Tell us about this new kind of tasting you are planning that you say is exclusively for drinks buyers?
After several years of watching how the UK trade shows have developed, it struck me that the market needed something more suitable. I had numerous conversations with brand owners, wholesalers, drinks businesses small and large, and the feedback was positive.
They spoke of a curated audience, not having to spend large sums of money on participation, and having a well-designed turnkey solution that saved on time and resource. They also invariably mentioned that it should be at a suitable time of year, ideally in the autumn or spring.
When you say a drinks buyer - what do you mean -does that cover all channels of the market a sommelier, wine merchant, supplier, importer?
The Trade Only Tasting hopes to be a new cost effective way for drinks producers and buyers to do business
Indeed. How long is a piece of string?
There is always some grey area, but largely speaking, in terms of an event, it's the businesses producing, promoting and/or importing the product who are the exhibitors, and those who source from them the buyers (visitors). So, in this scenario, the buyers who are able to attend TOT will come from on-trade retail of all sizes and types, from the multiples to the independents, and online too. From the on-trade we are talking about restaurant group buyers through to independent pubs, and all variants in between, including aviation and cruise operators etc.
There are also the regional wholesalers, who may well import directly, but also buy from importers and national distributors, so their buyers would quality as visitors to the event.
If anyone would like to comment on that please do, I'm forming an advisory board, so that the industry can tell us who should qualify, so I'm happy to stand corrected.
Considering all the importer tastings and major international fairs and the London Wine Fair why do you think there is a gap in the market for this kind of event?
I think it is because of all the importer tastings, major international events and domestic events of various types, there is a gap in the market. I'll explain...
Some of my ex-colleagues who now have roles at the very top of multiple retail buying undoubtedly go to the major international shows, where they can visit the stands of several of the UK distributors and importers they buy from, but not all.
The same is certainly true of large on-trade operators, who will make the journey. But they too are not able to meet with all of their key import partners, as they are not all there.
When it comes to importer tastings, big retail buyers don't have the time to go to them all and would benefit from having an event where all of their key suppliers are in one space, at a time of year when decisions are being made. This is also true for the mid-sized and independent retails (on and off-trade) who are often time poor, so neither major international events, nor numerous importer tastings are an option when you have to run a retail business day to day.
As for the existing domestic exhibitions, of which we will be one, there is a different challenge. First of all, there are events for wine, others for spirits, some for beer, and now for no and low. So again, we are asking the time poor buyers to travel numerous times a year for each category.
Secondly, and more important still, existing events are expensive to take part at, and not enough of the leading buyers are attending. As a result, the cost-to-benefit proposition isn't stacking up anymore, which is why fewer and fewer importers, brand owners and producers of note are taking part.
Which brings us to our abridged version. There is a gap in the market, we need a cost-effective domestic event serving retail and regional buyers of all types. One where all of their suppliers take part, that has a broad selection of category options to select from, held at a time of year when they want to buy.
You specifically say you want to promote a sampling and sourcing event - what do you mean by that?
A mock-up of the Tasting Pod designs that will be a low cost solution for drinks producers and suppliers to take part in Trade Only Tasting
TOT has been designed to put the product front and centre. The Tasting Pods are set out, so they aren't deep, but the tasting counters are long. As a result, the event leads with sampling, there is no escaping it. We called it the Trade Only Tasting because of the nature of the vetted audience, they are there to source product; to trade.
I think it's important that we set out a clear point of difference, and whilst I agree that there is some value in using events as a brand building exercise, that is not what TOT does. Certainly not as its primary function. TOT is about trade, buying and selling, plain and simple.
Why are you looking to host the event in October when all the other major tasting and buyer events - Wine Paris / Prowein/ London Wine Fair - are in the first half of the year?
We consulted with many businesses in the industry, and they told us that it was September/October or February/March. We wanted to get into the market this year, and October was where we settled. That said, we are talking to numerous exhibitors about when TOT should take place from 2026 and then ongoing, and there are many voices saying February and March.
Given that TOT is a 'walk up' event (exhibitors don't build their own stands), we are confident that we could find a time at the same time of year as the major shows, particularly if it means our friends and colleagues from the southern hemisphere could benefit from a single trip up north.
This is another agenda point for our advisory board, so please get in touch is you would like to be part of that conversation.
Are you leaning on your experience at London Wine Fair to come up with an event that can find a new way of doing things - if so what?
Yes, it would be dishonest to say otherwise. But not only that. Having spent as many years in the trade as I did at LWF, I've been party to many a conversation about the requirements the key businesses have from events.
Added to that, when I had the privilege of working at PLB, I got to know a group of people of a similar age (several years ago), who have all gone on to stellar careers across the industry. Many of them are now senior managers at leading import businesses, drinks logistics businesses, PR firms for the trade and others who are head buyers at retailers and on-trade groups.
One of them has become an MW - you know who you are! They are always generous with their time, and many have played a part in creation of TOT.
You are also looking to cut the cost for producers to exhibit - how are you doing that?
We are, but not at the expense of a high-quality product. In truth it's quite simple. We build all of the stands (Tasting Pods), so we benefit from the economies of scale. Also, the BDC in Islington, is not as expensive at the better-known exhibition venues.
For those who might ask why that is, the two big venues in London have a monopoly, and charge accordingly. Whilst the BCD is smaller, we can still accommodate more than enough Pods, and it happens to be easier to get to.
With the saving on build costs, and venue fees, we can provide a significantly more cost-effective solution. Better still, we can provide purpose build Pods; solid, sunsataiable structures, with built-in bottle displays and long tasting counters. So, as well as being more cost effective, it's a high quality, 'turn up and take part' offer, which saves on time and resource.
What sort of drinks companies do you want to attract? UK based or international?
The Trade Only Tasting will be held at London's Business Design Centre
Any business that wants to sell drinks products to the retail buyers detailed above. So, importers, agency houses, wholesalers, brand owners, brewers, distillers, winemakers, and no & low producers amongst others.
They can be either domestic or overseas businesses, but they must be sampling product, as that is what the Pods are made for. What this does mean, is that no service providing businesses will be able to take part as an exhibitor, which was important to us, as we were told that the event should be drinks product led.
However, we are reserving all sponsorship opportunities for service providing businesses, and to the exclusion of drinks supplying businesses. The visibility that sponsorship provides is better suited to service providers, as they are often looking to engage with both exhibitors and visitors.
You are organising this with Quartz Tasting Events - can you tell us about them?
Quartz Business Media is an exhibition organiser based in the UK. It's mid-sized, entrepreneurial and looking to expand into new markets. I wanted to partner with a business that was dynamic, and I also wanted to avoid the red tape that comes with corporate exhibition companies. I presented the concept to several businesses and Quartz fit the bill in every way.
What plans do you have for the show in year one and then how do you hope to build on it?
My goal for year one is to have nearly all of the best-known businesses in the sector dip their toe in. It is a launch show after all, and I'm not expecting them to buy numerous Pods each. The most important outcome is that we have as many of the leading businesses across beers, wines and spirits as possible taking part, so that come October we can safely say that at TOT, you can find the whole of the market, in one place, at one time.
After that, and once we have shown we can deliver on quality of product and audience, all for a very affordable fee, our ambition is to see them take part in a more significant way and we grow the event to the benefit of exhibitors and visitors, whilst never compromising on our mission.
Anything else to say?
We are proud to be partnering with The Drinks Trust, and everyone who walks through the doors of TOT, exhibitor and visitor, will be asked to donate £10 directly to the charity. Our aim is to raise £10,000 at the event, and to further our aim of being by the industry, for the industry.
* The Trade Only Tasting takes places at the Business Design Centre in London on October 14-15, 2025.
* If you would like to find out more about Trade Only Tasting then email Ross Carter on ross@tradeonlytasting.com or go to www.tradeonlytasting.com.
