(25 May 2016) The 7th edition of Vinexpo Hong Kong has begun; it is a major international trade show dedicated to the wine sector. At this event Italy is the “country of honor”, a prestigious designation conferred by the organizers under the global leadership of our country in both the production and exportation of wine. The inauguration was attended by the Italian Ambassador to China, Ettore Sequi who, by attending, wished to show the care with which institutions look towards the development of trade relations of our winemakers with the Asia where exports of Italian wine is still undersized compared to their predicted potential. Italy in fact, in the face of record sales in other parts of the world, only ranks fifth in exports to Asia and China (whereas it is the third among European countries). In 2015, the Chinese market recovered from the slowdown between 2012 and 2014, marking a sharp increase in wine imports from abroad. This year Italy has grown by 17.7%, a positive result but still lower than that achieved by its main competitors. The Chinese market, however, is also changing: consumer demand is not aimed primarily at the most bottles of great cost and prestige, perhaps perfect to offer as a gift, but rather goes in search of wine based on quality / price ratio to drink casually. This tendency, especially prevalent among the middle class and the younger population, can certainly facilitate strengthening Italy’s presence in the market, thanks to its wide range of quality wines with different price ranges and the wide variety of its vines. Nevertheless, there are obstacles to overcome: one of them is the still limited knowledge of Chinese customers towards Italian wines. Our wines have distinct regional differences and thousands of, often smaller manufacturers, who act independently on the market and are not always able to deal with it effectively, even in terms of marketing. Another problem is the distribution that, in a large country like China, requires an adequate business strategy and the search for a plurality of sales channels. “To cope with these difficulties – said Ambassador Sequi meeting the Italian companies – it is necessary that our wineries seek to act in a coordinated and synergistic way, making a ‘system’ and using in a profitable way, as it happens in Hong Kong in the initiatives supported by our institutions. ” (Red)
