Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann
A Plus in Clarity for a Market in Motion
ProWein is strengthening its commitment to the alcohol-free drinks market and taking its existing offering to the next level for the next edition. ProWein Zero is becoming ProWein Zero+. The “plus” represents an expanded approach that brings together independent tasting, education, expert insight and discussion about the future of alcohol-free drinks. ProWein Zero+ also takes a broader look at the growing diversity of alcohol-free products.
ProWein Zero+ will be a meeting place for producers, retailers, the hospitality sector, trade visitors and international industry experts who are shaping the market and discussing its future development. “With Zero+, we are taking the next step by design. We want to offer trade visitors not only a strong selection of products, but also greater clarity in a category that is evolving rapidly,” says Frank Schindler, Director of ProWein.
A Plus in Tasting, Knowledge and Dialogue
The publishing house Meininger Verlag’s open Zero+ tasting area remains a central part of the concept. Here, trade visitors can sample up to 300 alcohol-free products and gain an overview of the category’s range and development. The tasting area offers direct access to current products, new concepts and market innovations. The space will be expanded to include a Zero+ Bar, led by Dr Klaus Postmann as ProWein 2027’s official partner. Postmann is an Austrian nutrition economist, food and beverage expert, and founder of drinkZERO, a consulting agency specialising in zero-alcohol beverages.
ProWein Zero+ is built around specific topics. Alongside individual brand presentations, relevant questions about the category will shape the programme. Topics and formats will be developed editorially and matched with suitable producers, products and experts. The ProWein Zero+ Bar is set to host masterclasses on sensory analysis, product development and technological advances, as well as talks on market trends, consumer behaviour, the hospitality sector and route-to-market strategies. Depending on the subject and speakers, international sessions will also be offered in English.
Understanding alcohol-free drinks as an extension of modern drinking culture
The development of ProWein Zero+ reflects the growing diversity of the alcohol-free drinks market. Alongside alcohol-free wines and sparkling wines, proxies, aperitif alternatives and innovative hybrid adult drinks are gaining importance. New technologies, changing consumer needs and rising expectations around sensory experience, product development, the hospitality sector and marketing are shaping the category. Which products and segments will matter in the future? Which technological advances are changing the market? And what role do retailers and the hospitality sector play in its continued establishment? These questions will be at the heart of the Zero+ Bar programme.
Dr Klaus Postmann brings extensive experience in alcohol-free drinks and their market potential. He combines expertise in sensory analysis, products and markets, and has spent many years designing and hosting tastings, awards, masterclasses and industry events focused on low- and no-alcohol products. His approach is to see alcohol-free drinks not as something to be given up, but as an extension of modern drinking culture. “Zero is now much more than an alcohol-free alternative. In a short time, a distinct drinks culture has emerged, with new products, new occasions for consumption and entirely new expectations for sensory experience, the hospitality sector and retail. We want to make this development visible, tangible through tasting and open for discussion at ProWein 2027,” says Postmann.
ProWein 2027 will take place in Düsseldorf from 7 to 9 March. For more information, visit https://www.prowein.com/.
