News

WBWE attendance climbs 8% as bulk wine proves resilient

12 December 2025 By Sophie Arundel

The World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE) returned to Amsterdam with higher attendance, shifting global trade signals and a clear focus on premiumisation across both wine and spirits. Organised by Vinexposium, the 2025 edition underlined bulk’s resilience in a challenging market.

Record participation and shifting global flows

The 17th World Bulk Wine Exhibition drew 2,150 participants from 60 markets, up 8% on last year, with 240 exhibitors from 25 countries. According to Vinexposium, the 2025 edition confirmed WBWE’s position as a central meeting point for the international bulk wine and spirits trade.

“After 17 editions, WBWE continues to evolve. It follows the market, supports its shifts and stands today as a key professional tool for the bulk wine and spirits sector,” said Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Vinexposium.

Bulk now represents 34.2% of global wine trade volumes and remains the most stable category, down just 0.3% in value compared with the 3.1% decline for bottled still wine. Premium wines and bulk spirits — the latter representing 6% of exhibitors this year — continue to drive value, while the arrival of Lebanon, Mauritius and Panama highlighted a changing production landscape.

During the opening conference, experts pointed to shifting trade flows, including changing purchasing patterns in the UK and Germany, renewed import activity in China, and the central role of Spain, which accounts for one-third of global bulk exports.

Business meetings double

Every year, WBWE attracts stakeholders representing an estimated 70% to 80% of global wine volumes. In 2025, pre-scheduled and on-site business meetings almost doubled compared with 2024, supported by Vinexposium’s business matching service. Buyers at the show also signalled clear intentions to secure and diversify sourcing strategies.

Spotlight on no/low, RTDs and emerging trends

WBWE once again positioned itself as an observatory for sector trends. No/low-alcohol beverages and premium RTD products featured prominently, illustrating how new categories are increasingly relying on bulk for flexibility, scale and quality. Organisers described bulk as an “industrial accelerator”, allowing rapid formulation adjustments to meet evolving consumer expectations.

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Two long-standing WBWE pillars — the International Bulk Wine Competition and the Academy programme — provided further insight into market dynamics.

39 medals awarded at the 2025 International Bulk Wine Competition

This year’s International Bulk Wine Competition recognised 39 winners from 10 countries: Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Georgia, Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Romania and Spain. Judging was conducted blind by 25 international experts, including oenologists, buyers, sommeliers and specialised journalists.

A bulk spirit received a gold medal, underlining increasing openness to premium bulk spirits among both the competition and the market. Italy, France, New Zealand, Argentina and Spain secured the highest number of awards.

Academy sessions deliver strategic insight

The Academy offered 10 sessions covering strategic analysis, geopolitics and technical insight. Highlights included ‘Why blends are the future of the wine industry’ with Barry Dick and Robert Joseph; Meininger’s International’s ‘Bulk and beyond’; and the Sustainable Wine Roundtable’s session on packaging and sustainability.

Vinexposium expands bulk focus to Mendoza

Vinexposium will take its bulk expertise to Mendoza with a new Vinexpo Explorer chapter from 8–10 June 2026, created in partnership with Promendoza. The format will be dedicated to bulk for the first time.

“Building on our experience in Amsterdam, we are offering in Mendoza an immersive format entirely dedicated to bulk wine. It is a new lever supporting the industry’s global development by connecting international buyer delegations directly with key producing territories,” said Grace Ghazalé, Director of Vinexposium Overseas Events.

The next World Bulk Wine Exhibition will return to Amsterdam from 30 November to 1 December 2026.