“Today it’s Mr. Jack Ma’s birthday. He created a website, some time ago: AliBaba. But website is a little reductive a word. Let’s say he created a cyber place not only for e-commerce, but also to accompany the remarkable number of Chinese consumers in the global world”. That’s how Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi relaunched AliBaba’s “9.9 Global Wine & Spirits Festival”, during his opening speech of 80th Fiera del Levante in Puglia. This year Alibaba Wine Festival celebrates imported wine and spirits growing popularity among Chinese consumers.
Renzi announced that during Alibaba Wine Festival opening day “100 millions Chinese people purchased at least a bottle of wine. And 51 millions of them purchased wine for the first time in their lives. Italian wine manufacturers at 9.9 Festival were only two in April. In September they became 50, proposing 500 different labels thanks to Italy’s Agricultural Politics Minister Maurizio Martina good work. Italy’s wine is now sold out. Last week, before G20 – continued Renzi – I went and see Jack Ma. We know each other since I was Mayor of Florence. He suggested we did something together to promote Italian products in China. In April this year we signed an important agreement during Verona’s Vinitaly fair. The agreement relates to Made in Italy products promotion and protection on the web. I told him to choose a sector, like wine. So, on September 9 AliBaba decided to submit Italian wine to its consumers”.
Finally, Renzi explained he asked Jack Ma to involve Italy’s products. That’s how Italy became guest of honor at AliBaba Wine Festival.