Vinitaly, most important italian wine expo, ready to open(1)
Business is served. Vinitaly, now at its 43rd edition (2-6 April 2009, www.vinitaly.com), confirms its international leadership year after year thanks to its capacity to create a system of initiatives and events that over time have transformed the exhibition of wines and spirits from a simple showcase into a network of contacts between trade operators.
Inasmuch, competitions, tastings, internet services for B2B meetings, seminars focusing on consumers and new markets and the huge trade offering (which also includes spirits) have seen the Exhibition successfully combine business with product promotion and company training.
This range of services has made Vinitaly the top exhibition in the world with more than 4,200 exhibitors from 35 countries and 157 thousand specialist visitors, of which more than 43 thousand from 110 countries.
Ever-growing demand by exhibitors is met this year by larger and optimised facilities, thanks not the least to the complete renovation of Hall 1, now fitted with 2,000 square metres of solar panels, which will be inaugurated precisely during Vinitaly. Nevertheless, the waiting list is still very long. There are many new entries this year, with important attendance even on an international scale.
Every edition also sees Vinitaly strengthen its synergy with Sol, Agrifood, Grappa Tasting and Enolitech to extend the perspectives of the sector by offering wine and extra virgin olive oil together with quality gastronomy products, top-of-the-range spirits, cellar and olive oil technology and accessories for tasting and table service.
The offering of services is sustained by the network of VeronaFiere delegates in the most important countries world-wide; while the Vinitaly World Tour - by now operative for more than a decade - has become an effective tool in improving the internationalisation of companies and the Made in Italy agro-foods system.
The World We Love is the concept that summarises the mission of Vinitaly 2009: wine first of all, but also quality, territory, the environment and its protection, people and human challenges.
The challenge of business. In 2008, more than 57 thousand operators, 42% of whom international, received direct invitations to attend the Vinitaly exhibition, with positive feedback better than 42%. More than 20 thousand buyers took part, out of total international attendance of 43 thousand from 110 countries (an increase of 25% for international operators). An important role in contacts between exhibitors and buyers is also played by the network of VeronaFiere delegates in 35 countries; the on-line Buyers’ Club attracted 882 companies and generated - even before the start of the exhibition - more than 1,100 contacts by international visitors.
In 2008, international operators included 49% wholesalers, importers/exporters and agents, as well as 35% in consumer sales sectors (large-scale distribution, retailers, horeca, etc.).
Focus and analysis. “Wine Tribes” is the title of the VeronaFiere survey this year - the natural continuation of analysis presented in recent years highlighting "wine lovers". Such analysis is necessary because not everyone who drinks wine belongs to the 'wine lover tribe' - and understanding related consumption preferences is now more important than ever before in defining sales strategies.
Interesting analysis and considerations equally emerge from the presentation of the results of the two-year research project titled “Wine Future” focusing on the competitiveness of Italian wine-making companies, presented in collaboration with L'Informatore Agrario.
Such information projects involving the most interesting international markets promoted by Vinitaly in recent years continue with focus events in the United States, Russia, China, Japan, India and again this year in Singapore, where the Vinitaly World Tour was held in 2001, and Scandinavian countries.
Environmental topics include an important appointment with the fifth International Conference specialising in sustainable wine-growing titled ”Winery waste and ecological impact management”, organised by the University of Verona with the support of VeronaFiere.
