March 19, 2025 — ProWein 2025, International Trade Fair for Wines and Spirits, has sent a clear signal for innovation, vision and future viability in challenging times for the worldwide wine and spirits sector facing internationally declining sales and the threat of trade barriers. The event succeeded in highlighting future prospects, providing impetus, setting trends and facilitating numerous successful business deals.
Platform for global networking
Around 4,200 exhibitors from 65 nations presented their wines and spirits in eleven exhibition halls at the exhibition center in Düsseldorf, Germany. All relevant wine regions were represented with their major market leaders. Despite the tense market situation, the quality of the event remained at an extremely high level.
“In difficult sales times, ProWein shows it is the industry’s go-to trade fair where producers can successfully plan their business year. ProWein’s long-standing international profile and expertise is impressive proof of this and underpins its outstanding position in the highly competitive global fair trade market. We are very proud to have been on the market for over 30 years and to have developed such a unique networking and sales event,” explains Marius Berlemann, Chief Operating Officer of Messe Düsseldorf.
Successful trade fair business due to numerous top decision-makers
About 42,000 trade visitors from 128 countries traveled to Düsseldorf to see the latest developments in the sector, meet important exhibitors and establish valuable business relationships. Almost half of the top buyers from food retail, specialist and online retail and the restaurant/catering sector came from Germany, one of the most important import markets. But ProWein also attracts international, high-purchasing trade visitors from the central European sales markets Benelux, Great Britain and Scandinavia. Decision-makers and buyers with purchasing authority also traveled from the U.S., Japan, South Korea and China. The trade visitors showed great interest in German wines, but also in the entire international range. They gave ProWein top marks, with 94% rating their visit to the trade fair as successful.
“ProWein has been a fantastic experience. It plays a critical role in keeping the global wine world connected, trading ideas and continuing the flow of international wine and spirits commerce. It was great to see and taste with so many familiar producers and suppliers and an exciting opportunity to build new relationships,” explains Matt Tornabene, President & CEO of Manhattan Wine Company in New York.
Monika Reule, Managing Director of the German Wine Institute (Deutsches Weininstitut – DWI), is also pleased with the results of ProWein 2025: “German exhibitors were very satisfied with this year’s ProWein against the backdrop of a tense market environment. With their wide range of fresh white and rosé wines, they particularly benefited from the global demand for these types of wine, something reflected in the large number of visitors in the German halls. The quality of trade visitors from Germany and abroad was once again highly praised, meaning ProWein once again fully lived up to its reputation as a leading international trade fair this year.”
Pascale Thieffry, Director of the Pavilions France department at Business France, emphasizes: “ProWein in Düsseldorf is one of the most important events in the industry offering French exhibitors the opportunity to expand their business and strengthen relationships with decision-makers from all over the world.”
Innovations in the spirits industry
The two exhibition halls of ProSpirits and “same but different” were a particular highlight. Around 500 exhibitors from 53 nations presented a wide range of spirits – from established whisky, gin, rum and tequila brands to unusual spirits creations from smaller producers, which were very popular with the visitors. The diverse and very international range of spirits created a new momentum and provided valuable impetus for the industry.
Innovations, trends and networking
The world forum of the wine and spirits industry in Düsseldorf already started the day before ProWein with the Meininger’s Wine Conference. At the trade fair itself a compact supporting program complemented the comprehensive ranges of the international exhibitors. One new format was theProWein Business Forum which addressed key topics such as sustainability, digitalization and the future of wine consumption. Experts and thought leaders in the industry discussed current challenges and opportunities on all three days of the trade fair, providing attendees with valuable insights for shaping the future of the industry.
ProWein is also the innovation driver in the no/low segment. The very successful special show ProWein Zero was launched three years ago. This year, 40 international exhibitors and a large MUNDUS VINI tasting zone presented the diversity of this rapidly growing segment.
Successful new food & wine pairing concept
This year, ProWein placed a special focus on the topic of Food & Wine Pairing. The gastro-lounge “urban gastronomy by #asktoni” was dedicated to this topic with the three top restaurateurs Alina Meissner-Bebrout, Björn Freitag and Bobby Bräuer, among others. Other star chefs and food experts created extraordinary menu compositions as part of the varied supporting program, presenting the perfect food and wine pairings in various enjoyable formats.
ProWein worldwide
ProWein not only offers the sector exclusive impulses in Düsseldorf in March. With the satellite events in Tokyo (April 15 – 17, 2025), Hong Kong (May 14 – 16, 2025, ), Sao Paulo (September 30 – October 2, 2025), Mumbai (October 31 – November 1, 2025), Shanghai (November 12 – 14, 2025) and Singapore (April 21 – 24, 2026), it also brings the industry to important future markets. For more information: www.prowein-world.com.
The next ProWein in Düsseldorf will be held from March 15 – 17, 2026. For further information on visiting or exhibiting at ProWein 2026, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; Telephone: (312) 781-5180; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit www.prowein.com and www.mdna.com. Follow us on https://www.linkedin.com/company/mdnachicago/
