BAR CONVENT BERLIN 2025: SETTING THE SCENE OF THE GLOBAL BAR COMMUNITY!

The beverage and hospitality sector continues to evolve in response to shifting consumer preferences and workforce challenges. At BCB 2025, three topics stood out as guiding lights:

• LOW & NO Mindful drinking cemented its position at the core of bar culture, with innovative non-alcoholic and low-ABV serves on display: “The DNA of hospitality is not alcohol, but rather giving every guest an experience, regardless of the ABV in their glass.” – Camille Vidal, global Low & No expert
  
  
• CLASSIC COCKTAILS Timeless drinks reinterpreted for today showed how tradition and innovation can go hand in hand.
  
  
• NEXT GENERATION Addressing staffing challenges, BCB spotlighted career development and the need to make hospitality attractive for young professionals. Maren Meyer from Deutsche Barkeeper-Union adds: “Traditional bar culture – with its focus on craftsmanship, hospitality, and product knowledge – is suffering because there’s a lack of experienced professionals passing on their knowledge.”

These topics send a clear message: the industry is forward-looking, resilient and full of creative momentum.

The exhibitor line-up underscored the sector’s diversity. From international brands to first-time innovators – spirits, aperitifs, wine, coffee and Low & No alternatives spanned the show floor. Newcomers added fresh energy, while established players used BCB to launch global innovations. Exhibitors highlighted both the quality of business contacts and the international reach of the event.

“BCB to me is bars, conviviality, business. We can share, we can inspire, and we can all be together at one show, at one event in the heart of Berlin – and I love it, because everyone is equal here.” – Roland Krupinski, Head of Global On-Trade Development at Pernod Ricard

From long-time participants such as Japan, the USA, Italy and Mexico to Armenia – represented for the first time with its own country pavilion – a wide range of nations highlighted the richness of regional spirits and the beverage culture.

Agave spirits once again proved to be a powerhouse. With the Club Cantina partnership, tequila and mezcal were not only prominent on the floor but also deeply embedded in the Education Programme, reinforcing their role as one of the industry’s fastest-growing categories.

Education remained a core element of BCB 2025. Both local and international experts alike, such as Ryan Chetiyawardana, Ezra Star, Danil Nevsky, Chris Cabrera, Sven Goller and Betty Kupsa, shared their perspectives on the industry’s future – from how storytelling can unlock creativity, to the operational potential of non-alcoholic concepts or the impact of AI. These sessions underlined how BCB combines practical knowledge with visionary ideas, providing the community with both concrete tools and long-term inspiration.

At the heart of the programme was the BCB Embassy, where education met experience. Curated sessions and a concept bar, hosted by Botanical by Alfonse from Namur, brought key topics to life – both in conversation and in the glass.

The debut of Working Wednesday put the industry’s future firmly in the spotlight. In partnership with the Deutsche Barkeeper-Union (DBU), this initiative opened doors for young professionals and students by offering discounted access, career-focused sessions and networking opportunities.

The format addressed a key challenge – talent development – while celebrating the creativity and enthusiasm of the next generation. It was a strong signal that BCB is committed to shaping not just the present, but also the long-term future of the hospitality world.

“Bar Convent Berlin is a place of ongoing change – just like the industry itself. We should reflect that by playing an active role in providing access to trends and innovation.” – Petra Lassahn, Director of Bar Convent Berlin

Michael Köhler, Managing Director of RX Germany – the organiser of BCB – looks ahead to the coming year. “With shows in Berlin, Brooklyn and London, the BCB brand has established itself as an international benchmark in the world’s leading bar capitals. At the same time, BCB brings together key decision-makers from the bar and hospitality industry, retail and wholesale, with the leading suppliers in the field. In doing so, we create a platform where innovation, exchange and sustainable business development can thrive.”

With three successful days concluded, anticipation is already building for next year. BCB will return to the Berlin Expo Center from 12 to 14 October 2026, promising fresh impulses, innovative topics and continued opportunities for global networking.