Verona, 2 March 2023. An exhibition centre offering more than 100,000 square meters net, seventeen fully booked show halls between permanent and tensile structures. Everything is ready to become the largest international b2b event for Italian wine and beyond, with more than 4,000 companies representing all Italian wines and other products from more than 30 countries (data updated as of 2 March, ed). Vinitaly 2023, the international exhibition scheduled 2-5 April at Veronafiere, consolidates its business positioning and service supporting one of the most strategic Italian export sectors. The 55th edition further strengthens the development plan for the only event that has promoted the growth and success of Italian wine on international markets.
“Just a few days after the conclusion of the extraordinary Vinitaly Roadshow travelling to 9 countries in three continents developed in collaboration with the ICE-Italian Trade Agency together with the Veronafiere's own network of international delegates, we have finalised the selection of top buyers who will attend the event," explained the President of Veronafiere, Federico Bricolo. "Even in times of great change such as these, amidst challenges and opportunities, Vinitaly is still a global promotional brand capable of generating new outlets. During the 13 stop-offs in Europe, America and Asia, we experienced first-hand the excellent potential on well-consolidated and emerging markets alike. We are now making all this potential," Bricolo summed up, "available to companies even as early as this year's show, with the aim of completing our mapping of new importers and qualified operators by 2024. An important and necessary effort and investment to ensure competitiveness in the sector.”
The Managing Director of Veronafiere, Maurizio Danese, said: “Listening to Italian companies was fundamental for the launch of the coming Vinitaly. It is no coincidence that the countries in the forefront of the Roadshow are among the top 10 market objectives for our exhibitors. As is also the case for the choice to become even more active in Asia: China, Japan and South Korea, as well as Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and other countries add up to 20% of the next international targets for Italian wine companies. An emerging area," Danese went on, "where China will make a most welcome return to Verona, thanks to a selection of more than 100 top Buyers from the country, including horeca groups, leading importers and e-commerce players. Yet the qualitative and quantitative evolution of international demand will obviously embrace all outlet and emerging markets, from the United States to Canada and South Korea by way of the Old Continent to South America, with the aim of increasing top buyers by 40% over 2022.”
Business, inasmuch, but also communication. Vinitaly, in fact, is a mega-spot for Italian wine with an audience of almost 4 billion media hits generated in Italy and abroad during the key week of the event. An intangible return through indirect promotion that also involves the other two exhibitions scheduled alongside the main show in Verona -Enolitech with Vinitaly Design and Sol&Agrifood with B/Open and Excellent Beers- bringing the total to more than 4,400 exhibitors on site.
As regards business topics and formats, the 55th International Wine and Spirits Exhibition will be previewed, on Saturday 1 April by Vinitaly OperaWine, the advance tasting event involving 130 standard-bearer producers selected by Wine Spectator. The exhibition schedule confirms the main thematic areas (Vinitaly Bio, the International Wine Hall, Vinitaly Mixology and Micro Mega Wines curated by wine writer Ian D'agata), as well as the Taste and Buy matching event involving operators selected by Veronafiere's own international network of delegates in collaboration with the oversight consortia and Tasting Express with the leading international sector magazines. More than 70 tastings have so far been scheduled in the official calendar of the event (updated on vinitaly.com). These events include the Three Glasses 2023 walk around tasting organised by Gambero °Rosso (Sunday 2 April) and the Orange Wine Festival (April 3) welcoming top companies from 10 countries, not to mention the Vinitaly Tasting -The DoctorWine Selection curated by Daniele Cernilli (April 2 and 3) designed for buyers and horeca operators, at the focus Young to Young event where young wine-makers share their thoughts with young communicators in the course of three tasting sessions involving ten young producers coordinated by Paolo Massobrio and Marco Gatti.
There is also room for Competitions. 22 March see the return of the International Packaging Competition – Vinitaly Design, the event that rewards the best packaging in terms of trends, design and innovation for wines, spirits, liqueurs, beer and extra virgin olive oil, followed by 5 StarWines - The Book and Wine Without Walls, awards specifically for companies that invest in qualitative improvements of their products.
The distinction between trade professionals attending the show and wine lovers also continues. In fact, wine lovers are the target of Vinitaly and the City, the festival of wine talks, tastings, exhibitions and off-show events in the most representative locations in Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Piazza dei Signori, Cortile Mercato Vecchio and Cortile del Tribunale. Scheduled 31 March-3 April, Vinitaly and the City is organized by Veronafiere with the collaboration of Verona City Council, the Province of Verona and the Cariverona Foundation).