Hong Kong International Wine Fair

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The international wine industry has responded positively to news that Hong Kong will host the first HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine Fair, 14-16 August 2008. Around 150 exhibitors are expected to come from over 20 countries & regions to participate in the inaugural event. They will include wine dealers and cellar representatives from Hong Kong and Asia and leading New World and Old World wine producers and dealers. Those who have already confirmed their presence are important Hong Kong distributors Maxxium Hong Kong Ltd, Moet Hennessy's, Ponti Food and Wine Cellar Ltd.

The overseas exhibitors will include Premium Wine Services Pty Ltd of Australia, Coopers Creek Vineyard Ltd of New Zealand, MSE-Deutsche Weine of Germany, Fremura Group SRL of Italy, Grupo San Jose De Allende SPR of Mexico, Ghiya Extrusions PVT Ltd of India and Yevpatoria Winery Ltd of Ukraine.

According to Juergen Mueller and Ulrike Endrolath, General Managers of MSE-Deutsche Weine, Germany, the timing has additional advantages. "MSE-Deutsche Weine believes that the time for this exhibition is just right because it leaves enough time between the filling of the 2007 wines and the exhibition in order to choose the best wines from a large variety to exhibit. Furthermore, it is just the right time for customers to make their choice for autumn and winter business."

MSE-Deutsche Weine is a young company specialising in the export of German wine to Asia. "We have a large variety of excellent German wines, mostly white wines, including wines of all famous wine regions in Germany such as Mosel, Middle Rhine, Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz. Our wines suit the Asian style of cooking extremely well with their rich flavour and mostly semi-dry appearance.

"Our main targets for this exhibition are to make a lot of contacts with potential customers and dealers from the Asian region (mainly Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland). We hope to initiate business and gain interest for the excellent German wines we exhibit and represent. We want to make the name MSE-Deutsche Weine known in the Asian region as an expert for German Wines."

Makul Ghiya, director of Ghiya Extrusions PVT Ltd of India, says that now is the time to make Asia's presence felt in the global wine market through the Hong Kong International Wine Fair. Ghiya is the only Asian company offering a comprehensive range of wine seals used in aluminum screw caps. "Our main purpose in participating is brand promotion, " says Mr Ghiya.

Olga Turuk, who is Marketing-analyst for Ukraine's Yevpatoria Winery Ltd, cites the growth of wine consumption in Asia as one of the reasons why the timing of this fair is just right. "Wine consumption in Asia is growing annually. In particular, the Chinese mainland market is considered to be the wine market with the most potential in the world. And Hong Kong is a trading and investment centre of Asia. Therefore, holding a wine exhibition in Hong Kong will allow potential importers and dealers of wines to establish contacts and to enter into this potentially valuable market.

"By participating in the Hong Kong International Wine Fair, we expect to gain more detailed information about the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong wine markets, the basic tendencies and forecasts of development; to communicate with local manufacturers of wine and importers of wines in Asia; to come into contact with distributors and buyers of wine and, in the long term, to start working in this market."

The Hong Kong International Wine Fair gives exhibitors and buyers the opportunity to tap into the enormous potential of the Asian market. The Asian market (excluding Japan) is forecast to grow at a phenomenal 10-20% pa over the next five years. This equates to a consumption value of US$17 billion by 2012, estimated to rise to US$27 billion by 2017.

In the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Taiwan an increasingly affluent and knowledgeable middle class market is growing rapidly. The Chinese mainland alone is predicted to import wine to the value of US$570 million by 2017.

The Hong Kong International Wine Fair will allow winemakers, dealers and distributors to reach out to a wider audience through wine tasting sessions at the fair, which is concurrent with the hugely popular Food Expo event, attended by over 8,500 trade buyers and over 340,000 members of the public in 2007.

Wine education for both consumers and trade buyers will be fostered through the fair's seminars and conferences, conducted by international wine experts.

The recent abolition of import duty on wine by the Hong Kong SAR government has created a favourable environment for wine trading and distribution in Hong Kong, already a trading hub of global importance. The HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine Fair 2008 will bolster this position by providing an excellent venue for trading and a high-profile showcase for brand promotion.

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