Catalan wineries take part in Expovinos Medellín

From 10 to 13 November, Prodeca is organising the joint participation of Catalan companies at Expovinos 2022 in Medellín (Colombia). Catalan wines will be present through theEspai Catalunya and under the brand "Catalonia, where wine is culture", with the aim of helping promote wine sector companies commercially in the Colombian market and across Latin America.

The exhibition space will feature five Catalan wineries:

• CLOS PACHEM (Priorat)
• BOLET VINS & CAVES (Alt Penedès)
• MAS RODÓ Vitivinícola (Alt Penedès)
• WINEINTUBE (Alt Camp)
• VINICOLA DE NULLES SCCL (Alt Camp)

Catalan wines paired with Colombian dishes

Expovinos is the most important wine fair in the sector in Colombia and one of the best attended in all of Latin America. Organised by Grupo Éxito, Colombia's largest retail chain, it returns in person after a two-year absence. Over four days more than 800 international wines will be on show, along with guided tastings, cooking shows, a competition for the fair's best wine and live music, aiming to bring food and wine culture closer to the Colombian public.

The fair will also have the "Escuela del Vino" space, a programme of 36 wine talks. Catalonia will have a leading role with three talks led by sommeliers Juan Muñoz Ramos and Rafael Arango, who will present the potential of the Catalan wine sector in the talk 'Catalunya al descubierto', accompanied by a specially designed pairing with Colombian dishes.

Latin America, an opportunity for Catalan wines

The show is aimed not only at the Colombian public: importers from other nearby countries such as Mexico and Brazil are also expected, for whom the fair is a gateway for international wines into their markets.

In 2021 Catalonia exported €28.15 million of wine and cava to Latin America, 4.54% of the sector's total export value, with value up 41.61% on 2020 and volume up 39.46%.

These growth figures are holding up in 2022: in the first eight months of the year, compared with the same period in 2021, wine and cava exports to Latin America grew 49.17% in value and 19.36% in volume.

Expovinos, a fair run by Grupo Éxito, Colombia's leading retail chain

The Catalan wineries' presence at Expovinos is the latest collaboration Prodeca has organised with Grupo Éxito, Colombia's largest retail chain. Last year, through the Prodeca-LATAM office, it organised theeBusiness With Grupo Éxito, presenting Catalan companies' offer in the categories of interest to this retail chain, with 45 companies taking part.

Grupo Éxito was also part of the buyer programme Prodeca organised to coincide with Alimentaria 2022 in Barcelona, with the aim of boosting business meetings between Catalan companies and Latin American markets. On that occasion Prodeca arranged a programme of B2B meetings between purchasing managers from a dozen supermarket, restaurant and distribution chains in Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile and Catalan companies, according to their interests and areas of specialisation.

The Prodeca-LATAM office supports Catalan companies in the destination market

In line with its aim of guiding agri-food companies in their international expansion, since 2021 Prodeca has had 14 support offices in various strategic markets to support Catalan companies directly in the destination market with professionals experienced in the agri-food sector.

The Prodeca-LATAM office works on identifying commercial opportunities, organising business meetings with importers and distributors in the destination country and advising on procedures and registration for agri-food products.