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Behind the scences - ProWein on tour

Foto: Selfi from Monika and Petra, @ProWein

Foto: Petra Langen and Monika Kissing at the "Weinfachhändlertag" 2021

This opportunity to meet with Germany’s top specialist wine retailers was second to none: the “Weinfachhändlertag” organised by Wein & Markt in Heilbronn in mid-October with some 150 participants from throughout Germany proved the ideal opportunity for one-on-one conversations and networking. This year the 2-day event came under the motto “Postcorona – Weinhandel.Weiter.Denken” (Post-COVID – Wine Retail.Think.Further”). At the heart of the action: ProWein with Petra Langen and Monika Kissing.

The content of the numerous lectures was just as fascinating as the line-up of specialist retailers featured: ranging from OMOs and family-run businesses to team concepts and major enterprises, from classic distribution systems to digital formats. The unanimous verdict of these professionals: it is high time for ProWein to take place again. It is the ideal platform for orders, networking & discoveries. For testimonials from the industry read on.


 

 

with a pit stop at the “Weinfachhändlertag” organised by Wein & Markt in Heilbronn in mid-October

 

A trade visitor of the first hour is Karlheinz Radkte, owner of Weinkontor Wallau. “I have attended ProWein since 1995, back then just for one day, but for 15 years now for the full three days. Given the variety of different product ranges I simply need all this time. The first two trade fair days come under the heading ‘Discovery’ – and on Tuesday I do business.”

Foto: Karlheinz Radtke; @ ProWein

Foto: Karlheinz Radtke, owner of Weinkontor Wallau at Weinfachhändlertag 2021

Weinkontor Wallau
Foto: Jutta & Jürgen Anders; @ ProWein

Foto: Jutta & Jürgen Anders from VINOTHEK Weinbar at Weinfachhändlertag 2021

Speaking for many like them, Jutta and Jürgen Anders put it in a nutshell. “We have simply missed ProWein over the past two years and are so looking forward to the coming event. For 20 years we have visited ProWein with our employees every year – and always stayed the full three days from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. No wonder: in our view the entire ProWein concept is outstanding, everything fits. Needless to say, we diligently prepare, draw up a precise roadmap, so to speak – but also allow sufficient leeway for new discoveries. We have 1,800 products in our portfolio now. Despite all the euphoria there is just one wish: that exhibitors stay at their stands until the show ends on the ProWein Tuesday.”

VINOTHEK
Eine „Stammbesucherin“ ist Susanne Ulbrich, Inhaberin von Weinsinn Nr. 4 – Weinfachhandel & Weinbar aus Halle. „Die ProWein ist die ideale Möglichkeit „Alle“ zu treffen – eine bessere Gelegenheit gibt es einfach nicht. Die drei Messetage sind voll gepackt mit Terminen. Wieder zurück in meinem Geschäft, bin ich einfach nur geflasht und voller Inspirationen. Kurz und gut: Ich freue mich richtig, Wein zu verkaufen. Die ProWein ist auch deshalb so wichtig für mich, weil mein Produktfokus in erster Linie auf Deutschland, Italien und Spanien liegt. Aber auch „Zufallsentdeckungen“ aus Israel, Argentinien oder Österreich habe ich schon direkt auf der ProWein geordert.“
P.S. Weinfachhändlertag und ProWein sind so wichtig, dass die beiden Azubis selbstverständlich mitkommen…
Foto: Susanne Ulbrich, Weinsinn; @ProWein

Foto: Susanne Ulbrich, Inhaberin von Weinsinn auf dem Weinfachhändlertag 2021

 
Foto: Family Stork; @ Wein Stork

Foto: Family Stork, owner of the same-named specialized wine trade in Lüdinghausen at Weinfachhändlertag 2021

Considered a “veteran” in the industry – if only in the figurative sense – is Jan Stork, Managing Director of the specialist wine trade of the same name in Lüdinghausen. “As a GEV member my dad was practically one of the founding fathers of ProWein. I have personally witnessed the growth of the trade fair since 1995 first hand. Our company has been around since 1982; together with my wife Karin, and Stefan Streckert, the expert of all things spirits, we are constantly developing the business ever further. Unlike many others we do not make any appointment at ProWein – this would just be a waste of time. Besides maintaining contacts the biggest asset of ProWein is the opportunity it offers to scout out young, unknown vintners cutting out the intermediate trade channels. For Stefan Hall 7.0 with the Special Show ‘same but different’ and the spirits hall 11 are, of course, must-goes.”

PS: If I could make a wish for ProWein? Could you please flag up/list those new exhibitors and/or exhibitors without dealers/importers?

Foto: Monika and Hero Janßen, Weinkontor-Nordsee; @ ProWein

Foto: Monika and Hero Janßen, owner of Weinkontors at Weinfachhändlertag 2021

ProWein is also a fixture on the agenda for the winners of this year’s specialist retail award, Monika and Hero Janßen (owners of Weinkontor Nordsee in Esens). Six years ago Monika from the Palatinate and Hero from North Germany opened their ‘Weincafe & Weinhandel’ with a great deal of passion and they have been regular visitors to ProWein for five years now. “ProWein is a fixture. It is the ideal tool for us to continuously build and expand our range. You should not forget after all that we are about 700 kilometres away from the wine-growing regions in Germany’s south. Düsseldorf to us is almost “round the corner”, so to speak. Here we can always update our assortment, 80% of which is made up of German wines. Other wine trade fairs? Not for us (right now).”

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