In addition to opening on Sunday there are several new innovations this year at the Salon as a couple of press releases from the organisers explain:
'Fair plays Web 2.0 card
This year, the Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair, which played a pioneering role with its online registration process and exhibitor catalogue, or, more recently, with the Wine Blog Trophy*, is extending its Web 2.0 strategy and breaking fresh ground with two fresh innovations: an online appointment hub and a Facebook page. “We want to offer our customers the maximum number of services, and encourage the trade to come to the fair. Web 2.0 helps complement our offering, and enables a wealth of possibilities to facilitate business. That’s why we’ve created an online hub for fixing appointments. With this new tool, we want to foster relationships between visitors and exhibitors by letting them arrange meetings in advance. It’s also a good way to improve contact between producers, négociants and trade visitors,” points out Christian Groll, general manager of the Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair. In parallel, the fair has started a Facebook page. “This space lets us talk about the event and Loire Valley wines in a different tone – and, as a result, attract a wider range of wine trade visitors.”
This year, the Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair, which played a pioneering role with its online registration process and exhibitor catalogue, or, more recently, with the Wine Blog Trophy*, is extending its Web 2.0 strategy and breaking fresh ground with two fresh innovations: an online appointment hub and a Facebook page. “We want to offer our customers the maximum number of services, and encourage the trade to come to the fair. Web 2.0 helps complement our offering, and enables a wealth of possibilities to facilitate business. That’s why we’ve created an online hub for fixing appointments. With this new tool, we want to foster relationships between visitors and exhibitors by letting them arrange meetings in advance. It’s also a good way to improve contact between producers, négociants and trade visitors,” points out Christian Groll, general manager of the Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair. In parallel, the fair has started a Facebook page. “This space lets us talk about the event and Loire Valley wines in a different tone – and, as a result, attract a wider range of wine trade visitors.”
* Created in 2007 by the Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair.
Tasting date for independent wine retailers
In 2011, for the first time, France’s independent wine retailers have a date at the Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair. To satisfy its members’ appetite for new products, the national federation of independent wine retailers (FNCI) is providing the perfect introduction. “This fair is one of the events most eagerly awaited by our members, but they’re not always able to attend. We therefore felt it made sense to encourage them and help them make the trip,” explains Jérôme Jeuland, of the FNCI’s executive committee. On 31 January, the federation will run a preview tasting of Loire wines being presented at the fair, with the aim of expanding the Loire range stocked by its central purchasing department (Vin CI). “By expanding our offering, we want to better meet our retailers’ expectations,” says Jeuland.
