Vinitaly.USA Makes Its New York Debut with 3,000 Trade Professionals from 40 Countries
More than 3,000 trade professionals, up 36% compared to the 2025 edition in Chicago, 1,690 business meetings and 300 Italian companies showcasing 2,500 wine labels. These are the figures from the New York City debut of Vinitaly.USA, Veronafiere’s B2B platform dedicated to promoting Italian wine in the United States. Held at Pier 36 on October 26–27, the event brought together industry professionals from 40 countries and 20 U.S. states.
A key indicator of the event’s performance was the profile of the trade professionals in attendance: 60% of accredited participants represented the purchasing, distribution and HoReCa sectors. This result was supported by the international buyer recruitment programme developed by Veronafiere in partnership with ITA – Italian Trade Agency, which selected, invited and hosted nearly 800 top buyers from across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The New York debut further strengthens Vinitaly.USA’s position as a strategic platform for engaging with the U.S. market and reinforces Veronafiere’s strategy to develop Vinitaly into a year-round international business platform, connecting Italian wine producers with importers, distributors, retailers, restaurant professionals and specialist trade operators.
“We are extremely pleased with Vinitaly.USA’s debut in New York and the positive feedback from exhibiting companies,” said Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere. “Our partnership with ITA – Italian Trade Agency, together with the support of Italian institutions, has enabled us to take a coordinated approach to promoting Italian wine. This is a strategic initiative to strengthen our presence in the U.S. market and enhance the competitiveness of Italian wine businesses.”
Alongside business matchmaking activities, New York also hosted the 13th edition of wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum, featuring more than 20 sessions, including panel discussions, market insights and masterclasses. Key topics included U.S. distribution dynamics, the relationship between wine and the restaurant industry, evolving consumption patterns, younger generations of wine consumers and business opportunities across different U.S. markets, from Texas to the country’s leading commercial hubs.
Wine tourism also featured prominently, with Vinitaly Tourism hosting a series of meetings organised in collaboration with ITA – Italian Trade Agency, the Italian Ministry of Tourism and ENIT (Italian National Tourist Board). These sessions brought together wineries, Italian wine tourism destinations and international travel trade professionals, further expanding the event’s scope beyond wine promotion to showcase Italy’s wine regions and visitor experiences.
Veronafiere’s presence in the United States also extended to extra virgin olive oil through SOL Expo, which featured an EVO Oil Showcase Area presenting producers and products from six Italian regions. Another connection between New York and Verona came through Wine Spectator, which announced at Vinitaly.USA the 150 wineries selected for OperaWine 2027, scheduled for April 10 at the Gallerie Mercatali in Verona.
The U.S. initiative was organised in partnership with ITA – Italian Trade Agency and with the support of the Italian Ministries of Agriculture, Foreign Affairs and Tourism, reflecting a coordinated approach involving institutions, businesses and wine industry associations.
Following New York, Vinitaly’s international calendar continues in Asia with the Vinitaly Asia Roadshow, stopping in Hong Kong on November 13–14, Shanghai on December 4 and Bangkok on December 7.