Springlike weather, the charming place they had chosen and the great catalogue of products made a success of BE Day, the first Bar & Beverage Ibiza meeting for professionals, organised by BE Drinks.

Taking place on April 12 in the spacious, comfortable facilities of the restaurant, Es Jardins de Fruitera in Santa Gertrudis, the meeting brought together the leading brands and experts in the Horeca sector in order to publicise the products of their extensive catalogue, including the latest novelties and trends when it comes to drinks, liquors, wines and premium mixers.

It was an intensive day that enabled various experts to discover more about producers, wine cellar owners and commercial representatives of the most important brands. What is more, those who attended had the chance to chat and sample more than 1,000 different products among the 57 exhibitors on show there.

The event was divided into four different zones. With more than 40 bodegas, the wine zone supplied its products for sampling and held a blind sampling for sommeliers. Furthermore, it was possible to chat with owners such as Juan Carlos López de Lacalle, who sprang to fame owing to his prize-winning wine, Viña el Pisón 2004 from Bodegas Artadi, or the vine grower, Javier Sanz, among others.

At the Casa del Champán, another of the zones, fascinating master classes were held by firms such as Nyetimber Wines, Champagne Louis Roederer, Método Barman with Armand de Brignac and Moët Hennessy.

What was known as the Plaza Central was there for novelties from such well-known brands as Coca-Cola and Heineken. Lastly, in the zone devoted to liquors, it was possible to sample a large number of products and see how mixed drinks and cocktails were created. The event also saw the presentation of SeedLip, the world’s first non-alcoholic distilled drink. Accompanying so many marvellous delicacies and there in order to enable those present to stand the intense pace set by so many interesting items on offer, Fran Robles and Carnicería Diego offered delicious plates of recently sliced, acorn-fed Iberian ham.

It was an intense, quality-packed day that the leading distributor in the Horeca sector on the island organised with impeccable taste and exquisite attentiveness. The fact is that professional events at this level are absolutely vital on an island that wishes to offer a high level range of gastronomy.