From Importer To Shelf. How America’s Three-Tier System Really Moves Wine

Getting into America is not the same as selling wine in America

The US three-tier system connects producers to consumers through importers and suppliers, wholesalers and distributors, and ultimately on- and off-premise retailers. Each tier has its own economics, priorities and pressures, and success depends on far more than simply securing representation.

What makes an importer take on a new Italian winery? What convinces a distributor to allocate sales resources to the brand? How does a wine move from a distributor book into a restaurant, independent wine shop or national retail account? And once it gets there, who is responsible for making sure it actually sells?

This panel brings together senior representatives from importing, distribution, wholesale and retail to examine where responsibility changes hands, where communication breaks down and what Italian producers need to contribute at every stage.

Rather than explaining the system from a regulatory perspective, the session focuses on its commercial reality: portfolio pressure, margins, depletion, market support, inventory, velocity and the relationships that determine whether a wine gains traction or disappears into an increasingly crowded book.

Who owns the sale at each stage, and what does it take to keep the bottle moving?

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Please note: Session times and schedule may change. We recommend checking the app regularly for real-time updates.