October 9, 2024 – The 5th edition of ProWine São Paulo, the largest professional wine and spirits trade fair in the Americas, closed with impressive and record-breaking numbers. A total of 15,000 visitors attended the event, exceeding expectations and confirming the trade fair’s position as one of the main meeting platforms for players in this sector. Overall, 1,402 brands from 34 countries presented a wide variety of products and business opportunities.
“We are very proud of the results of ProWine São Paulo 2024 and of having achieved record numbers of exhibitors and visitors. This reinforces the importance of the trade fair as a business hub for the wine and spirits sector in the Americas. Our goal with ProWine São Paulo is to offer an exceptional experience to wine and spirits professionals and, without a doubt, the division by country has raised the standard of the event and the visitors’ journey,” stated Malu Sevieri, Director of ProWine Sao Paulo.
The exhibits were complemented by the ProWine Forum program. Approximately 60 hours of masterclasses with wine and spirits tastings were part of the program, addressing a variety of topics such as the pre- and post-pandemic wine market, the diversity of Argentine wine, end-of-year sales strategies, the future of sommeliers and sake as a global beverage.
“For visitors, the ProWine Forum is a veritable treasure trove of knowledge. From masterclasses given by renowned winemakers to lectures on cultural influences on taste preferences, there is something for all tastes and levels of experience. It is a unique opportunity to refine your palate, discover new labels and explore the secrets behind the bottles, as well as, of course, keep up to date with the market,” said Malu Sevieri.
Sustainability
In keeping with its commitment to sustainability, ProWine São Paulo, in partnership with the Brazilian Beverage Association (Abrabe), recycled more than nine tons of glass through the “Glass is Good” program. A glass crushing machine was installed to destroy used bottles, thus preventing the possibility of counterfeiting – a potential risk at events of this kind. In addition to increasing security, the crushing process facilitated the recycling process, contributing to energy savings, reduced extraction of raw materials and reduced CO2 emissions.
Exhibitor statements
Frederico Falcão, CEO of ViniPortugal: “We have been present since the first edition and I believe that Portugal has the largest presence at the fair. This event is essential for us, as Brazil is currently our largest market, excluding Port wine, and the third largest considering all Portuguese wine exports. The diversity and complexity of our wines, grapes, terroirs and regions, added to the advantage of a common language, greatly attract Brazilian consumers. This drives the growth of Portuguese wines in Brazil.”
Fabiano Borré, CEO of Vinícola UVVA: “We are making our debut at ProWine São Paulo and it is a great pleasure to bring our brand and the winery from Bahia, in Chapada Diamantina, to this event. We are excited to have contact with the highly qualified audience at the fair.”
Gabriela Salotti, Trade Marketing Manager at Moët Hennessy: “We are very happy with our first participation in ProWine São Paulo. We came to showcase the strength of our brands, united as one large company, and the result has been a success. Our stand is always full and we are very pleased with the progress of the fair.”
João Roquette, Director of Qualimpor: “We are very pleased with this edition. It was a fantastic year, with significant growth and greater participation of brands. We consider this to be the best edition so far, with many customers present, making the event even more special for us. We have been at ProWine São Paulo since the beginning and, if everything goes well, we will be present for many more years. Congratulations to everyone!”
Elias Varella, head sommelier at Interfood: “Being at ProWine São Paulo is essential for us, as it is a great opportunity to showcase our portfolio, which is our greatest strength. We brought wines from various regions of the world, with price ranges ranging from entry-level wines to high-end and very high-end labels, both from the Old and New World. Our goal here is to highlight the diversity and strength of our portfolio, in addition to showcasing new products and interesting facts. It is also a pleasure to welcome our customers and meet new potential partners. Participating in ProWine São Paulo is essential for us.”
Gustavo Peroni, sommelier at Cantu Grupo Wine: “We are at ProWine São Paulo once again, an essential trade fair for professionals in the sector and for promoting the wine market. This year, we have an even larger stand, with the presence of many producers from different countries, who came to honor both our team and our customers. The trade fair is an extremely important event for those who work in the wine world. We are representing more than 30 producers from almost ten countries, such as Argentina, Chile, Portugal and Spain. We are very happy, with the stand always full.”
Nelsir Kuffel, Sales Director of Grupo Famiglia Valduga: “We are very happy to participate in another edition of ProWine São Paulo. The results have been excellent and we are excited to welcome our partners and establish new relationships with all of our customers. We would like to thank the organizers and all of our customers who were here, contributing to strengthening our business and, above all, the friendship we have cultivated with each of you.”
Pablo Perini, Marketing Director of Vinícola Casa Perini: “It is a pleasure to participate once again in ProWine São Paulo. We know that it is a nationally renowned trade fair and we chose this event to showcase the year’s main wine launches. The results were excellent and I would like to highlight the quality of the audience, which was made up exclusively of professionals from the trade and specialized press. Here is a tip for those who work in the wine world: participating in ProWine São Paulo is definitely worth it.”
Manuel Chicau, founding partner of Adega Alentejana: “Adega Alentejana has been participating in the first ProWine São Paulo since the beginning and we are very happy with the evolution of the event each year, with more visitors and an audience coming from different cities in Brazil. The 2024 edition was truly amazing. We held the global launch of Pêra-Manca Tinto, the first time that a vintage of this wine has been presented outside of Portugal. We would like to thank everyone and we have already registered and reserved a space for 2025.”
Visitor statements
Artur Illian, representative of Supermercado São Vicente, a 56-year-old chain with 22 retail stores and five wholesalers: “ProWine São Paulo is an essential event for the wine industry. I have been in the segment for many years and have been attending the fair practically since its beginning. The wine business is essential for supermarkets, especially with the growing demand from Brazilians for quality wines. The fair provides an excellent opportunity to not only increase the quantity consumed, but also to improve the quality of the labels. Here, it is possible to interact directly with exporters, importers and other professionals in the sector, in addition to discovering new labels. I believe it is essential for the wine business.”
Wallace Neves, sommelier at BigMais Supermercados: “This fair is very important. It is a great event full of opportunities. This is my fourth consecutive year participating in ProWine São Paulo and I always come away with great business opportunities for the company I represent. Today, I spoke with French producers and I am here with another importer to enrich our portfolio. In addition to networking, it is a chance to meet up with long-time friends from the profession. I was recently awarded the best sommelier in Brazil and, in 2025, I will represent the country at the Pan American Games in Sonoma Valley, California. Participating in an event like this is essential, even for educational purposes. Cheers!”
Mauricio Possenti and Ana Paula Crude, Directors of Vinoeria, a store selling exclusive national and imported wines: “We found the fair very interesting, with several countries extremely well organized. The Brazilian wine sector is very competitive, with many talented people doing interesting things. We visited ProWine São Paulo last year, and this year we noticed that it has only been growing, and we have nothing but praise for it. In addition, there are many business opportunities here too.”
The next staging of ProWine Sao Paulo will take place from September 30 – October 2, 2025, at Expo Center Norte. For further information on visiting or exhibiting at ProWine Sao Paulo 2025, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; Telephone: (312) 781-5180; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit https://prowinesaopaulo.com/ and www.mdna.com. Follow us on https://www.linkedin.com/company/mdnachicago/
