USA Trade Tasting 2016 Toasts to Overwhelming Success

Beverage Industry trade professionals came together this week to participate in the inaugural USA Trade Tasting event at the Metropolitan Pavilion in downtown Manhattan. With 180 exhibitors and 2000 visitors, USATT attracted industry-leading organizations from popular wine regions in France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, and Portugal, and award-winning spirits, cider and craft brew producers from around the world.

With more than 1000 distinctive SKUs on offer, its no wonder USATT brought a big turn-out. Importers, distributors and retailers came to taste new brands from over thirty countries.

In addition to the exhibition, complementary campaigns were launched including the extremely successful Brand Pitch Sessions, which presented a streamlining model for networking that facilitates the matching of brand owners with importers, distributors, and retailers; and a range of masterclasses situated around Wines of South Africa, World of Whiskies, and the New York Wines Organization.

On the third day, some of the best known leaders in the industry brought it home by offering key strategic insights for up-and-coming brands, during the much-anticipated BTN Educational Conference. Presentations were structured around a ‘how-to’ tutorial format and included topics around best practices in sales, distribution and marketing; they provided essential take-aways for the day-to-day operation of effective businesses. Notable presentations included: an extensive workshop on creating the perfect story by Kindra Hall; an in-depth market analysis from Danny Brager of Nielsen, and a study regarding the benefits and challenges in establishing a resilient employee base from Josh Wand, of BevForce.

“We are extremely pleased with the response we’ve received from the exhibitor’s at USATT’s inaugural event,” said Sid Patel, the CEO of Beverage Trade Network and Director of USA Trade Tasting. “The quality of the visitors and the satisfaction of both distributors and importers alike has set the bar extremely high for years to come.”

Patel’s enthusiasm was shared by people who attended the event. In attendance were a diversity of independent media outlets and reporters,  including the Beverage Media Group; Food and Beverage Magazine; The SOMM Journal; Meigner’s; The Tasting Panel; Artisan Spirit; Distillery Age; Drinks International; The Beverage Journal; Distillery Trail; Microshiner; and Wine & Craft Beverage World.

USATT was organized and hosted by www.BeverageTradeNetwork.com, the industry’s leading online platform for fostering connections between importers, distributors and suppliers from around the world. “Results from this year’s show clearly demonstrate that the trade show model for networking developed by BTN is effective within the constraints of the three-tier system,” said industry veteran Steve Raye, President of Bevology Consulting. “The arrival of USATT on the annual industry calendar signals an opening of the door to better business.”

Next year’s USA Trade Tasting will take place at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York. For more information on USATT 2017, please visit www.usatradetasting.com, or contact Beverage Trade Network: (e) info@beveragetradenetwork.com (t) +1.941.592.9254.