Welcome message

by Carlos Pedro Spadone

It is a great honor to be here again, joining the most renowned Chinese wine producers and distributors, being part of such an important event for the wine industry in the People’s Republic of China. We are here since 2001, developing activities concerning to education, promotion and commercialization of fine wines from different origins. This International Fair is a unique opportunity for all those participating in this field, showing the world how the local industry has grown, both in terms of quality and volume, in the past year. Welcome to the most important event in the Chinese Wine Market and Salud!

For those looking to enter the Chinese wine market,
there are many who will tell you that it is a complex maze of pitfalls
and vast potentials. This is an obvious statement,
but how do we as wine merchants connect to the right buyers,
and alternatively, how do the hospitality trade get to meet
the quality producers, without having to wade through a sea
?of low quality wine.

Yes, in the past the Chinese market has been a proverbial dumping ground for a lot of mediocre wine, so how do quality producers distinguish themselves? As an importer of premium Australian wines, we are a fortunate company in that once opened, the quality of the wines generally speaks for themselves. But as most of our portfolio is estate grown fruit of limited production volumes, it is very important that we have the right people exposed to our range.

There are many wine and liquor trade shows held each year in China and this vast array dictates that unless you have a large marketing budget, the right choice of event is essential. Last year we participated in this event, and on the strength of that, resigned almost immediately for this year’s expo. From a wine importer’s point of view, I was very happy with the large numbers and high quality of the hospitality trade attending, and with the resultant flow on sales. I remember being very pleased to see the number of industry forums, essential to increasing the education and growth of any wine industry, but particularly for the rapidly expanding Chinese market.

Having been associated with other similar events in the past, this was by far our most successful attended. It will be the only expo that our company will attend in Shanghai this year. I am pleased to see the increase in the quality boutique producers from around the world attending, particularly the prestigious ‘Wines of Argentina’ vineyard delegation. Once again I look forward to reuniting with last year’s buyers, and show casing our magnificent new vintages.

Sincerely,

Garry Anderson
Vice General Manager
GLP (GELIPU) Wines

“It’s not just a wine, it’s a lifestyle!”