The Spirits Business will host three days of seminars at ProWein 2025 – including a Q&A with Vampire Diaries actor and Brother’s Bond Bourbon co-founder Ian Somerhalder.
Wine and spirits trade show ProWein will return to Messe Düsseldorf in Germany from Sunday 16 March to Tuesday 18 March.
Over the three-day event, The Spirits Business will have its own hub in Hall 7, Stand CO1, where it will host daily talks and tastings.
As part of the schedule, Brother’s Bond’s Somerhalder will join Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business, for a Q&A.
Titled ‘Bonding over Bourbon: a conversation with Ian Somerhalder’, the talk will take place at 4.30pm on Monday 17 March.
“We cannot wait to welcome guests to The Spirits Business Hub at ProWein – for anyone with a keen interest in the spirits trade, these sessions will provide valuable insights and discussions,” said Kiely. “We want these sessions to be informative, inspiring and enjoyable.
“We understand it’s a challenging year for the industry, and many of our seminars have been specifically designed to help brands, buyers and bartenders navigate these headwinds.”
The seminars will start on Sunday 16 March at 10.20am, when Kiely will give a short introduction before leading straight into the first talk of the series – ProSpirits Report: The Future of Spirits.
This session will take a deep dive into the inaugural ProSpirits Report, drawing on insights from hundreds of international industry experts, and offering insights from leading spirits companies La Martiniquaise-Bardinet and Pacific & Lime. It will build on the recent episode of The Spirits Business Podcast recorded in partnership with ProWein.
What can visitors expect?
Additional talks will also include a discussion about distribution strategies in an evolving environment, harnessing the power of AI, and the long-lasting appeal of vodka and how it can regain its ‘cool factor’.
That evening at 5.15pm, visitors are invited to Happy Hour at The Spirits Business Innovation Bar, in partnership with Thomas Henry tonics and mixers.
Monday’s line-up will kick-start with a discussion about the future of spirits pricing and how to balance premium and prestige in the midst of economic challenges.
Proof 8 will lead a discussion into how technology is enhancing the alcoholic beverage world, while following sessions will delve into the rise of Tequila and women who are making their mark on the spirits industry.
Those keeping a close eye on the tariff threats in the industry will want to be present for the first talk on Tuesday 18 March. Experts will weigh in on the complexities of tariff conflicts and how best to prepare for any potential trade wars that may come about.
This will be followed by an exploration into the trends and challenges of cocktail culture, before an overall look at the state of the global spirits industry, where editor-in-chief Kiely will share recent data and industry insights into key categories.
Furthermore, a number of products from The Spirits Business’ Top 50 Most Innovative Spirits from 2024 list will be available to sample at the stand.
The full schedule of Spirited Conversations is available to view online, where visitors can also register their interest for any of the talks.
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Author: Melita Kiely
