London Wine Fair records strongest show since Covid
London Wine Fair’s new owner Vindustrious has reported its best exhibitor and visitor figures since before the pandemic, with attendance rising above 10,000 for the first time in six years. The 45th edition saw growth in floor space, product diversity, meetings and English wine representation following the fair’s management buyout in 2025.
London Wine Fair has reported a strong first edition under new owner Vindustrious, with visitor numbers rising 8.2% across the three-day event.
According to the organiser, the 2026 show attracted a net visitor audience of 10,539, up from 9,741 in 2025. Monday attendance rose 13.5% year on year, while the fair passed the 10,000 visitor threshold for the first time in six years.
Exhibitor bookings increased 9%, from 445 in 2025 to 475 in 2026, with floor space up 13%. The visitor-to-exhibitor ratio remained at 22 to 1.
Greater diversity on show floor
The 45th edition featured 3,884 registered products from more than 40 countries, ranging from Argentina and the US to Japan, South Korea, Serbia and Peru.
According to the London Wine Fair, 82% of visitors came from the UK, while 61 countries were represented overall. The top five visitor countries were the UK, Italy, France, the US and Spain.
Search data from before and during the fair showed that the most-searched product countries were the UK, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain. The five most-searched producers were all English: Harrow & Hope, The Evolution Winery, Sandridge Barton Wines, MDCV UK, and Everflyht.
Host Nation drives English wine interest
The fair’s inaugural Host Nation initiative focused on the home nations, helping drive a fivefold increase in English wine producers exhibiting.
Pop Up Tastings doubled year-on-year, with Germany, New Zealand, WineGB East and Defined Wine among those taking part.
London Wine Fair also introduced a dedicated area for breweries and cideries through a partnership with BREW//LDN Trade, bringing almost 50 artisan producers into the event.
Sustainability and education gain ground
The Sustainability Hub by Impact Focus also launched this year, hosting NGOs and not-for-profit organisations while supporting efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the event itself.
According to the organiser, sustainability was the second most searched visitor trail after Host Nation.
Education formed a central part of the programme, with a record 101 sessions held across the three days. A dozen sessions focused on sustainability, the highest number dedicated to the subject at the fair to date.
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Engagement through the Essential Planner also rose sharply, with 985 meetings booked between exhibitors and visitors, up 21% on 2025.
Owner praises first show under Vindustrious
Hannah Tovey, owner of London Wine Fair, said the 2026 event marked a major transition following the management buyout in October 2025.
“This year was unlike no other; whilst change was paramount with the MBO, so was consistency as the full London Wine Fair team was retained, ensuring the smoothest of transitions,” she said.
“We grew the show’s exhibitor and visitor numbers, whilst retaining our hard-won focus on quality across both audiences.”
Tovey said the Host Nation initiative had been a “phenomenal success”, pointing to the 500% growth in English wine producers and strong visitor interest.
“The pressure is on to top 2026, and we will be announcing initiatives, including the 2027 Host Nation and Icon Tasting, over the coming months,” she added.
Exhibitors report strong response
Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, described the fair as feeling like “our event, our home, our London Wine Fair”.
He said: “I saw more exhibitors, more visitors and more products. The Host Nation theme added character, the education programme was high quality and there was more than a whiff of business in the air.”
Sarah Abbott MW, director of Georgian Wines UK, said all three Georgian wine masterclasses ran at full capacity, with “serious quality of audience across national retail buyers, importers, sommeliers and the independent trade”.
Ramon Huidobro Vega, head of the Consejo Regulador Rías Baixas, said more than 400 visitors attended its stand to taste Albariño wines from the region, adding that the London Wine Fair remains important for producers “serious about the UK market”.
Momentum builds for 2027
Exhibitor bookings for 2027 are already up year on year, according to the London Wine Fair.
Companies confirmed so far include Rías Baixas, The Canned Wine Company, Felix Solis, the Czech Republic, Balfour Winery, Beyond Wine, GM Drinks and Morgenrot Beer & Wine Shippers, which is returning after a brief absence.
The fair’s stronger performance follows another busy week for the UK drinks trade, with the Drinks Business Awards 2026 also announced during the show.
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