For the first Makers & Shakers story of 2025 we chat with Henry Stonham, Project Manager of BCB Singapore, to understand more about the upcoming trade show for bar and beverage professionals in the region.

With the second edition of Bar Convent Singapore (BCB Singapore) – which takes place 3 and 4 March 2025 at Marina Bay Sands – swiftly approaching, all eyes in the drinks industry are on the Singapore edition of the leading international bar and beverage trade show.

With the cocktail scene seeing phenomenal growth across Asia – especially with the emergence of Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok as gleaming cocktail capitals in our part of the world – many look to BCB Singapore to pinpoint the trends, tools and products that define the next big thing in this dynamic, ever-evolving industry.

While we wait for the highly-anticipated trade show to arrive we grabbed Henry Stonham, Project Manager of Bar Convent Singapore and the man largely responsible for running the show here, to ask about what we can expect to see at the upcoming BCB Singapore.

Henry, who sees his role at BCB Singapore as fostering community and creativity within the industry, connecting professionals, and inspiring new ideas, shares with us how BCB Singapore aims to stay ahead of Asia’s ever-evolving cocktail culture.

The inaugural BCB Singapore in 2023 was a stunning success.


How does BCB address the specific needs and challenges of the Asian market?

Henry Stonham: Since its beginnings almost 20 years ago in Berlin, BCB has been a consistent meeting point for the bar and beverage industry. It serves as a very structured platform in which brands, bartenders, bar owners and other industry professionals can come together to make new connections, strengthen existing relationships and grow their personal or professional community with other leaders from around the world. Add to that a highly targeted showcase of incredible craft and premium products targeted towards bars, as well as a rich and diverse education program that serves to help everyone learn and grow, you have a very impactful platform that can deliver immediate and valuable opportunities for the future.

Our aim is to continue the legacy of BCB over the years and deliver a curated program specifically for the needs of the Asian market.

How do you think such trade exhibitions continue to be relevant in the alcoholic beverage world, particularly in Asia?

Craft spirits and cocktails was once seen as a very niche segment within the wider alcohol industry, particularly compared to categories like wine, where you have a longstanding history of dedicated trade shows and events. With the rapidly growing trend of cocktail culture in modern day life, it’s important now that this industry has dedicated platforms which can serve to guide this growth and development in a meaningful way, ensuring that there are the necessary foundations of knowledge and understanding to ensure consistent and long-term growth.

With Asia being a relatively young market compared to the likes of Europe or North America, it’s even more important that these events provide the right balance of knowledge sharing from more developed markets, whilst also providing a platform to amplify the voice and talent that’s emerging from within the region.

What are the key trends and developments in the spirits and cocktail industry in Asia, and how do they differ from the rest of the world?

Consumer preferences are still subjective, of course. However, notable trends point towards consumers wanting to try spirits that have compelling and interesting story to tell. This helps the bartender to paint a more interesting picture for the guest and for the guest themselves to better resonate with the drink and ingredients. Asian-origin spirits are also seeing a rise in demand, as guests look to try more regionally made products.

Creativity and innovation with flavours and ingredients, particularly attention to hyperlocal or regional produce, will continue to drive consumer interest and help to draw more attention to the unique array of Asian flavours, something that perhaps isn’t as prominent in other parts of the world.

With the rapid rise of knowledge and innovation, it’s clear to see why the rest of the world is now paying a lot of attention to what’s happening in Asia.

Numerous guest shifts take place around BCB Singapore

Which spirit categories are seeing growth, and which are declining in the Asian market? Which categories are coming into BCB Singapore this March in a big way?

Dark spirits, especially scotch whisky and cognac, continue to dominate the overall market stats in Asia, but you are starting to see that trend slowly shift. If you look at the consumption trends for spirits within the cocktail scene, there is a truly diverse pattern, from more well-known spirits like gin, tequila, bourbon and rum, to Asian homegrown produce such as soju, shochu, sake and even baijiu.

One category that is due to feature heavily at BCB Singapore is agave spirits. Tequila has seen a boom in popular culture in recent years, partly driven by the launch of many celebrity-backed brands. To help the industry build the essential knowledge that can be passed onto the consumer, BCB has set up a collaboration with Club Cantina, a dedicated platform for Agave education and awareness, to deliver a series of masterclasses, featuring industry icons like Iván Saldaña of Casa Lumbre and Jesse Estes from Tequila Ocho.

What are the main objectives of this year’s trade event, and how do you plan to achieve them?

This year’s BCB Singapore will continue to deliver our three main objectives of discovery, education and networking. Attendees can expect to find a highly diverse showcase of international craft and premium spirits, mixers, consumables and equipment from more than 30 countries. Featuring a mix of both established and upcoming brands, as well as country pavilions from Japan, USA, Mexico and Italy, bars can source the latest products to freshen up their beverage programs.

In line with our position as a trade platform, we are also putting a greater emphasis on matching new brands to the market with attending importers from around Asia through a new hosted buyer program. With a growing desire from consumers to get access to new brands in their market, facilitating these connections goes a long way to helping brands and trade partners identify and forge the right partnerships.

Education remains a fundamental part of the attendee experience, and we have expanded our program to 4 stages, featuring more than 50 speakers across 40 sessions. Concentrating on four education pillars of Business, Community, Creativity and Innovation, there is truly something for everyone, with topics such as Mentorship, Drinks Techniques, Personal Brand Building, Social Media Content, Photography, Bartending Competitions just some of the featured highlights.

Finally, the power of concentrated networking is what gives the event its unique aura. Having a single point where the entire industry gathers to discover new partnerships, pursue high quality learning opportunities and celebrate their craft in a targeted environment, truly helps to push the industry forward and striving for greater heights.

Bar Convent Singapore offers an invaluable opportunities for bar professionals to network

What opportunities do you see for growth and innovation in the Asian spirits industry, and how can this event help capitalise on them? How about the cocktail scene?

The consumer appetite here in the region is leaning towards more Asian-inspired drinks, whether that be through ingredients, flavours or the spirit itself. Categories such as sake and soju have already cemented their place in drinking culture, and it will be interesting to see how they transition to have an impact in the cocktail market. There is great potential for regionally grown rums from the likes of the Philippines and Thailand and gins from India, whilst countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Mongolia are gradually staking their claim on the regional scene.

There is a huge number of distillers in Australia producing incredible spirits, just waiting to be discovered, whilst Chinese baijiu producers are expected to play more actively within the cocktail scene. It will be important for these smaller producers to create a compelling brand story to stand out amongst the larger players, as well as finding the right partnerships and channels to achieve sustainable growth.

Government bodies and trade associations can play a pivotal role in supporting the awareness and export opportunities of their distillers and we hope to facilitate more opportunities with these partners at BCB events in the future.

[Image credits: Bar Convent Singapore]

***

Additional details on the Bar Convent Singapore 2025 program, speakers, exhibitors, and guest shifts will be unveiled in the coming weeks. Ticket sales are now open – for more information, including ticket pricing, visit www.barconventsingapore.com.

*Spirited Singapore is an official media partner of Bar Convent Singapore 2025.


Follow us on Telegram to get updated on events and other spirited announcements!