Janosky & Strenge Return from London -- Enthusiastic About Exporting Washington State Wines
Exciting opportunities discovered at the World’s Largest Wine Trade Show
Prosser, WA (PRWEB) June 18, 2010
Having just returned from their participation in the 30th annual London International Wine Fair (LIWF) at the London ExCel, May 18-20th, Janosky & Strenge could not be more enthusiastic about their venture into the Washington wine export business. The trade-only event attracted an impressive 13,700 visitors, despite volcanic ash warnings and British Airways strike issues, according to the official show website (2010.londonwinefair. com). Also according to the show site, roughly three-quarters of the visitors typically represent the United Kingdom, the world’s largest import market for wine. The remaining visitors come from all over the world in order to see the latest trends in the global wine industry.
James Murray, event director for the LIWF commented: "the LIWF's anniversary year has seen extremely positive feedback from across the board, and it has been so pleasing to see the wine trade getting back on its feet after a difficult eighteen months. It's extraordinary to have welcomed more international visitors this year, despite the travel problems that many experienced, and our UK audience has remained very solid in the face of a shrinking market and declining numbers of retailers. Throughout the three days, exhibitors have reported an impressive attendance from key individuals from the UK and overseas, and the level of business being done was very high indeed."
Thomas Strenge, co-founder and San Francisco-based entrepreneur, explains, “Our participation in the London Wine Fair is part of an on-going campaign to educate buyers and introduce Washington wines to the world. We are looking to partner with those who understand that steady growth, commitment to quality and hard work are the keys to long term success.”
“We are incredibly pleased with our decision to participate in this event,” relates Sheryl Janosky, partner and co-founder of Janosky & Strenge. “I was impressed with the number and quality of booth visitors. We acquired more than fifty solid contacts and learned so much more about wine export in general, consumer tastes in different countries, feedback on our clients’ wines and packaging, and the various methods of moving wine into those foreign countries. Just the education alone was priceless,” she adds.
Janosky & Strenge shared an 80m² stand (more than 800 square feet of booth space) with other Washington wineries as well as an Oregon contingent. The Washington Wine Commission (www. washingtonwine. org) successfully organized the booth and the participants. Other attendees from Washington represented: Milbrandt Vineyards, Hedges Family Estates, Precept Brands, Powers, L’Ecole 41 and Chateau Ste. Michelle.
Washington State Wine Commission UK representative, Mike Coveney, commented “We were delighted that Janosky and Strenge came to the London International Wine Fair this year. We have developed a lot of interest in Washington State wines here in the UK and we need a flow of new wineries, seeking to explore the export markets, in order to maintain the momentum we have created. Their support for our efforts in this market is invaluable.”
Janosky & Strenge proudly represented four Washington State wineries: Barnard-Griffin, Claar Cellars, Airfield Estates and Mercer Estates. More information on a few of those wineries is listed below.
Barnard-Griffin (www. barnardgriffin. com) is the premier family owned winery in Washington and a prime example of the consistently superior quality produced in the state, year after year. With nearly thirty-five years of experience making wine, winemaker and co-owner Rob Griffin is one of Washington’s most experienced winemakers. The winery was founded in 1983 by Deborah Barnard and Rob Griffin. The future looks bright as their daughters are entering the business now as well.
Claar Cellars (www. claarcellars. com) is located on a beautiful bend of the Columbia River. The owners, Bob and Crista Whitelatch, both Navy veterans, bring a deep respect and love of the land. Their championship of sustainability has earned them awards and dramatically reduced erosion on their part of the river. Quality is always on Bob’s mind as he employs state-of-the-art half-micron filtration systems.
Airfield Estates (www. airfieldwines. com) and Mercer Estates (www. mercerwine. com) round out Janosky & Strenge’s presentation of wines.
Janosky & Strenge is a wine export firm specializing in the wines of Washington State. The company is based in Prosser, Washington. Learn more at http://www. discoverWAwines. com (http://www. discoverWAwines. com).
# # #
