Simply Italian Great Wines
EUROPE TOUR
27th - 29th April 2026
Stockholm • Belgrade
Simply Italian Great Wines, the event created by IEM – International Exhibition Management to promote Italian wine worldwide, will return to two key markets: Serbia and Sweden, with stops in Belgrade and Stockholm.
The two Simply Italian events are specifically designed to give Italian producers the opportunity to meet directly with local professionals (importers, sommeliers, the Ho.Re.Ca. channel) and trade press, fostering the establishment and strengthening of business relationships. The primary goal is to enhance and communicate the value of Italian wine, giving visibility to leading wineries through a rich program of seminars, guided tastings, and workshops.
Serbia
The Serbian wine market shows positive dynamics, driven by growing domestic demand and a gradual improvement in local production quality, with an internal output of about 544,000 hectoliters across 20,000 hectares of vineyards. Serbia boasts a tradition that combines international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay with native ones like Prokupac.
Wine consumption is increasing, especially in the quality segment, with strong growth in white wines and a central role played by the Ho.Re.Ca. channel and large-scale retail. In this context, Italy remains one of Serbia’s main wine suppliers, thanks to the reputation of Made in Italy and a diverse offering ranging from Tuscan reds to sparkling wines, with Prosecco leading the way.
From a regulatory perspective, Serbia applies a preferential quota allowing the import of 2.5 million liters of wine from the EU at zero duty each year for containers up to two liters.
Growth prospects are promising: the Serbian market shows increasing interest in premium wines and sparkling wines and represents a strategic point for Italy in the Balkans, with an average annual increase of 10% in Italian agri-food exports since 2010. The most promising channels remain Ho.Re.Ca., large-scale retail, and e-commerce, where campaigns dedicated to Made in Italy are consolidating the presence of Italian wines.
Sweden
The Swedish wine market is entirely based on imports, as there is no local production. Historically, alcohol trade was strictly controlled by the state through a monopoly, but after joining the EU in 1995, production and importation were liberalized, while retail sales remain under the monopoly of Systembolaget, which operates about 500 stores and covers 85% of the market.
High taxation and strict restrictions on advertising, opening hours, and age limits make the sector complex, but they have not stopped its growth.
Over the past ten years, wine consumption has increased by 26%, reaching about 21 liters per capita annually. In 2019, Sweden imported 200 million liters of wine worth €686 million, with red wines predominating.
In terms of value, the main suppliers are France, Italy, and Spain, while in volume, Italy ranks first. Beyond the official channel, consumption through the black market, smuggling, and tax-free purchases is also significant, together accounting for over 20% of the market.
The sector remains promising, but accessing it requires licenses, adaptation to local demands, and specific packaging such as 3-liter bag-in-box, which is very popular among Swedish consumers.
Join this event
The event structure is divided into four key parts:
- Informational seminar and guided tasting
- Sales workshop/Walk-around tasting
- Evening events
- B2B meetings
To participate or receive more information, contatct us:
I.E.M. International Exhibition Management
e-mail info@iem.it
phone. 045-8303264
fax 045-8303296