As part of ProWein World, the world's leading wine and spirits trade fair, in its 7th year ProWine China has become firmly established in Shanghai, and will serve as a bell weather for what’s to come in the post-coronavirus wine market. Despite international travel restrictions and social distancing measures, the three-daywine fair scheduled for November 10-12 at Shanghai New International ExpoCenter (SNIEC) gets a go-ahead.It’s scheduled at a time when market depletion is largely expected and most merchants after months of lull are ready to place new orders for the coming year.
A number of large international pavilion organizations including Business France, Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL) & German Wine Institute (DWI), Wines of Portugal, ICEX Espana Exportacion e Inversiones, Wine Australia, Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, Public of Slovenia Ministry of Agriculture, Foresty and Food & Family Estate Slovenia & Vinska Druzba Slovenija, California Wine Institute, and Consorzio Vini Mantovani have already committed to ProWine China 2020, which is an encouraging sign that after months of lockdown the wine trade is ready to get back to business.
Even though few international pavilions have not made their decision on the participation yet because of the travel bans, they are actively seeking the solutions, like the subsidiaries or local importers will show up instead. Apart from that, Chinese wine exhibitors are emerging. Including but not limited to COFCO – Great Wall and UP-Chinese Wine, have expanded the exhibition area. China Wine Union will once again be participated in ProWine China together with WINE100. More Chinese wine regions can be expected onsite as a result of local wine region visiting by ProWine China team.
Wine education, as one of the features of ProWine China, is offered not only at onsite, but also during City Promotion Tour before the trade fair. ProWine China never stops its investmentin the market, a wide-reaching wine education-focused promotion tour will be rolled out across the country, covering more than 40 different Chinese cities, at a time when the country’s wine industry is gradually stepping out of the Covid-19 shadow.
ProWine China City Promotion Tour has been to many Chinese cities in the past years, and itusually comes in three forms: press conference, reception dinner and masterclass, in which wine knowledge will be transferred, and ProWine China exhibitors will gain one more way to promote their wines and wineries.
Some of the country’s most established wine education providers, for instance Grapea & Co. founded by China’s only Master Sommelier Lu Yang, would not only join in the promotion tour, but also exhibit in the trade fair. BORDEAUX Wine School and WSET etc., who is focusing great attention to wine education, is ready to offer a top-notch supporting programme during all three days of the trade show.
To attend this year’s ProWine China in Shanghai, however, is not without challenges, top of which is travel restrictions.
Nonetheless,the organizer assures that ProWine China 2020 has prepared sound contingency plans and support system to accommodate and help incoming exhibitors and visitors. “Under the current complicated situations, our contingency plans have earned our clients’ trust and understanding. We provide full support in dealing with international travel restrictions, travel bans, mandatory quarantine, logistics, booth setup, hotel booking and among others,” Josh Gu, Project Director of ProWine China, says in detail, adding a complete ProWine guide on virus prevention will also be launched soon for all exhibitors and visitors.
Another key challenge to test all wine fair organizers this year is how to ensure fair ground safety measures with threat of infection and outbreak. “We will expand hallways inside the exhibition center to avoid congestion. The seminar area will also be expanded to ensure air circulation. One-time disposable spittoon will be provided inside the seminar area to avoid cross-usage and potential contamination. All the spittoons on site at the fair will be replaced by disposable ones,” Josh Gu explained.
