Veronafiere: international event marathon in USA, Brazil and China
From the United States to Brazil and then China. After the institutional visit to New York and Washington early in May to present the second edition of Vinitaly.USA, Veronafiere continues to strengthen its global outlook with three more events arranged abroad.
The programme includes the Marmomac trade mission to Houston, Texas; We then head off from the USA to Brazil with the Wine South America event in the city of Bento Gonçalves. The calendar closes with Wine to Asia in Shenzhen, in China’s Greater Bay area.
Three strategic trips that confirm the central role of Veronafiere brands to promote Made in Italy on key export markets. The sectors involved include natural stone and wine, two areas where total exports to the United States, Brazil and China come to more than 2.7 billion euros.
“These three appointments,” said Adolfo Rebughini, General Manager of Veronafiere, “confirm Veronafiere’s role as an international platform at the service of the country system through its ability to connect businesses, territories and strategic markets. Even in a global context still influenced by complex challenges, we continue to consolidate our trade fair brands and integrated promotion of Made in Italy. We serve the growth of companies on domestic and international markets by carefully observing market dynamics and making our platform available and thereby facilitate access to new business opportunities.”
Telling the story of natural stone with Marmomac in Houston
Veronafiere’s international event marathon gets going in the United States: Marmomac, the world-leading trade fair for natural stone and related processing technologies, will accompany a delegation of 10 companies in the techno-stone sector to Houston, Texas, 5-7 May. “We Speak Stone” is an initiative that seeks to develop connections with architects, designers and contractors in Texas and promote the use of natural stone in major luxury construction and design projects. The team of top-players in the natural stone field guided by Marmomac comprises: Basaltite Guidotti Battaglini, Cancian Pavimenti, Grassi Pietre, RED Graniti, Marcolini Marmi, Moca Stone (Portugal), Fauske Marble by Moser (Denmark), Porfido Trentino – cave famiglia Pisetta, Domos Marmobon and Elite Stone. B2b meetings are organised directly on-site in companies and professional studios such as Intexture Architects, Gensler, Gala Design Studio, Jacobs, BeDesign, Perkins&Will and Goree, not to mention the speed dating formula at the AIA (American Association of Architects) offices in Houston and the Houston Design Center. The choice of Houston confirms the strategic importance of the United States for natural stone products, especially for Made in Italy output. In fact, Italy is the main exporter to the United States (702 million euros in 2024), an increase of 29% over the last decade. Among American states, Texas is the main importer of Italian stone processing technology and machinery and ranks 4th (with a 10% share) for processed natural stone imports.
Brazil: Italian wine triples attendance at Wine South America
Wine takes centre-stage in Brazil 6-8 May with the fifth Wine South America – International Wine Fair in Bento Gonçalves. The event is organised by Milanez & Milaneze, a Veronafiere group company, with attendance by 430 wine companies, up 20% compared to 2023. Among these, the involvement of Italian companies has tripled, now reaching 60, thanks also to the support of the ICE Trade Agency; the official group shows by the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia Regions also making their debuts. Organised in Brazil’s main still and sparkling wine producing region, Wine South America has boasts more than 7,000 registered professionals and buyers, with 2,000 b2b meetings already scheduled, and a busy calendar of master classes, tastings and workshops – all backed up by visits to wineries in the Serra Gaúcha area to discover the renowned Vale dos Vinhedos and Pinto Bandeira wine denominations. The UIV-Vinitaly Wine Observatory suggests that Mercosur is a still small but nevertheless promising market for Italy: the value generated for Italy on the South American free trade area comes to 49 million euros, with progressive growth of 5% for annual shipments on average since 2019. Brazil is clearly the most important market, with turnover of 43 million euros in 2024 and a share of over 84% for the area as a whole. Venezuela and Uruguay follow with (5%), Paraguay (4%), closing with Argentina at just over 1%.
Wine to Asia: Shenzhen: the landmark hub for wine and spirits
Organised by Veronafiere Asia Ltd, Wine to Asia returns to Shenzhen, China, 9-11 May. The third edition of the event has attracted records 500 exhibitors from more than 30 countries, consolidating its position as a landmark platform for the wine & spirits sector in Asia. Much more than just a trade show, Wine to Asia 2025 expands in the direction of a more experience-based platform, combining B2B and B2C meetings and contacts with professional training, as well as cultural and lifestyle insights. The agenda consequently includes master classes, tastings and sector forums, not to mention the Wine Week programme in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Xiamen and Zhuhai. Wine to Asia is the largest showcase for Italian wine in southern China, thanks to the involvement of more than 50 Italian wineries and the support of the ICE Trade Agency. There are also group shows from Spain, Serbia, Slovenia, New Zealand and Australia. Debut for Bettane Desseauve, the authoritative French wine media and criticism institution, as well the California Wine Institute and the Association of Young Chinese Winemakers in the USA. The exhibition also hosts extra virgin olive oil, presented by SOL2Expo, the Veronafiere event dedicated to vegetal oils. As regards Italian exports, the Chinese market is worth 90 million euros (2024 data, UIV-Vinitaly Wine Observatory). The majority of exported products are packaged still wines (82% share in value), followed by sparkling wines (12%).
