Until now, there hasn’t been a trade show to serve the explosive growth of the multibillion dollar craft beverage industry.

Next year, though, a new event produced by VP International, the Craft Beverage Expo, will launch May 6-8 at the San Jose (Calif.) McEnery Convention Center for an industry that encompasses boutique wineries, craft breweries, craft distilleries and other producers of small batch hand-made alcoholic beverages.

“We want to give a voice to the craft beverage producers whose needs are very different from traditional large-scale producers,” said Kellie Shevlin, executive director of Craft Beverage Expo.

She added, “Our mission is to help producers in each market segment find solutions tailored to the size and scope of their operation. Craft Beverage Expo will provide the access they need to distributors and vendors that want to work with smaller beverage producers.”

Michael Kaiser, director of communications for WineAmerica, added, “Because craft producers cannot compete on price or scale, competition for distribution is a constant struggle.”

He said the show will help fill a void for smaller producers to be seen in the marketplace, as well as create a good marketing opportunity. Marketing Design Group has been brought on to market the show itself.

Organizers said they plan to bring together the entire craft beverage industry to look at best practices from all of the vertical beverage markets.

“Craft Beverage Expo is the only event that I’m aware of that unites all segments of our industry at one time in one place,” said Tom McCormick, executive director of the California Craft Brewers Association.

He added, “It’s a tremendous opportunity for craft beer, wine and spirits producers to get the tools and education they need, especially on the business, sales and marketing end, to compete effectively in the marketplace and be successful.”  

CCBA and other associations representing the craft beverage industry are working in conjunction with the show, according to Vinnie Polito, who heads VP International.

And, with what organizers said are changes in government regulations that will allow even more craft beverage producers to enter the marketplace, the need for a show to serve that market is “even more important.”

This is the fourth, recent launch announced by VP International in which they will be managing the show.

The previous ones include a U.S. News & World Report event - the Hospital of Tomorrow conference, Nov. 4-6 in Washington, D.C.; Medical World Americas, a collaboration between the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau and Messe Duesseldorf North America, April 28-30, 2014, at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center; and Total Energy USA, which ran last October also in Houston and is on tap again this year.