The 13th WBWE has marked a turning point regarding international B2B fairs, giving way to its North American counterpart in 2022
With the Dutch government announcing a strict lockdown only a few days prior to the event, it was not an easy task given the circumstances, but eventually the WBWE21 took place, marking a turning point regarding the management of trade fairs. A total of 265 exhibitors welcomed around 4,000 professional visitors. No crowds lined the fair, and that was not only good for business, but also for the visitor’s peace of mind, considering current health-related issues. “Buyers actually came to seal agreements”, says Quentin Fischer, director of Fabrezan, cooperative winery from the Corbières region, in the South of France. Most exhibitors have expressed their satisfaction at the fact of being able to attend a trade fair once again and reconnect with their buyers; others have already started to lay the ground for 2022.
But the WBWE does not end here, on the contrary, it now broadens its horizons and sets sail towards a new continent. Santa Rosa (Sonoma County, California) is the chosen location for our first US fair. This trade fair is a project in which Pomona Keepers has been working since 2019, finally to become a reality.
The WBWE USA will be held on the 8th and 9th of June 2022, coinciding with the presentation of the Southern Hemisphere harvest. Thus, the fair continues its expansion in one of the most interesting markets worldwide; the US being the world’s number-one wine consuming country and, as a percentage, the leading country in terms of bulk wine sales.
The choice of Santa Rosa (Sonoma, California) is no coincidence, as it is a strategic location for the wine industry alongside Napa –California produces 95% of the wine from the US. Moreover, Santa Rosa is also a charming town, business hub for many winemakers, and well-connected, conveniently accessible for buyers and sellers both local and international.
At the first-ever North American WBWE, international buyers and brokers will have the opportunity to discover and taste a great part of the global harvest in a single location and in just two days: a business formula based on trade, safety, and effectiveness.
A wide range of bulk wines and bag-in-box wines alongside wines with a designation of origin or with a protected geographical indication, varietal wines as well as generic wines intended for blending or coupages, sparkling wines, aromatized wines such as vermouth, brandies and, of course, distillates will be on display at Santa Rosa. It will be a unique opportunity to do business and set the market prices.
Six months in advance, both Spanish and French wineries are already showing their interest; and some wineries from Argentina have already confirmed their attendance, even though the registration period will open on January 10th, 2022.
The World Bulk Wine USA 2022 will be the fair for business opportunities, both for American wineries and for wineries from outside the US who seek to broaden their customer base.
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