Here’s what to expect from Vinexpo New York

Vinexpo New York makes its second annual appearance in the U.S. on Monday for two days at the Javits Center with pre-registered attendance up, but number of exhibitors down after its debut last year.

But the expo has already committed to a third consecutive Vinexpo New York for 2020, according to Mary Larkin, executive vice president of U.S. operations for Diversified Communications, a co-organiser.

This year there are slightly more than 400 exhibitors, compared to about 500 last year. “But we’re trending ahead of last year’s pre-registration figures by 25% to 30% more,” Larkin says, who declined to provide exact numbers.

The show is open only to the trade, which means attendees will be mainly American buyers for import and distribution firms as well as retail wine shop personnel and restaurant beverage managers and sommeliers. Unlike the big European exhibitions – Vinexpo Bordeaux, Prowein and Vinitaly – there are fewer international attendees at these country-specific events.

Because of space commitments already made by Javits Center, last year’s event was held on two levels, while Monday’s opening will be in a single, expandable hall, Larkin said, which is already committed to next year’s event.

“Countries tend to come every other year,” Larkin says, “and I already am getting early commitments for next year.” One absentee from this year’s event will be Vinexpo CEO, Christophe Navarre, who cancelled earlier in the week.

Among the biggest exhibitors this year in terms of space are Renaissance des Appellations, an organization of biodynamics producers, and New York Wine & Grape Foundation, who will share a pavilion, with the former appearing on Monday and the latter on Tuesday. WOW – the World of Organic Wines – will also have its own pavilion within the hall.

“We are trying to do a better job of educating producers on the advantages of exhibiting in one market,” Larkin says, “and we have retained Sonoma State University to help us do that.” Ray Johnson, executive director of the Wine Business Institute, and Geralyn Brostrom, lecturer at the Wine Business Institute, will be presenting “Opportunities, Obstacles, and Options in the US Beverage Alcohol Market” at a pre-show event on Sunday afternoon.

Doors to the expo will open at 10 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday and will close at 6 p.m. both days.