The conference schedule for WinePro has been announced with the theme of Innovate, Elevate, Celebrate.
Taking place in Blenheim on June 25-27, WinePro features talks and panels in the fields of tech, environment, labour, the future of the industry and more.
Speakers and panellists include doctors, CEOs, government officials, representatives from businesses and trusts and the New Zealander of the Year for 2024.
A summary of speaker highlights:
Tech Advancements:
AI in Wine – Rachel O’Shea from Yabble will go through cases of AI use for the wine industry from research and innovation to international markets and beyond.
Sustainable Practices:
Frugal Bottle Revolution – The world’s first paper bottle for wine and spirits which reduces carbon output by 84%. Video from Frugalpac with Malcolm Waugh CEO supported in person by Mother of Pearl and Mothers Ruined to explain their story.
Climate & Viticulture – Seasonal climate changes and how this affects viticulture: Building resilience. Hosted by Dr Jim Salinge, Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year 2024.
Vineyard Redevelopment – Everything you need to know about the vineyard redevelopment process. Guideline of the do’s and don’ts. Hosted by Stuart Dudley and a selected viticulture industry panel.
Reinventing Fining – Learn about the latest in sustainable alternatives for fining and the technological advancements empowering winemakers to tailor the sensory of their wines, with precision – and, without excessive waste. Hosted by Jonathan Engle of amaea.
Emerging Industry Trends :
Automation in Agriculture – What is the problem trying to be solved? Where are we now with automation? Does it reduce our labour needs? What are our expectations, what is the big dream, and where could it go? Hosted by Josh McCulloch, Autonabit, Andrew Kersley, Smart Machine & Brock Campbell, Cloudy Bay.
Future Labour Challenges – The future demography of regions will continue to change with implications for labour supply. What will New Zealand’s population look like in 2038 and are New Zealand’s rural and primary sectors prepared for this? Hosted by Prof. Emeritus Paul Spoonley.
Understanding the Wine Industry’s Workforce – A national wine industry research project has discovered common themes in wine industry workforce trends across NZ and Australia. Hosted by project lead, Amanda Reid from BERL.
Growth Opportunities for NZ Wine:
What is the government’s roadmap to doubling wine export value? – Hosted by Jenny Cameron, MPI Chief Transformation Officer.
Alongside the talks, there will be exhibits for the latest and greatest in innovations and technologies, supplier stalls, as well as networking sessions for professionals to connect, such as the Women in Wine Breakfast session (Thurs 27th, 7.30am-9am), Happy Hour (Tues 25th & Wed 26th, 3.30pm-4.30pm) and Wine Tastings with experts (daily).
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