Bonus Episode 112: WineGB English Wine Week at Heathow Airport with Head of Category Stephanie Pears

Send us Fan MailThis very special episode of the English Wine Diaries is brought to you in partnership with WineGB and Heathrow Airport, supported by Coravin and Uncorked Magazine.The UK wine sector is one of the fastest growing agricultural industries, with rising vineyard numbers (there are now over 1,100 would you believe?!) expanding wineries, and record harvests – a staggering 16.4 million bottles were produced in 2025 alone.But it’s not just about quantity, UK wines are gaining global recognition for their exceptional quality and innovation and are winning major international awards.For an increasing number of travellers, their first taste of this bourgeoning industry is at Heathrow Airport – the international gateway to the UK. And that is why this year WineGB is launching English Wine Week right here at Heathrow – the most connected airport in the world, welcoming almost 250,000 passengers each day. Joining me on today’s episode is Stephanie Pears, Head of Category at Heathrow, leading Food & Beverage, Essentials, Technology and Bureaux across one of the world’s busiest airports. Stephanie is known for driving innovation in travel retail, whether it’s rethinking essential shopping through blended concepts or introducing new formats and brands to Heathrow, she is passionate about using retail to elevate the passenger journey and showcase the best of British products on a global stage.We talk about the staggering rise in sales of UK wine at Heathrow – up 69% from 2024 to 2025 – which international travellers have shown the greatest appetite for the category and its future potential within travel retail. Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.