Spirits take center stage at London Wine Fair 2025 with 'Signature Serve'

The London Wine Fair 2025 will feature a new initiative called 'Signature Serve' to increase the presence of spirits at the event. The fair, which will take place from May 19-21 at Olympia London, aims to meet the demand of buyers and distributors in the retail and hospitality sectors.

According to the organizers, more than 2,000 spirits industry professionals will attend the fair, which represents an opportunity to expand the exhibition offer. Currently, 40% of visitors in the hospitality sector and 26% in retail are involved in the purchase of spirits, a segment that has been underrepresented at the fair until now.

Hannah Tovey, director of the London Wine Fair, explained that the addition of 'Signature Serve' responds to the need to serve these buyers and the convergence between the wine and spirits sectors. In 2024, 41% of visitors in the hospitality sector at the fair were spirits buyers, which shows the potential of this category within the event.

Some of the major companies attending include Caprice Holdings, Harrods, 28-50 Restaurant Group, Cliveden House and Rare Restaurants, while in retail, chains such as Waitrose, The Whisky Exchange, Majestic, Tesco, Loki Wines and The Co-op will be represented.

For the first edition of 'Signature Serve', the fair has limited the number of exhibitors to 25, with the presence of leading and innovative companies in the sector. In addition, two ambassadors with extensive experience have been added: Millie Milliken, an expert in beverages and hospitality, and Liam Davy, spirits buyer and head of bars at Hawksmoor Group.

The London Wine Fair 2025 will also bring back several activities, such as 'The Icon Tasting', a blind tasting with the participation of experts and wines of international prestige. In the field of awards, the 'Wine Buyers Awards 2025' will incorporate a new category focused on sustainability, reflecting the importance of environmental impact in the industry. The list of finalists will be announced on February 25 and the winners will be announced on May 20 on the main stage of the fair.

The 'Hosted Buyer Programme' and the 'Concierge Service' will also be reactivated, tools designed to facilitate strategic meetings between exhibitors and key buyers through a personalized advice system and recommendation algorithms.

With these new features, the London Wine Fair seeks to consolidate its position as a benchmark event for the wine and spirits industry in the United Kingdom, adapting to market trends and the needs of industry professionals.