‘Another difficult year ahead’, warns Wine Paris

The wine and spirits industry has “another difficult year ahead”, said the CEO of Vinexposium, as the trade prepares for Wine Paris 2025.

Annual industry trade fair Wine Paris – formerly Wine Paris and Vinexpo Paris – will return to the French capital from 10 to 12 February next year.

Speaking at a press briefing in London last week, Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Wine Paris’ parent company, Vinexposium, did not shy away from the headwinds facing the alcohol industry.

“Spirits are not doing so well at the moment,” noted Lameyse about the trade overall. “It’s a big surprise compared to last year. Actually, last year, they were doing OK, and then suddenly the wind changed. But you can link it directly with inflation. Most of the reasons why we are in difficulties in this industry, spirits and wine, is that inflation has eaten a lot of the portfolio.”

Miles Beale, chief executive of industry body the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) was also invited to speak at the press briefing. He noted the troubles facing spirits were not UK-specific, but a global experience.

Beale said: “Generally speaking, WSTA wine members, wine businesses, tend to be smaller, spirits tend to be slightly bigger on average, and that’s because of the global spirits business in particular, and they have all had pretty poor results recently. It’s definitely not a ‘UK thing’. I think we’ve seen enough to know it’s not just that, it’s definitely global.”

Lameyse and Beale stressed the importance of a united front for the wine and spirits industry, and encouraged greater sharing of challenges and opportunities across the sector to weather the current turbulence being felt.

“If we were doing this [briefing] next year, if the economy has picked up even just a little bit, I think it will feel quite different,” Beale noted.

“A lot of things are happening, whether it’s increased taxes, the threat of environmental taxes, the threat of trade wars, real war and energy costs – all input costs are going up. I think those all definitely make a difference.

“But I think, if the consumer feels poorer, they’re just not going to be encouraged to buy more than they do now, and therefore the market is shrinking. So if that changes, if you get economic growth back, it won’t feel quite so painful.”

Lameyse added: “I still believe that we still have another difficult year ahead of us; 2025 is going to be a difficult year, but probably, this is going to be the last.”

Be Spirits 2025 to be biggest so far

Discussing the plans for the dedicated spirits arm of Wine Paris in 2025, Lameyse admitted it was “not where I want it to be, if I’m being very honest, but we are growing”.

Be Spirits experienced a record 2024 event, as international visitor numbers rocketed by 92%.

Be Spirits will take up residency in its new location, Hall 5, in 2025. The 2,000-square-metre space will house 218 spirits exhibitors from 31 countries – 39% of whom will be new compared with 2024.

Seven new countries will exhibit at Be Spirits next year: Australia, Austria, Chile, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Serbia and Slovenia. There will also be four new international pavilions: Moldova, Peru, Italy and Belgium.

International exhibitors will include Le Cepa from Mexico, Grace O’Malley Irish whiskey, Moutai from China, and Tennessee Distilling from the US.

French producers will include Le Philtre vodka, Calvados maker Château du Breuil, and Bellevoye whisky.

Before the Wine Paris fair begins, the winners of the Vinexposium business awards, V d’Or, will be announced during a ceremony on Sunday 9 February.