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Introducing the Fruit Logistica Tech Stage

Located in Hall 7.1c at stand B-08, the Tech Stage will also be the place to learn about technical solutions in machinery, technology and packaging. Participation is free and all presentations will be simultaneously interpreted into English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.

Modern technology makes it possible to capture more data than ever before across the fresh produce value chain. How this data can be used to protect brands and consumers is the subject of one of six technical solutions to be addressed on the Tech Stage at the Fruit Logistica fair, being held in Berlin February 3-5.

Located in Hall 7.1c at stand B-08, the Tech Stage will be the place to learn about technical solutions in machinery, technology and packaging. Participation is free and all presentations will be simultaneously interpreted into English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.

Other topics include how paper-based packaging can help companies pack their fresh produce safely and conserve natural resources, and details of the winners of the ‘FInish future prize for ICT in the fresh supply chain’ – a chance to learn about innovative software solutions already tackling coming challenges in the fresh supply chain.

Tech Stage themes in detail

How data will protect your brand and your consumer
Wednesday, 3 February, 11:30 – 12:30h
​Compac
Value chains for fresh produce are longer and more complicated than ever as consumers expect safe, consistent and tasty produce regardless of season and location. Modern technology makes it possible to capture more data than ever before across this chain. The chance to add significant value through the intelligent application of data is one of the great opportunities for the global fresh produce industry.

The world’s most intelligent digital sorter
Wednesday, 3 February, 13:00 – 14:00h
Key Technology
Veryx™ is a modular platform of chute-fed and belt-fed sorters, bringing a complete new standard of digital sorting. With its innovative mechanical architecture & sensor technology, state-of-the-art electronic sort engine, advanced machine algorithms and rich information capabilities, Veryx™ delivers a revolution in performance that defines the new standard for digital sorting.

FInish future prize for IT in the fresh supply chain
Thursday, 4 February, 10:00 – 11:00h
Euro Pool System International (Germany)
Presentation of the winners of the “FInish future prize for IT in the fresh supply chain” followed by conferral of the awards by the President of the German Fruit Trade Association (DFHV) and the CEO of Euro Pool System International (Germany) GmbH.

Enhancing freshness & reducing waste through packaging intervention
Thursday, 4 February, 11:30 – 12:30h
​Coveris

Increasing productivity and profit
Thursday, 4 February, 13:00 – 14:00h
​TopControlTargeted optimisation of packaging processes plays a major role in increasing profits in the fresh produce industry. This is crucial for greater added value, especially in times of increasing price pressure on the market and rising resource costs. TopControl helps its clients achieve significant profit increases by reducing the give-away, optimising internal processes and improving operations efficiency.

Paper-based packaging: the environmental choice
Thursday, 4 February,14.30 – 15.30h
Mondi Paper Sales GmbH
​Mondi Paper Sales shows how paper-based packaging helps to ensure safe and reliable delivery of fresh produce while also conserving natural resources.

For more information: Introducing the Tech Stage at Fruit Logistica 2016

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Entries open for 2016 Gulfood awards

Gathering 5,000 food and beverage exhibitors from over 120 countries, the Gulfood show is billed as one of the world’s most important annual food and hospitality shows and an unrivalled chance to source and select from an incredible global product showcase.

Entries close on January 29 for the Gulfood Awards, which are designed to celebrate excellence and innovation across every category of the global food industry.
Now in their seventh successful year, the awards are being held as part of the Gulfood show, taking place at the iconic Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from Sunday February 21 to Thursday February 25, 2016.
The finalists and winners in the 2016 awards will be announced during a special gala dinner in Dubai on the first day of the show February, February 21.
The 22 award categories include:

  • Best new functional food or drink
  • Best new Halal food
  • Best new fast food product or innovation
  • Best new frozen or chilled food
  • Best artisan or local food
  • Best health education initiative
  • Best new foodservice innovation
  • Best environmental sustainability initiative
  • Best consumer marketing campaign
  • Best trade stand
  • Gulfood Outstanding achievement
  • Best foods company, and
  • Best newcomer brand or business

Gulfood show a global product showcase and trade platform

Gathering 5,000 food and beverage exhibitors from over 120 countries, the Gulfood show is billed as one of the world’s most important annual food and hospitality shows and an unrivalled chance to source and select from an incredible global product showcase. As one of the largest fairs in the Middle-East, it is very popular among importers and exporters of agro products and a crucial trade and business platform in a region with ever increasing demand – exhibitors and visitors from almost every country in the world meet at Gulfood to conduct cross-border business and establish international contacts in the trade arena.
Last year Gulfood attracted 84,642 total trade attendees, 64% of whom came from non-United Arab Emirates (UAE) countries, with a total of 156 countries covered, and 83% of visitors were looking to purchase within the next 6 months.
From specialty and fine food, to the widest range of organic food and drink, it is the opportunity to discover unique products from hundreds of specialist producers and over 110 international pavilions. Specialty areas covered are artisanal products, children’s products, ethnic food, fair trade, gift packs/hampers, gourmet & fine food, Halal products, health/wellness products, organic products, private label, ready meals and special diet products.

Safeguarding the UAE’s food security

The show venue, the Dubai World Trade Centre, is within the business hub of Dubai, the city which is itself a hospitality, trade and tourism hub for the Middle East. A majority of UAE imports are traded through Dubai, its biggest city.
And according to UAE Minister of Economy Sultan Al Mansouri, food imports into the UAE – which buys in 85% of its food – are poised to rise from $100 billion (Dh367 billion) in 2014 to $400 billion in the next decade. Due to the lack of arable lands in the UAE, the government plans to develop farmland in other countries to help to secure food supplies amid increasing demand and it is also urging diversification of the sources of imported food so as to hedge against any crisis.
The UAE has already invested in agro-food initiatives in Namibia, South Africa and in several Arab countries including, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Sudan and Egypt, Al Mansouri said.
Within the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – consisting of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – food consumption is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.5% between 2014-2019 to reach 51.9 million tons by 2019 and food retail in the GCC is forecast to be worth $155 billion by 2018.

Gulfood 2016

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Alimentaria offers more conferences, B2B meetings and launches

Alimentaria’s international buyers' programme aims to open up business opportunities on five continents, so the Hosted Buyers contingent includes guests from every corner of the world: Latin America, Asia, the United States and Canada, Europe and the Middle East.

Taking place April 25-28 in Barcelona, Alimentaria is the place for innovation, business collaboration, competitiveness and knowledge sharing in Europe’s food and drinks sector.

The International Food & Drinks Exhibition will be celebrating its 40th anniversary at Barcelona’s Fira Gran Via Exhibition Centre and its format has been updated to span a broader spectrum of the industry and reflect new market trends and consumer habits.

At its last edition, the event attracted more than 140,000 visitors from around the world and hosted 3,800 represented companies and more than 1,000 international companies.

In 2016, Alimentaria will be streamlined into 5 shows, encompassing the main food and drinks markets:

  • Intervin (wines and spirits),
  • Intercarn (meat and meat products),
  • Restaurama (restaurants, integrates Expobebidas & Congelexpo companies),
  • Interlact (dairy products) and
  • Multiple Foods (confectionery, preserves, oils and premium products).

Multiple Foods, the new show of food trends and special and functional projects, adds Alimentación Ecológica (organic food), Olivaria, Expoconser, Interpesca, the International Pavilions, Lands of Spain, Snacks, Biscuits & Confectionery, Mediterranean Foods, Healthy Foods and Fine Foods, along with the Premium zone and the Olive Oil Bar.

In 2016, Alimentaria’s activities will hinge around six core themes:

  • distribution and retail,
  • CSR,
  • internationalisation,
  • R&D&I and branding,
  • nutrition,
  • and marketing and communication.

Exporting for SMEs

As always, Alimentaria will facilitate contacts between exhibitors and key international buyers across the food and beverage chain, with the aim of encouraging business meetings and firming up foreign deals. At Alimentaria 2014, 59% of exhibitors were already exporting their products, while 73% of those who were not yet selling abroad said that they fully intended to do so within the next two or three years.

Alimentaria’s international buyers’ programme aims to open up business opportunities on five continents, so the Hosted Buyers contingent includes guests from every corner of the world: Latin America, Asia, the United States and Canada, Europe and the Middle East.

This year, the Alimentaria Hub also offers the Export Service Counter for exhibitors, preferably SMEs, who want to venture into foreign markets for the first time. Intended to help companies internationalise their business, this new programme involves experts in all the formalities necessary to take these first steps in reaching foreign markets, from insurance companies and consultancy firms to chambers of commerce and financial institutions.

The Alimentaria Hub

Part of the Alimentaria show, the Alimentaria Hub, boasts new product launches as well as conferences, presentations and consumer trend analysis. It also includes a centre for business meetings and export opportunities and networking sessions to foster entrepreneurship, according to organisers.

One of the big attractions at the Alimentaria Hub is the Food Factory, the meeting place for technology start-ups in the agrifood sector and Business Angels with the capacity to invest in projects with development potential.

Innoval will feature the latest trends and innovations in the sector, exhibiting more than 300 new food products. The Spanish Food and Drink Industry Federation (FIAB) is organising the VII Alimentaria Food Technology and Innovation Meeting, while consultancy firm Innova Market Insights will be leading the ‘Top Ten Trends’ session at which it will present a selection of the ten global trends that are currently setting the bar in the food industry.

Food Bloggers Conference

The 2016 show sees the first Food Bloggers Conference to encourage people to learn about and understand new communication channels. It will be a chance to share knowledge among bloggers and other social media professionals associated with food and gastronomy.

Presentations on sustainability, CSR & the Mediterranean Diet

In terms of presentations, the Alimentaria Hub will host the third Nestlé Forum on ‘Creating Shared Value’, this year dedicated to the industry’s contribution to a sustainable and socially responsible future, and the XI International Conference on the Mediterranean Diet.

source: http://www.alimentaria-bcn.com/en/home

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Discover ‘Organic 3.0’ at Germany’s Biofach fair

The diversity of the global organic industry will be displayed by over 2,400 exhibitors from February 10-13 at Biofach, billed as the world's leading trade fair for organic food.

The diversity of the global organic industry will be displayed by over 2,400 exhibitors from February 10-13 at Biofach, billed as the world’s leading trade fair for organic food.

Being held at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre in Germany, the fair will cover product-oriented and political topics, and the future of trade will be the focus of the two business and trading platforms.

The Biofach congress – the biggest organic congress in the world –  starts on Wednesday February 10 and runs throughout the exhibition in NCC Ost, NCC Mitte and hall 9. With some 100 presentations and panel discussions reaching more than 7,000 participants, it is a platform for knowledge transfer, information exchange, discussion and opinion forming.

This year the theme is Organic 3.0 – Acting for more organic! This is an umbrella for discussion of the future of the organic sector and need for credible and sustainable concepts to restructure the global agriculture and food industry.

Another highlight of Biofact is that it gathers the world’s most important innovations in trend and niche markets in one place. The 500m² Novelty Stand provides a chance to discover new products and creations from the organic sector, showing how good ideas, the best raw materials, ecological packaging concepts and creative design enhance the increasingly varied spectrum of organic products.

It is where voting will take place for the Best New Product Award 2016, the categories for which include fresh food, frozen food, grocery products: cooking & baking, grocery products: snacks & sweets, other grocery products, drinks, and non-food.

Meanwhile, young, aspiring start-ups will present their ideas at the Innovation made in Germany pavilion. which has sponsorship from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).

For Germany’s specialist retailers, such as natural food stores and health food shops, the Fachhandelstreff, in stand 9-551 in hall 9, will be a magnet. Encompassing the Fachhandels Forum and the Fachhandels Club, it offers a wide-ranging programme of discussions tailored to be highly useful to this target group.

Biofach organisers say for some time now organic products have ceased to be in a niche and are instead working their way into the mainstream – presenting specialist stores with new challenges. The rising demand for organic products is being met by more and more retailers. For example, with Edeka having recently started to stock Alnatura products, the number of sales outlets offering this range alone has now doubled to 7,500 since the beginning of this year.

According to the German Federation of the Organic Food Industry (BÖLW), which is Biofach’s national supporting organisation and headquartered in Berlin, the income from the German organic market rose 4.8% to €7.9 billion in 2014. Specialist stores were the main beneficiaries, enjoying a 9% increase in revenue.

In the first half of 2015, German households spent 8.4% more on organic products compared to the same period in 2014, and surveys indicate that specialist stores saw an increase of 10.5%. By the end of 2015, Germany’s total revenue from organic products is expected to have exceeded €8 billion.

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New midweek format for CPMA 2016

The Annual Convention & Trade Show is CPMA’s keystone event and Canada’s largest event dedicated to the fruit and vegetable industry. The event provides a unique forum for industry leaders to enhance their business opportunities in Canada through an exceptional combination of education and networking opportunities.

Canada’s biggest fresh produce event, the CPMA’s Annual Convention & Trade Show, will take place from April 12 -14, 2016, in Calgary, Alberta.

It is the first time the event will run from a Tuesday to Thursday and the CPMA (the Canadian Produce Marketing Association) says the midweek format aims to make visiting the show easier for retail and foodservice members and to increase traffic on the trade show floor.

Features of the show include the New Product Showcase and Best New Product Award competition. This year, for new products or packaging considered “kid friendly,” a ‘Freggie Approved’ decal can be added to the relevant showcase.

During the CPMA Convention and Trade Show, to be held in the BMO Centre at Stampede Park, Passion for Produce will also take place. This is a programme created by the CPMA to provide rising stars among its members the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the supply chain through mentorship and participation in various events.

Participants from the 2015 Passion for Produce programme

Free retail produce manager and foodservice educational sessions will also be hosted at the event with the goal of providing participants with key information that will allow them to gain insights into the produce industry supply chain, improve their produce knowledge, network with other members of the produce industry, and discover how to offer even more value to their customers.

The CPMA Annual Convention & Trade Show attracts buyers from major retail chain stores and foodservice distributors, including Walmart, Loblaw, Metro, Costco, Longo’s, Sobeys, Farmboy, the Grocery People, GFS, Fresh Street Market, IGA, Sysco, Safeway, Colemans Food Centres, Compass Group, Giant Tiger Stores, No Frills, Thrifty Foods, T&T supermarket, Quality Foods and Provigo.

Overall, it is “unique forum for industry leaders to enhance existing and develop new their business opportunities in Canada through an exceptional combination of education and networking opportunities.” The convention and trade show attract more than 3,000 participants – including industry executives, members from all segments of the fresh produce supply chain, and government representatives who are directly or indirectly involved in the Canadian fresh fruit and vegetable sector – and showcases produce from around the world.

 

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Innovation to be unveiled at Fruit Logistica

Fruit Logistica's Spotlight articles cover new and improved products, machinery and processes, systems and techniques, technologies, services, promotions and exhibitor campaigns to be presented at the fair.

An edible coating that extends the shelf life of melons (Decco), a pocket scanner providing the Brix value of a fruit sample (Sunforest), and a polytunnel with automated and permanent ventilation (Voen) are among the global debuts lined up for Fruit Logistica 2016, being held February 3-5 in Berlin.

Also slated to appear make their worldwide premieres are a new line of Pausa Pranzo salads with dressings, self-propelled harvesters for leafy vegetables (Ortomec), and two new attractive and tasty tomato varieties – Goutine (Hazera Seeds) and Belmonte F1 (Southern Seed).

These are among the innovations covered on the Fruit Logistica website in its Spotlight articles. The series provides an overview of new and improved products, machinery and processes, systems and techniques, technologies, services, promotions and exhibitor campaigns to be presented at the fair. The next deadline for submissions is November 30.

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Growtech Eurasia expecting 80,000 agriculture professionals

Growtech Eurasia 2015, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, brings together agricultural professionals from a wide area – extending from European and Balkan countries to the Middle East and from North Africa to the Turkic Republics at the Antalya Expo Center –  over four days, from December 2-5, 2015

Growtech Eurasia 2015, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, brings together agricultural professionals from a wide area – extending from European and Balkan countries to the Middle East and from North Africa to the Turkic Republics at the Antalya Expo Center –  over four days, from December 2-5, 2015.

The fair – with the full name Growtech Eurasia International Greenhouse, Agricultural Equipment and Technologies Fair – is expected to draw more than 650 leading companies and brands from more than 30 countries as participants this year, with 80,000 sector professionals from 74 countries anticipated as visitors to the Growtech Eurasia 2015 Agriculture Fair.

In a press release, UBM EMEA (Istanbul) Fair Organization Group Director Engin Er said the event is Eurasia’s leading and Turkey’s most comprehensive agricultural fair.

“Turkey, which grew significantly in recent years and now is the world’s 16th and Europe’s 6th largest economy, has the world’s 7th and Europe’s 1st largest agricultural gross national product,” Er said. “As Growtech Eurasia, we are proud to have our share in this success of Turkey as an effective specialized international agricultural fair that stands out more everyday in a wide region extending from European and Balkan countries to the Middle East, from North Africa to the Turkic Republics.”

“Even though there are still two months to the fair, we are fully booked. All sector professionals, nationally and internationally recognized products and services in the fields of Greenhouse and Technologies, Agricultural Technologies and Equipment, Irrigation Systems, Seed Growing, Plant Nutrition and Protection, Biological Intervention, Agricultural Machines and Equipment will meet once again at Growtech Eurasia this year.”

Within the scope of the fair, a Purchase Council Program will be organised by the Western Mediterranean Exporters’ Association with the coordination of the Turkish Ministry of the Economy. At the bilateral discussions of surrounding countries’ potential buyers and decision makers that will allow the development of commerce, agricultural companies will meet and commercial partnerships will be established.

The agriculture fair’s main sponsor is Bactogen, which produces organic fertilisers with an Innovative Agriculture approach, the communications sponsor is Turkcell, which offers the first tailor-made agricultural consulting service of the world with the Turkcell Farmers Union, and the co-sponsor is Findex, a new financial service platform.

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Fruit Attraction 2015 drew exhibiting companies from 25 countries

Fruit Attraction 2015, held in Madrid October 28-30, beat all the fair’s records, reinforcing its role as the EU's main platform for marketing fruit and vegetables, the organisers, IFEMA and FEPEX, said in a press release.

Organisers say the 7th edition of Fruit Attraction, held in Madrid October 28-30, was the most comprehensive to date.

The fair beat all its records, reinforcing its role as the EU’s main platform for marketing fruit and vegetables, the organisers, IFEMA and FEPEX, said in a press release.

Highlights from the fair data:

  • A total of 49,367 professionals from 100 countries attended, up 22% on the previous year.
  • The number of exhibitors grew 23%, with 1,028 companies from 25 countries.
  • The exhibition area expanded 22% to 33,046 m2.
  • The number of international participants increased 46%, with a total of 9,812 professionals from 100 countries.
  • The number of international exhibitors rose to 27% of the total.
  • Visitors from Italy, France, Portugal, Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Poland and Belgium accounted for 86% of the total number of participants from outside Spain.
  • The ‘B2BFruit New Markets’ area hosted more than 200 business meetings between exhibitors and buyers from 15 countries.
  • The International Guest Programme brought over 600 professionals to Madrid from the purchasing and distribution chains of 53 countries.
  • An extensive programme of activities with some 2,000 attendees ran in parallel to the commercial activity

FEPEX and IFEMA said a special mention should go to the Latin American professionals who were present at the fair. They came from 16 countries, including Brazil, Chile, Peru, Mexico and Argentina, joining North American attendees from the US and Canada.

“A large number of professionals also came from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa), especially Morocco, Egypt, Israel, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia and Jordan. Asian and African countries, such as China, Korea, India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Africa, Senegal, Mali and Angola also increased their presence at this edition, showing the growing diversification of Spanish and European exports.”

They said the exhibition area featuring fruit and vegetable producers and suppliers was once again the area with the strongest participation, with 70% of the display and 714 exhibitors. The ancillary services sector was also well represented, with 30% of the display and 291 exhibitors.

“For this edition, the suppliers’ area was reorganised into a production area and a distribution area. The professional visitors were therefore able to visit Auxiliary Industry and Distribution and Logistics companies in order to find the best suppliers to distribute their products in optimum conditions, and at Tech4Fruits, they discovered solutions and technological innovations for improving productivity and production quality,” the organisers said.

Among other highlights:

  • A new exhibition area, the Organic Hub, for companies offering organic fruit and vegetable products, attracted the participation of 50 companies.
  • The Technical Events Programme held in parallel with the trade exhibition offered many activities and talks, among them the 1st International Persimmon Symposium, Kaki Attraction, focusing on the realities of producing and marketing this fruit, and the 2nd Stone Fruit Attraction, whose aim is to promote Spanish stone fruit production.
  • The Pasarela Innova area showcased 37 new products offered by participants.
  • The Fruit Fusion gastronomy area was a forum providing information, innovation and interpretation of the best farm products available to the catering industry.
  • Food donations: the Madrid Food Bank collected over 30,200 kg of fruit and vegetable products from the fair, 5,000 more than last year.

The next edition of Fruit Attraction will be held October 5-7, 2016.

See Eurofresh Distribution’s #FA15 photo gallery.

 

 

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Fresh Summit full of fresh ideas, opportunities

Being held Friday October 23 to Sunday October 25 in Atlanta, the Fresh Summit Convention & Expo are expected to attract 18,000 attendees and 1000+ exhibitors from over 60 countries.

What are the major trends driving the ‘Fresh Revolution’ in produce marketing and how can fresh opportunities for growth be created? These are among the topics to be discussed in the State of the Industry address by the Produce Marketing Association’s CEO Bryan Silbermann and president Cathy Burns on the first day of this year’s Fresh Summit. Being held Friday October 23 to Sunday October 25 in Atlanta, the Fresh Summit Convention & Expo are expected to attract 18,000 attendees and 1000+ exhibitors from over 60 countries. The rich programme includes a general session on Saturday by evangelist, author and speaker Guy Kawasaki on ‘The Art of Innovation’, while on Sunday, Tomorrow founder and CEO Mike Walsh will help businesses anticipate the future with his address ‘Global By Design’.

Featuring industry leading speakers, a wide range of workshops are scheduled for Friday and grouped under the umbrellas of Global Connections, Science and Technology, Issues Leadership, Industry Talent, and Floral. Topics to be covered include the intersection of global trade and maritime shipping, what Big Data will mean for produce operations, how to leverage data to promote food safety, an overview of key trade agreements under negotiation, and how to build a multigenerational roster of top talent.

Fostering networking and knowledge-sharing, Fresh Summit also boasts a wide range of other events and activities, including a retail tour visiting Costco Wholesale, DeKalb, Kroger and Sevananda; a sensory experience contest which will showcase innovative, kid-friendly recipes from Fresh Summit exhibitors; and awards including for excellence in packaging. Destined to be magnets for visitors this year are the Fresh Ideas Showcase, displaying the ‘coolest of the cool’ in new products, and the On the Go showcase for products and services making it easier to eat healthily while on the go.

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Many new features at Fruit Attraction 2015

Fruit Attraction 2015, which will be held from 28 to 30 October in halls 7, 8, 9 and 10 at Feria de Madrid, is the largest and most complete edition yet, with the participation expected of 1,000 exhibiting companies from 25 countries, up 20% on last year.

Fruit Attraction 2015, which will be held from 28 to 30 October in halls 7, 8, 9 and 10 at Feria de Madrid, is the largest and most complete edition yet, with the participation expected of 1,000 exhibiting companies from 25 countries, up 20% on last year, and 32,000 m2 of net exhibition space, 18% more than the last edition. Yet again production will be the most represented segment, with 70% of the offerings at Fruit Attraction.

The presence of the main fruit and vegetable producing regions in Spain – including Aragon, Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Castile and León, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Murcia, Extremadura, La Rioja and Navarra  – makes Fruit Attraction a top platform for sales and business and gives visitors a chance to discover a huge range of content and cutting-edge products, as well as the most innovative systems in the industry. Participants will also hail from companies in European countries including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, and the UK. There will also be companies from Argentina, Brazil (which has significantly increased its presence), Chile, Mexico, Peru, the US and, for the first time, Nicaragua.

New features this year include a new exhibition area, the Organic Hub, dedicated to companies trading in organic fruit and vegetable products. Also, the suppliers area has been reorganised into a production area and distribution area to help professional visitors find the best suppliers to distribute their products in optimum conditions, and at Tech4Fruits they will discover solutions and technological innovations to improve productivity and production quality.

Complementing the fair’s trade activity, an extensive programme of events is on offer, spanning technical workshops, conferences and parallel activities covering a wide variety of topics. Also, organised by FEPEX, the 1st Persimmon Conference, Kaki Attraction, takes place on Wednesday the 28th covering issues relating to the production and marketing of this fruit. The 2nd Stone Fruit Attraction. on Thursday the 29th, aims to showcase Spanish stone fruit production, highlighting the diversity and variety of the offerings which make Spain the only Northern Hemisphere country able to supply all international markets for six months (April to November). Another of the initiatives is Pasarela Innova, an area dedicated to new products, varieties and brands.

For more information: www.ifema.es/fruitattraction_06/