ProWein to feature street food park

This year’s ProWein will contain a new area devoted to casual dining for time-pressed visitors wanting a wide-range of foods without the long wait.

According to Marius Berlemann, ProWein’s global head of wine and spirits, the Dusseldorf-based exhibition will contain a temporary hall just for eating that will be serviced by food trucks stationed outside the covered space.

Describing the new area as a “street food park”, he told db last week that the vehicles would be used to prepare a diverse array of cuisines from “the typical Dusseldorf pork knuckle to sushi”, which can then be eaten within a specially-erected hall containing seating for 500 people, along with free Wifi.

The addition to the fair is part of “a focus on gastronomy” at ProWein, said Berlemann, who also mentioned further new features for this year’s exhibition, such as an “Aqua World” in Hall 16 sponsored by San Pellegrino that would provide free water and Nespresso coffee.

He also said that this year’s exhibition would contain 15 people employed to circulate the show selling sandwiches and pretzels to exhibitors who were too busy to leave their stands.

No doubt the focus on gastronomy is part of ProWein’s continued attempt to cement its position as the world’s most efficient annual international wine show. In the past, its food offer has suffered criticism for being too limited, particularly relative to Vinexpo Bordeaux, which has placed a particular emphasis on the quality and range of its lunchtime selection since 2015.

Returning to the Dusseldorf Exhibition Centre for its 23^rd year on 19-21 March, the world’s largest trade wine show is set to host around 6,300 exhibitors from around 60 nations worldwide.