Cantina Mingazzini in London: Shop Safari with ICE ahead of the Borsa Vini

On January 20, Cantina Mingazzini took part in the Shop Safari organised by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) in London, an initiative promoted by the Trade Promotion Section of the Italian Embassy, ahead of the London Borsa Vini on January 21.

The Shop Safari represented an opportunity for direct engagement with the UK market through a guided visit to a selection of key retail outlets and operators within London’s wine retail and on-trade landscape, offering a concrete insight into commercial dynamics, assortment strategies and current consumer trends in the United Kingdom.

A tour through retail, wine bars and specialist merchants

Over the course of the afternoon, the delegation visited a range of commercial formats, including premium supermarkets, innovative wine bars and long-established independent merchants. The programme included stops at Waitrose, Vagabond Wines, Friarwood, Lea & Sandeman, The Winery and Majestic Wine—very different businesses in terms of positioning, target audience and business model, yet united by a strong focus on quality and product selection.

This variety of approaches made it possible to closely observe how Italian wine is currently presented, valued and positioned on shelves and wine lists in London, with increasing attention to themes such as producer identity, stylistic clarity, sustainability and value for money.

The value of hands-on experience

Taking part in the Shop Safari meant going beyond theory for Cantina Mingazzini, engaging directly with real market dynamics: from the role of importers to promotional strategies, from the weight of historic labels to the growing interest in more contemporary and versatile offerings.

It was a valuable opportunity to gather insights useful for commercial development and to strengthen understanding of a strategic market such as the UK, long attentive to Italian wine yet constantly evolving in its consumption habits and communication styles.

An international outlook rooted in the territory

The London experience fits into Cantina Mingazzini’s broader path of growth and international openness, as the winery continues to bring abroad a vision of wine that is deeply rooted in its territory while capable of engaging with international markets, adapting to different contexts without losing its identity.