ProWein, the world-leading trade fair for wines and spirits, will present a dedicated forum for business topics for the first time at its 2025 edition. On all three days of the trade fair an extensive programme will be featured. The Business Forum is an exclusive platform for knowledge transfer, industry exchange and inspiration. ProWein will not only showcase a comprehensive, global line-up of wine and spirits ranges; the leading trade fair for the international industry also aspires to curate current themes and trends. This aspiration already includes numerous highlight zones such as ProWein Zero, the Champagne Lounge, Organic World, Packaging & Design, urban gastronomy, and the Concept Store. A new addition is the Business Forum complementing the Masterclass Forum.

Cutting edge for successful business

The ProWein Business Forum in Hall 16 will address current industry topics of special relevance in the face of multiple challenges – ranging from tomorrow’s wine consumers to modern wine marketing and sustainability. “The new Business Forum is designed to provide the wine sector with guidance and present alternative options,” explains Peter Schmitz, Director of ProWein, and adds: “This is our response to the wish for more exchange on current business topics.”

The Business Forum will be organised and facilitated by American wine expert Cathy Huyghe. An award-winning journalist, Huyghe writes for Forbes, is a successful entrepreneur in wine technology as well as co-founder and CEO of Enolytics, a data-driven business-intelligence provider serving beverage producers all over the world.

Three trade fair days – three focal themes

On each day of the trade fair the Business Forum in Hall 16 will have its own thematic focus. On the ProWein Sunday everything will revolve around tomorrow’s wine consumers. Experts highlight new target groups worldwide and their interests, will elaborate on the development of individual price segments and discuss wines and spirits in the context of a changing health awareness.

The ProWein Monday will place modern wine marketing centre stage with the title “I am a Buyer and I’m Here to Learn…”. Various sessions are dedicated to optimally leveraging ProWein itself, the use of AI by wine merchants and the use of social media channels by the industry with a focus on TikTok. Using data to bypass traditional distribution silos will also be discussed.

The ProWein Tuesday will focus on sustainability – dealing with alternative grape varieties and the impact of climate change on individual wine-growing regions, to name but two themes. In addition, excerpts from the current ProWein Business Report will be presented. The detailed agenda will be available on the ProWein website starting in February.

Versatile and international

The Business Forum complements the extensive offering of ProWein 2025 held in Düsseldorf from 16 to 18 March. Expected are some 5,400 exhibitors from more than 65 nations. Experts from throughout the world can obtain a unique overview of the complete world of wines and spirits, get to know all relevant wine regions in all their breadth and depth and taste spirits from all over the world.

Photo : Cathy Huyghe – ProWein in Düsseldorf is the world’s leading trade fair for wine and spirits, and is the largest industry platform for professionals from viticulture, production, trade and gastronomy. From 10 – 12 March 2024 about 5,400 exhibitors from 65 Nations showcase their products.

For more information and tickets go to www.prowein.com.

This article was published on November 23rd, 2024.