Regional Institute of Wine and Oil

Sicilia Gusto Mediterraneo, success in Frankfurt and Munich

Frankfurt and Munich. These were the first two stages, 8 and 10 October, of the "Sicilia Gusto Mediterraneo" road show, the initiative conceived and organized by PRC Re Pubbliche and promoted by IRVOS to encourage the products of Sicilian wine, oil and fish companies on the German market. Great success due to the presence of high-end importers and restaurateurs registered. German buyers have proven to be increasingly attentive to seizing opportunities like this, that is, having the opportunity to personally meet producers.

Twenty-two participating wineries, six olive growing companies and three companies in the fish canning industry. The basis of success is careful preparation work and classification by price range and product quality. Eighty labels tasted, including reds (43), whites (26), rosées (2) and sweet wines (9). The big names were not long in coming, national importers of the caliber of Silvia Miebach and Heinz Hein, well established in the network of large supermarkets. Importers who work directly with Kaufhof of the caliber of Saffer Wein and wholesalers such as Andreas Saffer and Angelika Schütze. But not only that, distributors of the caliber of Farnetani and Guido Giovo were also present. The direct conversation also represented an important opportunity for the numerous restaurant and wine store owners who attended with the aim of intercepting the innovations that Sicilian producers wanted to reserve for the German market. Top restaurants and wholesalers such as GES, Dallmayr Alois, Seehaus, attended not only for the BtoB meetings but also during the guided tastings. The average number of meetings per company was eight in two days, with peaks of eighteen meetings in the case of the Sicilian fish which represented a further incentive for participation together with a selection of extra virgin olive oils from PDO but also organic, aromatic ones coming from different cultivars. The road show was held at the prestigious Hotel Jumeirah in Frankfurt and Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich.