OVER 1,000 TOP BUYERS FROM 68 COUNTRIES, +43% VS 2022
ASIA MAKES A STRONG COMEBACK WITH CHINA AND JAPAN. RECORD ATTENDANCE FROM THE USA, CANADA AND CHINA. SOUTH AMERICA AND NORTHERN EUROPE FULLY REPRESENTED
A SMARTER, INCREASINGLY BUSINESS-ORIENTED VINITALY
Verona, 15 March 2023. An international Vinitaly that speaks every language in the world is preparing to record, for its 55th edition at Veronafiere from 2 to 5 April, a record number of selected and hosted top buyers, also in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE). To date, more than 1,000 international “super buyers” of Italian wine from 68 countries have already been accredited: +43% compared to 2022, from the United States to Africa, from Asia – with the strong return of China and Japan – to Central and South America, all the way to the entire European continent and the Eurasian republics. This figure will further increase the total number of international business operators attending the fair during the four days of the event and, according to projections, is expected to exceed the 2022 Vinitaly figures, which closed with 25,000 foreign buyers from 139 countries, representing 28% of the total 88,000 trade operators who came to Verona, recording the highest international share ever.
“This is a historic result, the outcome of an unprecedented global roadshow involving the main institutional players promoting Made in Italy,” said Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere SpA. “A decisive step forward in terms of investment and organization, strongly supported by the new governance, with the aim of increasing Vinitaly’s competitiveness both in Italy and worldwide.”
Among the 68 countries represented at the 55th Vinitaly, the largest delegations of profiled operators and importers come from the United States and Canada, tied with a contingent of more than 200 top buyers overall, with new arrivals from major Midwest retail chains and representatives from the leadership of NABI (National Association of Beverage Importers), as well as eleven delegates from the Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ) and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), two of Canada’s most important monopolies.
“The path for the sector’s growth increasingly lies in exports, as will emerge from the report by the UIV-Vinitaly Observatory and Prometeia that we will present in Rome on 22 March,” explained Maurizio Danese, CEO of Veronafiere SpA. “Over the last ten years, wine has been among the fastest-growing sectors of Made in Italy exports, with a trade balance that is increasingly decisive for the Italian system. For this reason, Vinitaly 2023 accelerates the renewal of its format which, over time, will become increasingly smart and functional to the needs of companies and the sector itself. The competitive landscape has changed significantly over the past two years and requires us to streamline economic and organizational resources to support wineries’ positioning in international markets.”
There is also great anticipation for the return of China which, after prolonged lockdowns and restrictions, is ready to reclaim its status as an emerging powerhouse. The selection carried out by Veronafiere’s operational office in Shanghai together with the offices of the joint venture in Shenzhen will bring 130 purchasing managers to Vinitaly, including the top twenty national importers by volume and value such as CWS, Interpocrom and ASC, major first-tier Horeca groups from Vino Bento to Wine Universe and Gruppo Bottega, as well as leading e-commerce platforms including Lady Penguin and Vinehoo.
With the exhibition area fully booked and entirely focused on business, Vinitaly 2023 is also moving toward a change in its organizational model. In this direction are the decisions to hold a streamlined opening ceremony (2 April at 11:00) so as not to interfere with the agendas of the more than 4,000 wineries exhibiting at the fair, as well as the decision not to include the traditional gala dinner in the official Vinitaly program. A choice that marks a shift from the past and aims to prioritize events aligned with Vinitaly’s business mission. For this reason Vinitaly & The Night has been created, an inclusive evening event for buyers, exhibitors and the new generation of producers attending the fair scheduled for Tuesday 4 April at the Gran Guardia Palace (Verona, Piazza Bra), open from 20:00 to 24:00.
The distinction between trade operators and wine lovers also continues. The latter are the target audience for Vinitaly and the City, the off-site program of wine talks, tastings, exhibitions and events held in some of the most iconic locations of the UNESCO-listed city: Piazza dei Signori, Cortile Mercato Vecchio and Cortile del Tribunale. Scheduled from 31 March to 3 April, Vinitaly and the City is organized by Veronafiere in collaboration with the Municipality of Verona, the Province of Verona and Fondazione Cariverona.
Breakdown of the 68 countries represented by the more than 1,000 top buyers selected, invited and hosted by Veronafiere for the 55th edition of Vinitaly.
North America: USA and Canada.
Asia (17): Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, South Korea, Philippines, Japan, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
Africa (9): Angola, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa.
Central-South America (12): Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela.
Europe (26 including Baltic countries, Balkans, Scandinavia and the UK): Austria, Albania, Bulgaria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, England, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and Hungary.
Simone Bordonaro
