I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I
I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I © Philippe Labeguerie © Philippe Labeguerie © Philippe Labeguerie © Philippe Labeguerie 6 • THE DAILY • WEDNESDAY 23 RD FEBRUARY 2022 vinexposium-connect.com
I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I © Philippe Labeguerie Rodolphe Lameyse Vinexposium CEO A bottle of courage is what made Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022 a show to remember Vinexposium's CEO Rodolphe Lameyse looks back at the wine and spirits industry's first face-to-face meeting since the start of the pandemic The show's resounding success in terms of both quantity and quality is also a promising sign for Vinexposium's future events in 2022. Congratulations on delivering Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022. How does it feel? The fact that we managed to pull this off given the context is exceptional when you think about it. And the reason we managed to deliver Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022 is because everybody was mobilised - the workers, exhibitors and visitors. I think we have demonstrated here that the old adage, nothing is impossible, holds true. Because the event not only succeeded in terms of numbers, but also in terms of quality. What were some of the challenges you faced? I'm almost tempted to say that getting people to come to a wine trade show is not the most difficult thing. But attracting good buyers, that is much harder, and I think those who came to Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022 were really looking for our products. That's what motivated them to come all the way across the world, from Europe, the United States, Mexico, Brazil and many other destinations. It must not have been easy to pull this off given the context. What was the secret to success? I think we were courageous - very courageous, to keep Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022 in February, which is a key date in the calendar for the wine and spirits industry, because it is the best time of year for them to do business. So I would like to first congratulate my teams who I think have been very brave and resilient. But also our exhibitors who have shown great courage and willingness to accompany us at a moment when everything was against us. I think people came here with a heavy foot, because they weren't sure what to expect, but once they arrived and experienced the show, they were very happy. What was the feedback you received from the floor? What's really interesting, is that for the first time since I started organising trade shows, I don't want to say this show was good because of this or that. You know, in the run up to the show, I spoke a lot about the event in order to reassure people that it was really going to happen. But I think now, the best spokesperson for the show and its success are the exhibitors and buyers, and let me tell you, I haven't heard a single negative review. They are sometimes nuanced depending on what the person was looking for, but never negative. I think everyone is saying to themselves, it was great to see everyone face-to-face, we are back in business and we've finally managed to turn the tide on this crisis. That's the atmosphere which I experienced over the past few days. So what's next in 2022? Well, first I think we're going to take a well deserved break. But not for long, because we will be heading to the United States in three weeks for the next edition of Vinexpo America & Drinks America. The format is a little different, because we invite buyers and importers from the United States and Canada - so they are on home turf so to speak. THE BEST SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SHOW AND ITS SUCCESS ARE THE EXHIBITORS AND BUYERS But a large contingent of french businesses will also be travelling to the United States to put forward their products. Of course, we will also be hosting events at the Bordeaux Wine Week in June as well as in new markets like India at the end of August. You can get more information about our upcoming events online or on our app Vinexposium Connect. Otherwise, I hope to see you next year for Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023, which will be taking place between 13 and 15 February. Do you have a specific message for everyone who came to Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022? Thank you for trusting us THE DAILY •WEDNESDAY 23 RD FEBRUARY 2022 • 7
