The 4th Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris delivered on its promise with a hugely successful outcome. Representation of international exhibitors and visitors was markedly higher this year, consolidating the event’s firm positioning in the wine and spirits industry calendar. This strategic gathering, combining business with a warm atmosphere, has now become a vibrant focal point for a united industry.
A resounding success
Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023 welcomed 3,387 exhibitors (20% floor space and 25% international exhibitors more than in 2022), from 42 producer countries, and 36,334 visitors (+41% on 2022), including 38% international attendees from 149 countries. That is an 85% increase in international visitors. The top 5 visitor countries after France were Belgium, the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany.
The Vinexposium group’s digital portal enhanced opportunities both for business and for engagement with other industry members. A total 6,330 meetings generated 12,000 conversations between producers and buyers.
“Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris is up to standards in terms of a trade show. We have seen our existing customers and opened markets we do not cover. In Paris we meet a wide variety of customers from a different sphere of influence”, stressed Konstantinos Arvanitakis, from the Export Department of Alpha Estate (Greece).
A recognised event
Placed under the High Patronage of Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, this year’s exhibition received visits by 3 French ministers and 15 ambassadors (South Africa, Albania, Argentina, China, Spain, the United States, Greece, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland and Uruguay).
At the official opening ceremony of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, Marc Fesneau, France’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, announced that the event was “a showcase for French excellence, allowing the quality and authenticity of what we produce to be recognised beyond our borders”.
At the official opening of Be Spirits, Olivier Becht, Minister of Foreign Trade, Attractiveness and the French Overseas, applauded a record high trade surplus of 17 billion euros generated in 2022 by members of the French wine and spirits industry, who he called “export champions”, stressing that winegrowers represented “the answer”.
Olivia Grégoire, Minister in charge of Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce, Trades and Tourism, also highlighted the “success of an exhibition bringing together members of the wine industry in France and showcasing the excellence and time-honoured expertise passed down through the generations”.
A landmark for Be Spirits
The Be Spirits area, which this year occupied a dedicated hall covering 43% extra floor space with 44% new exhibitors compared with 2022, was also a resounding success.
“Be Spirits is the absolute go-to place in France to reach out to an international clientele. It brings together the entire spirits community and illustrates the intellectual appetite for spirits and craft beverages. Visitors thronged throughout the three days”, enthuses Olivier Goujon, Director of the national Armagnac marketing bureau (BNIA)/Armagnac Style (France).
An ON and OFF programme creating a vibrant wine and spirits experience
The ambitious and refreshed ON programme proved to be extremely popular. The masterclasses, conferences and panel discussions were attended by 3,249 people over the three days. The sommelier industry was also honoured with events that included the Chef & Sommelier Duos, the Battle of the Female Sommeliers and Vinexpo Challenge.
“Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris is an excellent show, very well organized. The masterclasses were interesting and business wise, the exhibition was very productive for me and my company. Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris gets better every year and has become a must-visit event in the wine industry. I will be back for the next edition in 2024”, commented Danio Braga, Wine Director for Brazilian group Fasano.
For its OFF line-up, Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris developed an incredible selection of venues outside the exhibition so that conversations could continue in the heart of Paris. Across the city, 180 bars and restaurants chosen for the quality of their cuisine, the experience and the atmosphere, provided food and drinks choices and events focusing on wine and cocktails.
2024 here we come!
Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris has already begun to prepare for its next edition. Echoing the international drive rolled out by the Vinexposium group through the events it hosts on the leading consumer continents – in New York, Singapore, Quebec, Rioja, Seoul, Amsterdam and New Delhi – Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris will be attracting even more French and international drinks industry members in 2024.
“Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023 is a success both for its visitor attendance, which showed strong growth, and for the quality of the trade conversations. This edition has demonstrated that it is possible to design an exhibition with an increasingly broad line-up of events and products that combine wine and gourmet food, business and a warm atmosphere. The success acts as a compass for the Vinexposium team across-the-board. It encourages us to push the boundaries even further and think even bigger so that we can live up to the trust that is placed in us. Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris is the meeting point for a world in motion whose international reach is constantly growing”, concludes Vinexposium CEO, Rodolphe Lameyse.
