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Summary of the first edition closed yesterday evening in Chicago

October 22 2024

Bricolo (President): “We achieved all the objectives we set ourselves for this first edition, starting off with coordinated and unitary promotion.”

Danese (CEO): “The geography of our international trade fair events is now complete. All roads lead to Verona,”

Rebughini (General Manager): “Qualified attendance by trade operators. Exhibitors had up to 18 contacts/day. This is a sign of confidence for the 2025 edition in Chicago as a crossroads for business.”

 

Chicago, October 22nd, 2024. More than 1,500 professional operators – buyers, importers, distributors and the HoReCa channel – over two days had the chance to get to know 1,650 labels from in excess of 230 wineries based in seven regions of Italy – Calabria, Campania, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Latium, Sardinia, Umbria and Veneto, while also taking part in 30 events including master classes, tastings and in-depth market insights. These are some facts and figures for the first edition of Vinitaly.USA (Chicago, October 20th-21st) organized by Veronafiere and Fiere Italiane in collaboration with ITA-Italian Trade Agency. The event at the Navy Pier - which closed yesterday evening – focused exclusively on meetings between international demand and suppliers of Italian products that represent one-third of total US wine imports (1.5 billion dollars out of a total of 4.5 billion).

“We achieved all the objectives we set ourselves for this first step in the USA: number and quality exhibiting wineries; coordinated and unitary promotion involving Regions, Chambers of Commerce, ITA Trade Agency, Consulates, the Embassy with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Agriculture. Everyone worked closely with us in the same direction to attract qualified professional operators in the exclusive interest of exhibitors," said the President of Veronafiere, Federico Bricolo. This is all joined by the no less important objective of having selected new buyers and importers to invite to the next Vinitaly in Verona,”

“Vinitaly.USA completed the geography of our trade fair events specifically for wine. We are now active in North America, as well as Asia, the Balkans and South America," said Maurizio Danese, CEO of Veronafiere. On average, 15 stages are also held every year comprising roadshows and previews in strategic markets that include other cities in the USA, Japan, South Korea, China, Northern and Central Europe. The dual objective is to promote Italian wine and select qualified international operators as guests at Vinitaly: All roads lead to Verona,”

Adolfo Rebughini, General Manager of Veronafiere S.p.A., added: “We chose Chicago because it is a crossroads for a great deal of business in the USA - a complex market given different import regulations. The response to the first edition, developed based on experience at last year's preview edition, went beyond expectations. Thanks to the dedicated app, companies were able to schedule up to 18 business meetings per day - a significant figure for an event such as Vinitaly.USA - with qualified representatives of the US demand and much more. Since the market is experiencing very particular dynamics - and one where we aim to continue our presence to support our companies - this result means we are optimistic for the 2025 edition.”

“We worked very carefully to promote the event by selecting invitations to top buyers based on decades of experience in organizing events in the wine sector,” said Maurizio Muzzetta, President of Fiere Italiane and partner of Veronafiere in the organization of Vinitaly.USA, with input also from the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest-Chicago.

 

This feeling was shared by many exhibitors and even by councillors heading some of the regional group shows taking part.

“We immediately signed up for this interesting initiative. Being able to approach the US market with a well-established organization with longstanding experience such as Vinitaly was fundamental, as well as an added value", highlighted Giancarlo Righini, Councillor for Agriculture and Food Sovereignty of the Latium Region. The testimonials we collected from our producers over these two days indicate significant appreciation for the work done: we view this initiative as a successful gamble.”

Federico Caner, Councillor for Agriculture and Tourism of the Veneto Region, added: “The first edition was a very important experience: our 37 companies, with 180 labels for tasting, are satisfied with attendance and we are already thinking about expanding our involvement - already this year the largest the regional delegation - at the next edition.”

“We took part present with approximately 12 companies on this strategic market for our sector. It was a huge challenge to establish a strong foothold on this important market alongside the Italian system in its entirety. The approach tested here in Chicago is unquestionably the right one," confirmed Nicola Caputo, Councillor for Agriculture of the Campania Region.

Stefano Zannier, Councillor for agro-foods, forestry, fishing and mountain resources of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region, said: “Taking part in Vinitaly USA was fundamental because, as a regional system, we needed to deepen our knowledge of this market and put forward our labels to profiled American buyers. We are convinced and confident that this format can become a landmark for our producers,”

 

Speakers at the first edition of Vinitaly.USA included J.B. Pritzker, Governor of Illinois, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Francesco Lollobrigida, the Mayor of Verona, Damiano Tommasi, the President of Veronafiere, Federico Bricolo, and Riccardo Guariglia, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Mario  Bartoli, Consul General of Italy in Chicago; Marco Rago, legal advisor to Minister Tajani; Matteo Zoppas, President of ITA Trade Agency; Maurizio Muzzetta, President of Fiere Italiane; Marco Verna, Director, ITA Chicago; Mario Pozza, President of Assocamerestero; Fulvio Calcinardi, Secretary General of the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest–Chicago;  Francesco Rocca, President of the Latium Region, the  Regional Councillors for Agriculture of Campania, Nicholas Caputo, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Stefano Zannier, Latium, Giancarlo Righini and Veneto, Federico Caner; Marilynn Gardner, General Manager, Navy Pier. Sector organizations in Chicago were represented by Lamberto Frescobaldi and Micaela Pallini (respectively the Presidents of Unione Italiana Vini and Federvini, Marzia Varvaglione, President of AGIVI (the UIV young wine producers group), joined by agricultural associations with Ettore Prandini, President of Coldiretti, Luigi Scordamaglia, President of Filiera Italia, and Annamaria Barrile, CEO of Confagricoltura. And for Veronafiere: Maurizio Danese, CEO of Veronafiere, Vice-Presidents Matteo Gelmetti and Romano Artoni, and General Manager Adolfo Rebughini. Other participants also include the deputy CEO manager of Banco Popolare di Sondrio, Mario Erba, and Paolo Barletta, CEO of Arsenale S.p.A. and Gruppo Barletta, as well as Steven Hartenstein, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Restaurant Association.

 

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