Lorenzo Biscontin
ProWein in Düsseldorf started in 1994 under the name PROVINIS and took on its current format in 1996.
Over these thirty years, it has changed and grown, evolving from being the wine fair for the German market—always one of the world’s leading import markets—to becoming the leading international trade fair in terms of the number and diversity of exhibitors and visitors.
Traditionally focused solely on professional visitors, over the years it has managed to carve out a significant space between Vinexpo Bordeaux, which focused on France and was held biennially, and Vinitaly, the Italian wine festa.
Already in the last few years before COVID, ProWein had begun to experience some growth issues. With the decline in momentum from new markets in Eastern Europe, Russia, and China, exhibitors’ opportunities to connect with new customers and close deals at the fair diminished. At the same time, attending the fair has become more difficult due to the expansion of the exhibition area, logistical difficulties, and hotel prices, saturated by the increased number of exhibitors and visitors.
To get an idea of the growth, just consider that in 1997 there were 1,065 exhibitors, while in the record year of 2019 they had risen to 6,900. Simply put in the wine world market there are not enough buyers for all those wineries.
In 2020 the global wine fair scenario changed with the merger of Wine Paris and Vinexpo, thus creating a single fair in France, scheduled for the end of February in Paris, therefore the first fair of the season. Above all, it is a fair with a much more international vision than Vinexpo Bordeaux.
The arrival of COVID and the subsequent trade fair cancellations muddied the waters somewhat, but in 2024 and, especially, 2025, it was clear that ProWein was losing its role as the leading international wine trade fair.
To respond to the new competitive environment, the ProWein – Düsseldorf Messe staff have developed a repositioning and relaunch plan that will be implemented starting with ProWein 2026. It was presented last Tuesday at a press event led by Marius Berlemann, COO of Düsseldorf Messe, who in his opening speech noted that “Success isn’t permanent.”
In short, the new ProWein will become a more concentrated, proactive, effective, and accessible trade fair, maintaining its historic focus on wine and spirits professionals.
The values that inspire the new vision are to shape, create, and elevate the opportunities for the industry. This implies a shift from being a “simple” business platform to become a key player in the B2B wine and spirits community.
In practical terms, this will bring some changes, in addition to the new logo presented at the press conference:
Reduction in the number of pavilions
ProWein 2026 will be held in pavilions 1 to 7 of the fairgrounds, expecting the participation of approximately 4,000 exhibitors. It will therefore no longer be necessary to cross the internal forecourt to move from one wing of the fair to another, nor to take the internal shuttle to avoid traveling dozens of kilometers a day.
Two pavilions will be dedicated to the ProSpirits area to follow the growth of this sector, where approximately 500 exhibitors are expected.
ProWein Zero
ProWein was the first fair to create a dedicated space for low- and zero-alcohol wines. Its location in Hall 5 has been confirmed, with a completely redesigned space to accommodate also 0% alcohol spirits and facilitate tastings.
ProWein Sparkling
In 2026, ProWein will inaugurate a dedicated space for sparkling wines, the wine category that has shown the best performance in recent years. Hall 4 will also host a dedicated sparkling wine bar, hosting events and masterclasses, and offering sparkling wines for speed tasting.
ProWein Agora
The ProWein 2026 program will include over 12 hours of conferences, seminars, and panels on various aspects of the wine and spirits sectors. The goal is to create a platform capable of stimulating and driving change by exploring the topics that are defining the future of the business.
Buyers Concierge Team
A new team dedicated to providing customized solutions to international buyers has been created,. For the 2026 edition, the focus will be on the USA, Canada, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia, and in economic terms, it will represent the main investment in ProWein’s relaunch strategy.
ProWein Düsseldorf Express Service
Travel to and from the fair has certainly been one of the sore points of recent editions of ProWein. Even though these problems were not attributable to the fair, this issue was nevertheless addressed for 2026.
From the 15th to the 17th Starting in March 2026, a free direct bus service will be available for ProWein visitors from key cities in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands within a 350 km radius of Düsseldorf, offering same-day travel to and from the fair.
Fair Match Platform
The platform created last year to facilitate and manage meetings between exhibitors and visitors will be further enhanced by introducing the Inside-to-Action concept, based on insights from a comprehensive industry survey. The goal is to further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of business meetings.
Furthermore, an area called the Live Fair Match Arena will be created within the exhibition halls.
ProWein’s new strategic direction has already resulted in new operational solutions… and hotels?
Although the topic was not specifically mentioned in official communications released by ProWein, in personal conversations the fair’s staff confirmed their commitment to collaborating with Düsseldorf’s hotel industry, including on pricing.
Then the next appointment to see the impact these innovations will have on ProWein is in Düsseldorf from March 15 to 17, 2026,
Meanwhile, congratulations to the ProWein staff for their willingness and ability to react to the changing competitive landscape. A positive inspiration at a time when the wine market’s difficulties require new ideas and new stimuli.
