The second edition of the
international wine and spirits exhibition 'Wine to Asia'
organized by Veronafiere-Vinitaly has kicked off in Shenzhen,
China, with the participation of 520 companies from 30
countries, including 120 Italian wineries.
The event opened at the Futian Exhibition Centre on May 9 and
will wrap up on May 11.
'Wine to Asia' is among the most important fairs promoting
wine in the Greater Bay Area, a rapidly growing hub that
includes Hong Kong, Macao and nine cities in Guangdong province,
including Shenzhen.
Nine exhibition halls are representing as many wine-making
countries at the event, including Italy, China, Serbia,
Slovenia, Argentina, Georgia, Uruguay, Mexico and South Africa.
Italy's delegation is the largest.
The Italian pavilion designed by the ICE foreign trade agency
is hosting 50 companies, while another 70 enterprises -
including the Franciacorta consortium - are located in other
areas of the exhibition.
Italy's Ambassador to China Massimo Ambrosetti said during
the opening ceremony that "Italian culture is essential for the
promotion of Italian-made excellence, it defines our identity.
"We are naturally connected to a dimension of civilization of
which wine is perhaps the most iconic element.
"This is especially appreciated in China, particularly by
young generations who are fascinated by our history and by our
millennial food and wine culture, which is strongly tied to
diverse territories, an extraordinary heritage that sets us
apart, fascinates the Chinese and has a positive impact on the
market", he noted.
The President of Veronafiere Federico Bricolo said that the
involvement of Italian companies "in the incoming campaign from
Italy implemented by Veronafiere and ICE shows the constant
interest towards this geo-economic area, which should still be
considered as a potential market.
"This is why monitoring it is now more fundamental than ever
given some signs of change, starting with the results of Italian
wine imports in the first trimester, with a positive performance
in terms of value, up 4%.
"Moreover, average price growth and a greater propensity
towards high-quality products" that represent different
territories, "especially in the out-of-home sector, are the main
features of a potential reversal of trends that must be
grasped", he concluded.
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