Partner weekend 17-19 April 2026
Thanks everyone for contributing to a fantastic weekend in Oslo! Below are some summaries and files of interest.
The new venue for the Saturday consumer event was a good experience for exhibitors and the 1700 or so paying visitors alike. More than 10.000 tasting vouchers, a 35 % increase from last year.
We also want some feedback from you, regarding the experience. Please spend 3 minutes to complete our brief survey!
Friday programme and summaries/material:
12:30 Introduction and market update by Samu Suonpää and Holger Gramstad
Anora's Oslo partner conference charts the path through Norway's tightening wine market: Vinmonopolet's 100M NOK cost cuts, 35% fewer tenders, and 28M litres lost to Swedish border trade. The answer — data-led 'white spot' strategy, On-Trade talkability, format innovation, and the 4.7% grocery channel.
13:00 How to launch products that actually sell in modern markets Eric C. Øvrebø, Managing Director, Trendable
Eric Øvrebø (Trendable.ai): Norway's wine market has hit a point of no return — red is below 40% for the first time since 1992, and 80-90% of launches fail. 'Gut feeling' is dead; digital buzz beats retrospective sales.
15:00 Winning Gen Z at the Shelf: How to capture attention in a regulated monopoly market – Gerard Higgins, Marketing Manager, Anora
On why the Nordics are wine's global 'crystal ball' — and how four Gen Z segments (Modest, Trendy, Social, Independent) are redrawing the map. Brands must borrow from Beauty and craft beer: story-first, digital-first, community-first. In a dark market, the product IS the marketing.
16:00 Is wine losing the next generation – or is Gen Z changing wine? Panel discussion: Gerard Higgins, Jimmy Örnewald (Restaurateur Stranden 30 & Jimmy’s) and Thea Engvik (Gen Z-er, author, chef and influencer @theasmaker). Moderator: Sebastian Bredal MW, Wine Director, Anora.
Sebastian Bredal MW, Gerard Higgins, Jimmy Örnewald and Thea Engvik rewrite BLIC for Gen Z. Balance is hyper-moderation, length is 6 seconds of attention, complexity is a handicap. Lead with vibe, not vintage — heritage is second-stage storytelling only.
