How the APAC region is embracing the wine market.
Idea International has had the unique experience of managing cross-continental exhibiting at the various incarnations of Vinexpo, including Vinexpo Bordeaux. What is interesting is how our APAC markets are woven into this franchise.
Over the past few years, Asia has stood out as one of the driving forces behind the growth of global wine and spirits consumption. This trend was strongly observed within the aisles of Vinexpo’s 2015 edition in Bordeaux.
Throughout the five days of the expo, a great number of conferences and tastings were dedicated to the Asian market while also featuring its products.
The Chinese actress Carina Lau, who became famous in the 1980’s with the film ‘Girl next door,’ is now starring in a different role, presenting her new wine brand “a romance between wine and cinema.” She has collaborated with the Bordeaux trader Maison Ginestet.
The international launch of the premium wine and lifestyle magazine Le Pan at Vinexpo was an immediate success: Participants were captivated by the elegant opening soiree at the Palais de la Bourse in Bordeaux and the word continues to be spread. The renowned Master of Wine, Jeannie Cho Lee, who is in charge of the magazine, also hosted a vertical tasting of Château Cheval Blanc at Vinexpo.
The French wine magazine Revue du Vin de France organized a tasting of nine Chinese wines that attracted visitors including Best Sommelier of the World 2007, Andreas Larsson.
The Japanese highlighted the premium quality of their products by organizing a tasting of six grand sakes with Miyasaka Brewing Co.
With such vast Asian participation, Vinexpo Bordeaux has proved a sneak-peak into the upcoming Asian editions of the show. Vinexpo Hong-Kong will take place May 24-26, 2016 and Vinexpo Tokyo is set for November 15-16, 2016.
With a presence in Asia since 1998, the Vinexpo brand continues to grow and support the business goals of wine and spirits professionals in this part of the world.
In 2016, this major international wine and spirits event will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center and will include a rich program featuring conferences and tastings hosted in collaboration with Wine Spectator.
In 2014, Vinexpo Hong Kong welcomed over 1,300 exhibitors of 34 nationalities, who presented a record-breaking number of wine and spirits to the 17,000 visitors from Asia-Pacific over the course of three days.
Attendance is a key aspect of the exhibition, and it is the visitors and type of business relationships attained that truly distinguish the exhibition’s Hong Kong presence. The exhibitors are all in agreement: Vinexpo is a leader in the market!
Considered Asia’s business center, Hong Kong is an extremely promising market for the wine and spirits industry.
“Hong Kong remains the gateway to the Chinese market and holds a prominent position as one of Asia’s leading business hubs for the wine and spirits trade. The market is more sophisticated than ever, a trend that can be seen in both the business transactions that take place as well as in the general atmosphere of the show,” said Guillaume Deglise, CEO of Vinexpo.
Tailored to the expectations of the Japanese market, Vinexpo Tokyo will be held at the Prince Park Tower Hotel in November 2016. For its second edition, the exhibition will once more offer the opportunity to connect with key industry players. Tastings and conferences targeting this highly refined market have been scheduled.
In November 2014, Vinexpo Tokyo attracted 3,200 Japanese professionals and over 500 wine and spirits brands, some of which were entering the Japanese market for the first time. There was also a strong presence of key importers (28% of visitors), wholesalers (13%), on-trade buyers (19%) and retailers (11%). Even though professionals from Taiwan, China, India, and Singapore attended Vinexpo Tokyo (formerly known as Vinexpo Nippon), 85% of visitors were Japanese.
With such an excellent debut, Vinexpo Tokyo 2016 is bound to be a great success!
“Japan is a market like no other,” explains Vinexpo Chairman Xavier de Eizaguirre. “By making Vinexpo Tokyo a recurring event, Vinexpo provides exhibitors the opportunity to better approach this sophisticated market as well as identify its trends.”
Asia meets in Bordeaux
About Vinexpo
Founded in 1981, Vinexpo has evolved into the world’s leading show for wine and spirits professionals and a partner for the wine and spirits industry worldwide. Vinexpo is held in Bordeaux in odd-numbered years; since 2006, Vinexpo Asia-Pacific has taken place in Hong Kong in even-numbered years and has become the key exhibition of the industry in Asia. 2016 will welcome Vinexpo Hong Kong and Vinexpo Tokyo. Before each exhibition, Vinexpo commissions studies on industry-specific issues and presents the findings in conferences around the world. Since 1999, it has produced a world market study with a five-year outlook, as well as a variety of trend reports. For more information, visit www.vinexpo.com.
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