The Algarve Trade Experience returns on the 9th and 10th of March for its 11th edition, reinforcing its position as one of the most relevant professional meetings in the drinks sector in Portugal. Promoted by Garrafeira Soares, the event takes place at the Algarve Congress Palace, bringing together more than three thousand professionals and around 500 national and international brands.
In a global context marked by changes in consumption habits, new consumer demands and growing challenges for producers and brands, the Algarve Trade Experience is a space for strategic reflection, qualified dialogue and business generation, bringing together winemakers, producers, bartenders, brand builders and decision-makers in the sector.
Under a new concept, the 2026 edition will be entirely B2B, designed exclusively for brands and customers, with a focus on sharing knowledge, presenting strategies and creating concrete opportunities for the sector. Inspired by the great cinema classics, the event transforms one of the largest theaters in the region into a business stage where each brand directly presents its portfolio and its vision of the future.
“The Algarve Trade Experience is the stage where the drinks sector comes together to tell its own story. Inspired by the world of cinema, we wanted to create a space where each brand, each producer and each professional has a voice, protagonism and a clear role in building the future. More than watching, it’s time to enter the scene, share visions and, together, write the next chapter of the sector”, says Rita Soares, CEO of Garrafeira Soares.
Tests, debates and strategic networking
Over the two days, the program is divided into special tests, Trade Talks Wine & Spirits, masterclasses and moments of networkingdesigned to provide a comprehensive understanding of the present and future of the beverage industry.
The mornings are dedicated to exclusive tastings led by reference houses, such as Buçaco, Dom Pérignon, Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, Kopke, Chryseia and Sogrape. In parallel, there are Trade Talksfocusing on topics such as the evolution of consumption occasions, the impact of health on consumer decisions, alternatives to alcohol and the adaptation of brands to new generations, with emphasis on Generation Z.
The program also addresses structural issues, such as the resilience of categories, market adaptation models and the balance between creativity, profitability and scale in innovation and mixology.
During the afternoons, the event focuses on direct contact between brands and professionals, in an environment focused on presenting portfolios, developing partnerships and generating business opportunities.
Under the cinema theme, two films will also be shown in the auditorium of the Palácio de Congressos do Algarve: on March 9th, “Setembro a Vida Inteira”, by Ana Sofia Fonseca, and, on March 10th, “Cocktail”, by Roger Donaldson.
Held in the country’s main tourist region, the Algarve Trade Experience reinforces the strategic link between the drinks sector and tourism, positioning the Algarve as a key territory for producers who intend to consolidate their international presence.
With more than a decade of existence, it asserts itself as “an essential space for thinking about the present and designing the future of the beverage sector, anticipating trends and promoting a strategic and integrated vision of the industry”.
PROGRAM:
MARCH 9TH
Special tests:
Buçaco – Historical Selection of the Buçaco Palace Winery
Time: 10:00
Dom Perignon – Dom Pérignon Legacy, The Absolute Commitment With Vintage
Time: 11:00
Herdade da Malhadinha Nova – Malhadinha: a 25-year history
Time: 12:00
Trade Talks:
Which categories are really at risk and which are adapting best?
Time: 10:00
The evolution in the way we socialize and the impact on the beverage industry
Time: 11:00
Who is Generation Z and how can we prepare for this new market?
consumers?
Time: 12:00
Lunch: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova
Time: 13:00
Event: Time: 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
MARCH 10TH
Special tests:
Kopke – Memories of Porto Kopke: Harvests that cross Decades
Time: 10:00
Chryseia – Prova Vertical Chryseia – Prats & Symington
Time: 11:00 am
Sogrape Série Ímpar – Quinta de Azevedo & Série Ímpar: Tradition on Stage, Innovation
in Bottle
Time: 12:00
Trade Talks:
Health: the true enemy of consumption… or our greatest opportunity?
Time: 10:00
Alternatives to alcohol: fad or new pillar of the industry?
Time: 11:00
Innovation and mixology – creativity, profitability and scale. How to balance?
Time: 12:00
Lunch: Sogrape
Time: 13:00
Event time: 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
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