Organised by the Wine Auxiliary Industry Association, which is part of the FER (Federation of La Rioja Businesses), this third and most participative edition of the event was a great success, with the support of ADER and CaixaBank.
The 3rd edition of “Strengthening the Wine Value Chain: Consumer Trends and Changes in Commercialisation”, held on 3 and 4 July at the Rioja Conference Centre and Auditorium – Riojaforum – was a highly anticipated success, consolidating the Wine Auxiliary Industry Forum as a national benchmark.
Elena Ceca, CEO of Tonelería Murúa and President of the Wine Auxiliary Industry Association, emphasised “the importance of innovating and improving in collaboration with wineries so that we can all move forward together. It’s a challenging path, as we all know, but I believe we are making progress by working together.”
“We are working with companies that bring a lot of innovation, along with developments in areas such as artificial intelligence, drone technology, and data-driven approaches to boost efficiency. All these projects contribute to greater competitiveness,” she added.
Belinda León, Regional Minister for Economy, Business, Innovation and Self-Employment, stated that “the quality of wine is also thanks to the entire value chain provided by the wine auxiliary industries. These companies enable us to export not only the quality of our wines but also this valuable value chain, which is a driving force and brand ambassador for La Rioja in the global market.”
With over 200 participants, including business representatives from the auxiliary industry and wineries, along with speakers and experts, the third edition of this forum was sponsored by the Government of La Rioja through ADER and supported by CaixaBank.
This edition focused on two key topics in the current global wine context: consumer trends and commercialisation.
The wine sector continues to undergo a transformation driven by various factors, such as shifting consumer preferences, major technological advances, climate change, innovation in packaging, and significant governmental policies and regulations.
The event brought together companies, experts, and professionals from across the wine value chain to discuss global wine trends, promote knowledge exchange, foster collaboration and innovation, and support the sector’s ability to adapt to the ever-changing demands of international consumers.
The insights gathered from the discussions aim to help shape strategies and actions towards a more sustainable, innovative, and competitive wine industry.
Wine Auxiliary Industry Association
The Wine Auxiliary Industry Association of La Rioja, part of the FER (Federation of La Rioja Businesses), was created to promote and strengthen a sector that encompasses all key elements of the wine auxiliary value chain: manufacturers of capsules, cooperages, tanks, machinery and equipment, packaging and labelling, chemical products applied to wine, software and digitalisation, water management, and environmental services related to wine production.
Its mission is to become a recognised business benchmark with its own identity—boosting and showcasing the potential of the Rioja quality seal within the wine auxiliary sector, both regionally and at national and international levels. This is backed by the association’s extensive experience working closely with Rioja wineries.
The association also aims to support and highlight the achievements of its members and, most importantly, to promote competitiveness, innovation, and internationalisation through collaborative actions.
The association currently comprises 33 companies, employing 1,170 workers and generating a total turnover of €215 million.
