Two German Wine Shows Collaborate
Technology expo and trade fair plan back-to-back events in March 2010
An artist's rendering of Prowein 2010.
San Rafael, Calif. -- Organizers of Germany's leading annual wine trade fair, ProWein, and the giant winemaking technology show held every third year, Intervitis Interfructa, will present the events back to back for the first time in March 2010 to make them more convenient for international exhibitors and attendees. ProWein is set for March 21-23, 2010, in Dusseldorf, Germany, and Intervitis Interfructa follows March 24-28 in Stuttgart, Germany.
"We wanted the schedule to work for winemakers like those coming from America," said Thomas Brandl of Intervitis Interfructa (IVIF), during a recent visit to California to promote the sibling shows. "At ProWein they can show their own products to journalists and trade buyers from Germany, France, Spain, Italy and many other countries. Then, at Intervitis Interfructa, they can review the latest information about producing their wines, and shop for equipment and supplies from a vast number of international manufacturers."
ProWein attracts more than 33,000 trade visitors from 40 countries and more than 3,000 international exhibitors. The wine and spirits exhibits are supported by high-caliber symposia and panel discussions, tasting sessions, initiatives in cooperation with the city and exclusive evening events.
At IVIF, the latest technologies are presented for the production and marketing of wines, fruits and fruit juices. Some 600 exhibitors and more than 40,000 visitors from around the world took part in the last edition, in 2007. A first-class, internationally oriented conference program provides additional information.
The organizers believe that staging the two shows successively every three years will make Germany the premier trade fair platform for the global wine industry. Messe Düsseldorf on the Rhine organizes ProWein, and Messe Stuttgart and the German Winegrowing Association on the Neckar present IVIF.
U.S. and Canadian companies that are exhibiting at ProWein can travel on to Stuttgart following the wine trade fair in Düsseldorf. In Stuttgart, they can examine the latest technology or partake in the top-class international congress program, which 1,500 experts from around the world are expected to attend. The journey between Düsseldorf and Stuttgart is a one-hour flight or approximately three hours by rail.
At the last IVIF event three years ago, 35% of exhibitors and 25% of visitors came from outside of Germany. The management states that no other trade fair in the world has such a large international character. In the state-of-the-art trade fair center located directly at Stuttgart Airport, suppliers and providers will showcase a complete range of the most modern technology from vineyards and orchards to enology and marketing and sales.
Exhibiting companies will be seeking to win one of the coveted innovation awards at IVIF. Here, technological innovations and further developments are evaluated by an independent international jury and presented with an award. Topics such as sustainable production, organic wine and fruit-growing, the effects of global warming, the latest developments in enology and agronomy, marketing and sales channels and much more will be the focus of the specialist congress, which is under the patronage of the International Office for Vines and Wine (OIV). A particular highlight will be wine and tourism, as well as wine and architecture. All presentations will be simultaneously interpreted into English.
Stuttgart, home to Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and their two new automobile museums, is located at the heart of one of Germany's most important wine and fruit-growing regions. Excursions to interesting companies or to the two research and training centers -- Weinsberg and Geisenheim -- can be organized at any time for visitors to IVIF.