LIWF 2013 ramps up UK focus

Published: 28 November, 2012

Next year's London International Wine Fair will focus heavily on UK business, rather than trying to attract overseas visitors.

In order to reinvigorate the show, which takes place from May 20-22, 2013, organisers Brintex want to create a bigger buzz on the show floor.

My Wine Fair is a hub which will store exhibitor and wine data to allow visiting buyers to create personalised trails around the event, and allow visitors to maximise their time at the event. Itineraries containing seminars, tastings, right down to specific wines can be created and printed. The My Wine Fair area will also provide the opportunity for pop-up tastings, innovation displays and mini-masterclasses.

The off-trade will be able to tap into travel bursary schemes for independents, networking drinks within My Wine Fair and business advice clinics addressing key topics such as on-line retailing, supply chain and merchandising.

To cater for the on-trade, top sommeliers will be offered pre-paid Oyster cards to travel to ExCeL; free bespoke stemware for on-trade buyers and a networking drinks event will be hosted within My Wine Fair.

It has created a UK Advisory Board to guide its future dirrection, comprising individuals drawn from importers, independents, multiples, the on-trade and generic bodies. Board members include: Hatch Mansfield's Mark Calver; Anne Burchett of Sopexa UK; Fiona Cochran from Bibendum Wine; David Cox, former director at New Zealand Winegrowers; Claire Harris, Mitchells & Butlers; Martin Lam of Ransome's Dock; Carolyn D'Aguilar, Codorniu UK; Yvonne May, Wine Australia; Emily O'Hare, The River Café; Christopher Sherwood, Bottle Apostle; Matt Smith, Waitrose; Xavier Rousset, Texture/28°-50°; Jo Willett, CyT UK and Hal Wilson, Cambridge Wine Merchants.

Exhibition director James Murray said: "We are committed to cementing the show at the core of the UK wine industry for 2013. While, as a leading industry event on the global stage, we will continue to welcome the international audience, our priority will be on the domestic market, and acknowledging the importance of the UK buying community. 2013 will be all about connecting the visitor journey; bringing buyer and seller together more effectively. There will be other initiatives coming on-stream in the run up to the Fair, including plans for a new restaurant and briefing sessions, with high profile keynote speakers, designed to ensure wider media coverage for the industry."

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