Millésime Bio to go digitial for 2021

Millésime Bio, a leading trade show for the organic wine sector that takes place in January, has confirmed that it is going digital for 2021.

Challenge Millesime Bio [Picture credit: Alain Reynaud Pictures]The show, which takes place on 25-17 January, will be accessible via a dedicated fully-searchable online platform, with exhibitors having “digital stands” with videos, links to their websites, access to digital technical sheets, medals and awards.

Visitors will be able to organise their ‘visit’ and plan business meetings when registration opens in mid-December, with meetings between exhibitors and visitors facilitated by instant messaging or video conferencing.

However the judging of the annual competition Challenge Millésime Bio will go ahead with (socially distanced) judging scheduled to take place in Montpellier over two days in January. Organic wines submitted from all over the world will be judged, with the winning wines promoted in a dedicated area of the digital show.

Trade association SudVinBio, who organises the event, said the move to a digital event reflected the show’s commitment to the organic wine sector, as it would allow them to continue to pursue opportunities and expand business at a time of uncertainty.

Millésime Bio president Jeanne Fabre, who was appointed in July, said that maintaining Millésime Bio in a physical format in early 2021 was “no longer conceivable”, adding that “The situation is such that a change of dates could not have been guaranteed and moving the fair forward would not have met buyers’ needs and schedules.”

“As an agent for economic recovery the fair will be indispensable in its role of allowing the business dealings – that buyers and producers depend on – to resume,” SudVinBio said.

Exhibitors who don’t want to take part in the new digital format will be refunded, it confirmed.

Although the wine sector has seen considerable challenges over the last year, the organisers said the figures published by Agence Bio in July was a “sign of hope” for the organic sector.

“The organic food and wine sector is booming and continues to grow both in terms of production and consumption,” the report said, pointing to an overall annual consumption growth in organic produce of over 1.4 billion euros in France, a rise of 13.5% on 2018.

Millésime Bio was established in 1993.