of seminars discussing global organic wine trends.
The event will also host the Challenge Millésime Bio competition, now in its ninth year, held to highlight and promote quality organic wines. All the medal-winning wines will be available to taste throughout the three-day event in the Challenge Millésime Bio tasting area.
Vinisud 2016, Montpellier, France, 15-17 February
With a focus on wines produced in and around the Mediterranean, Vinisud will host more than 1,700 exhibitors, from small to large-scale producers, winegrowers, wineries and merchants.
The previously biennial fair will turn annual from 2016, which will mark its 12th edition. This year’s show will also see the addition of two new wine producing regions – Bordeaux and California – with the aim of “developing its offering and broadening its boundaries”, while maintaining its Mediterranean roots. Justifying Bordeaux’s inclusion, organisers said many of the region’s producers already attend the show, with many owning vineyards in the south of France.
Choosing to invite California to take part in the 2016 show, organisers said the region had a lot of similarities in common with the Mediterranean, citing its production methods and grape varieties, such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Barbera, Sangiovese, Viognier and Roussanne.
Prowein, Düsseldorf, Germany, 13-15 March
Now 22 years old, ProWein is expected to draw a staggering 6,000 exhibitors from 50 countries, representing both the wine and spirits world for its 2016 event.
As always the fair’s main tasting area will be devoted to 500 wines from the Mundus Vini spring tasting – a prize awarded by an international jury of oenologists, wine analysts, specialist retailers, sommeliers, restaurateurs and trade journalists. After three successful editions the Champagne Lounge – an area dedicated exclusively to Champagnes – will return again in 2016.
New for 2016, the ‘Fizz Lounge’ will highlight the emerging ‘shim cocktail’, designed to strike a balance between non-alcoholic and high-strength cocktails. Such cocktails are said to be gaining popularity among “sensible epicures” thanks to their ingredients like shrubs and syrups, liqueurs and light spirits like Sherry, vermouth and amaro. Mauritius and Korea will also present specialty spirits at the fair for the first time.
In addition the fair’s ‘ProWein goes City’ initiative will see hotels, restaurants and retailers organise complementary events in Düsseldorf for visitors.
Vinitaly 2016, Verona, Italy, 10-13 April
Another titan of the wine fair circuit, Vinitaly will this year mark its 50th edition.
With more than 4,000 exhibitors, Vinitaly is one of the biggest trade-only fairs of the year, featuring a packed line-up of events exhibitions, tastings and workshops to keep its 150,000 visitors busy. Last year visitors from the US and Canada accounted for 20% of international attendees, while Germany Switzerland and Austria made up 25% of overall guests. The UK came third making up 10% of visitors.
“We have seen considerable satisfaction among exhibitors due to Vinitaly’s ability year on year to improve the number of foreign buyers and the quality of visitors, maintaining a high number of contacts, so much so that several leading private-sector companies have already signed three-year renewals for coming editions,” said Giovanni Mantovani, CEO and director-general.
Making their debut last year, both Vininternational and Vinitaly Bio will return in 2016. Vininternational will comprise of a tasting area bringing exhibitors from all over the world together with the aim of discovering new wines. Vinitaly Bio meanwhile, is dedicated to showcasing certified organic and biodynamic wines from across the world. Vinitaly takes place alongside olive oil, food and packaging fairs.
ProWine Asia 2016, Singapore, 12-15 April
Modelled on its bigger German brother, ProWine Asia will be located in Singapore in 2016, reflecting the growing wine and spirits market opportunities opening up in south-east Asia. Promising to bring international exhibiters into closer contact with buyers from across south-east Asia, ProWine Asia will be held alongside the 20th edition of the Food and Hotel Asia fair and has already attracted exhibitors from 17 countries.
According to the show’s organisers, an “emerging, affluent middle class” is driving a demand for consumer goods such as wine and spirits in Asia, with alcohol consumption expected to surge over the next four years. By 2019, total yearly consumption is expected to rise by almost 1.2bn nine-litre cases, according to the IWSR’s 2014-2019 report, driven in part by the wine trade in south-east Asia, which by 2020 is expected to account for 30% of Asia’s wine business.
Trade visitors will be able to take part in more than 300 tasting sessions, masterclasses, in-depth seminars, lectures and presentations hosted by various key industry players. They will also get a chance to take part in specially crafted workshops that will cover topics including indigenous grape varieties and the diversity of wine.
Alimentaria 2016, Barcelona, Spain, 25-28 April
A feast of food and wine, Alimentaria is now in its 40th year and is preparing to unveil a “far-reaching reconceptualisation” of its exhibition range in 2016.
The show’s organisers promise visitors a strategic insight into international gastronomy within the restaurant, hotel and food sectors, reflecting new consumer trends and habits.
This year organisers are hoping to attract emerging markets and further European countries, with internationalisation a key priority. Its aim is to “detect and promote overseas business opportunities” and drive innovation in the industry, while strengthening the connections between gastronomy, industry and tourism. Given that meat, wines and gastronomy lead the Spanish food industry, these sectors will form the backbone of the event, which will champion the Mediterranean diet. The event will feature an area dedicated to wine named Vinorum, where wines selected by the show’s organisers will be on pour.
TFWA Duty Free and Travel Retail Asia Pacifc Summit 2016, Singapore, 8-12 May
TWFA is the world’s largest duty-free and travel retail group providing the industry with high-profile exhibitions, conference, workshops and in-depth market research.
Now in its 21st year, TFWA Asia Pacific enables exhibitors to meet top industry decision makers in person. Last year was the biggest fair to date, with exhibition space increasing by 9% to 9,118 m² and 292 exhibitors taking part – an increase of 12% in 2014. A total of 2,655 trade visitors attended the show, 80% of which were from Asia, with 10% travelling from Europe. More than a third of visitors were recorded to be “key buyers”, including duty-free and travel retail operators and landlords from airports, airlines, ferry and cruise companies, cross-border and downtown duty-free stores.
Partner Content
While the aim of the show is to facilitate business opportunities, it also plays host to some of the best networking parties in the year’s trade fair calendar. This year its popular schedule of networking events will include a golf tournament at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club, a cocktail reception at Raffles Hotel, a poolside Chill-Out party at the Mandarin Oriental hotel – offering spectacular views of the city – finishing with a Singapore Swing party at Mambo Beach on nearby Sentosa Island.
London Wine Fair 2016, London, 3-5 May
The biggest meeting of wine and spirit industry professionals in the UK, the London Wine Fair is a must-attend event for anyone already operating in or seeking to expand within this highly competitive and commercially important market.
Now in its 36th year, the fair has seen something of a renaissance in recent years, relocating back to London’s Kensington Olympia and introducing a host of new attractions to boost its appeal in 2014, all of which will return in 2016. These include The View tastings, an area dedicated to premium wines priced over £30, and Esoterica, which showcases the portfolios of niche and micro-importers, as well as a section dedicated to supporting the bulk wine sector.
Running annually since 1981, the three-day event typically attracts more than 11,000 trade-only visitors from 82 countries. Some 700 exhibitors regularly exhibit at the fair, contributing to the 10,000-strong selection of wines available to taste at the event from all corners of the wine-producing world.
This year the fair has been brought forward by two weeks to better fit in with the buying schedules of UK and international visitors.
Vinexpo Hong Kong, 24-26 May; Vinexpo Nippon, Tokyo, 15-16 November
Founded in 1981, Vinexpo is one of the oldest trade fair organisations and consequently commands a great deal of respect among members of the trade. With its biennial Bordeaux show taking a break in 2016, this year the organisation will host two events, both in Asia – Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Its second outing, Vinexpo Nippon is tailored to those looking to capitalise on the rapidly maturing “sophisticated and discerning” Japanese market, considered to be one of the most dynamic and evolving in the Asia-Pacific region. Some 3,200 visitors are expected to attend with around 500 wine and spirits brands due to exhibit. Guided wine-tastings, masterclasses, product launches and conferences will also feature. The larger Vinexpo Hong Kong is expected to attract nearly 17,000 buyers from 24 counties, with 1,300 exhibitors due to present their products during the three-day event.
Commenting on the importance of Asia to the wine and spirits trade, Guillaume Deglise, Vinexpo CEO, said: “In just a few years, Asia has become the main growth driver for wine and spirits consumption. The Asian continent already accounts for 11% of global consumption in wine and 63% in spirits. Its growth prospects for the next five years are five times higher than the rest of the world.”
Prowine China, 7-9 November, Shanghai, China
China’s leading international trade fair for wine and spirits, ProWine China, organised by its European counterpart, will take place again in 2016 at the International Expo Center in Shanghai. Offering a platform both for international dealers and producers and for local suppliers to present themselves, establish contacts and get to know the Chinese market, ProWine China is a gateway to the Chinese market.
In 2015 the fair presented 16 country pavilions and three regional pavilions with the majority of exhibitors travelling to Shanghai from France, Italy, Spain and Argentina, including large wine producers such as KWV, Les Grands Chais de France, Constellation Brands and LCW. Producers from Australia and Chile were also represented at within their own pavilions for the first time. More then 10,300 trade visitors attended the show, an increase of 25% compared to 2014, when the figure reached 8,250.
“Last year we had discussions with our exhibitors if they want to come back or not”, said Michael Degen, executive director at Messe Düsseldorf and director of ProWein. “This year the question is not if they return but how much space is available. This confirms that we are on the right track with our satellite event of ProWein in China!”
Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair, 10-12 November, Hong Kong
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair is now a firm fixture on the industry calendar, providing an annual insight into the Asian wine and spirits market. Set across three vast halls, the event regularly attracts more than 1,000 exhibitors from all corners of the global wine trade. Last year the three-day event drew more than 20,000 trade buyers from 75 countries, an increase of 2.4% on the previous year.
Encouraging growth in buyer numbers was recorded for France, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Macau. While the sheer number of exhibitors present is enough to keep most visitors busy, a schedule of seminars and conferences, chaired by some of the biggest figures in the Asian and global drinks trade, provide valuable insights into the drinks trade, alongside guided tastings.
The final day of the fair is open to the public, and typically attracts some 30,000 wine enthusiasts.
World Bulk Wine Exhibition, Amsterdam, 21-22 November
Founded in 2009 by a Spanish company called Pomona Keepers, the World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE) has quickly established itself as a key fixture in the sector’s calendar.
The biggest gathering of bulk wine professionals in the world, the WBWE is held annually in Amsterdam and in 2015 attracted more than 200 companies from 20 countries, which together represented more than 85% of the global supply for bulk wine exports. This no-frills show is predicated on its ability to facilitate business transactions, making it a valuable and practical event for those working within the bulk wine sector.
The show also hosts conferences discussing industry trends, targeted tasting seminars and two competitions with the aim of praising the achievements of those working in the bulk wine sector; the Voice of Wine Award and the International Bulk Wine Competition.
Vinitech-Sifel, 29 November to 1 December, Bordeaux
A one-strop shop for all your wine tech needs, Vinitech-Sifel is now in its 20th year and will round off a year of events in 2016.
Spread over 65,000 m², Vinitech is less about wine tasting and more about winemaking, showcasing all the equipment you could ever wish for to meet your production needs. Exhibitors are separated into four sections focusing on machinery and equipment to manage your vineyard, wine production equipment, bottling and packaging and services and training.
For the eco-conscious, the fair also includes an Ecophyto section focused von encouraging an alternative approach to spraying crops to increase sustainability and reduce the environmental risks of pesticides.
