David Talbot of Ultimate Beverage Challenge joins Advisory Board
PORTLAND, Maine – Oct. 21, 2021 – Registration is underway for two co-located events, Vinexpo America and Drinks America, which debut in New York March 9-10, 2022. The trade-only expos, held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, will provide U.S. and Canadian buyers and decision makers with access to new and established brands looking to enter and expand in the North American market. The program will prove an efficient reunion for the beverage alcohol industry, giving buyers and exhibitors an opportunity to discuss products and conduct business in one location.
Vinexpo America will focus exclusively on wines from around the world and is a repositioning of the former Vinexpo New York, which launched in 2018. Drinks America is a new expo that will feature spirits, beer, sake, ready-to-drink (RTD), and related products and services. Attendees will have full access to both events. A sample of exhibitors already confirmed include Amber Beverage International, Aquitaine Wine, Bernard Magrez, Bruno Lafon Selection, Business France, Castilla La Mancha, Château Ramage La Batisse, Maison Ginestet, Perdeberg Wines, Serena Wines and Vueve Ambal.
Industry Intelligence
The latest industry insights from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis underscore the importance of connecting the wine and spirits trade at a combined North American program. Beverage alcohol consumption is up 2% in the U.S., reflecting the largest gain for the country since 2002, and the U.S. is poised to become the largest alcohol ecommerce market in the world by the end of the year, after a value growth of 80% in 2019-2020. Attendees of Drinks America will note the rise of RTD as the fastest growing beverage alcohol category in the U.S. market, with a growth of 62.3% by volume in 2020. Spirits sales in the U.S. last year posted the largest volume increase at 4.6% for the spirits category since 1990, with value increasing by 7.7%.
Over the course of two days, Vinexpo America and Drinks America will present a series of educational programs that address important trends and opportunities for the beverage alcohol industry. Program details will be introduced in the coming months.
An Expanded Advisory Board
David Talbot has joined the Vinexpo America and Drinks America advisory board. Co-founder and principal of Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC), he built it into one of the trade’s major global wine and spirits evaluation and marketing services. UBC conducts the annual Ultimate Spirits Challenge competition for all types of distilled spirits, and the Ultimate Wine Appraisal, which offers rating and review services for wine producers and marketers. In addition, Talbot is founder and principal of consulting firm Limitless Libations LLC, focused on the needs of independent wine and spirits retailers.
Talbot joins 11 other U.S.-based wine and spirits industry leaders who contribute to the planning and growth of Vinexpo America and Drinks America, including John Beaudette (MHW, Ltd.), Cheryl Durzy (LibDib), Valerie Gerard-Matsuura (Sopexa USA), Monique Houston (Winebow), Helen Mackey (Darden), Vela McClam Thomas (Lemae Group), Steve Melchiskey (USA Wine West, LLC), Brandy Rand (The IWSR), Brian Rosen (BevStrat LLC), Manilay Saito (Business France) and Aaron Sherman (SevenFifty).
About Vinexposium
Owned jointly by Comexposium and Vinexpo Holding, Vinexposium is the world’s leading organizer of wine and spirits trade events. Vinexposium offers an enhanced range of high-performance events, tailored to different market segments, with a portfolio of iconic and recognized events: Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, WOW! Meetings, Vinexpo America & Drinks America, Vinexpo Hong Kong, WBWE Asia, Vinexpo Bordeaux, Vinexpo Shanghai and WBWE Amsterdam, as well as Vinexpo Explorer and World Wine Meetings.
About Diversified Communications
Diversified Communications is a leading international media company with a portfolio of face-to-face exhibitions and conferences, online communities, and digital and print publications. As producers of these market-leading products, Diversified Communications connects, educates, and strengthens business communities in over 15 industries including: renewable energy, healthcare, natural and organic, food and beverage, and technology. Established in 1949 and headquartered in Portland, Maine, USA, with divisions and offices around the world, Diversified Communications remains a privately held, third-generation, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.divcom.com
