Berlin, 8 February 2010 With a comprehensive market overview, the presence of all key industry decision-makers and a record number of exhibitors and visitors, FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 has underscored its role as the world’s leading trade fair for the fresh produce industry. From 3-5 February, a total of 53,000 trade visitors from 130 countries attended the most important trade event for the international fresh produce sector. This represented an increase of 6% on the previous year (2009: 50,000 from 125 countries). Key criteria determining the quality of the three-day trade fair were its international character, the attendance of top decision-makers, and the high level decision-making authority of the industry representatives at the event. Exhibitors and trade visitors alike commended the excellent contacts to wholesalers and retailers, fruit and vegetable growers, and to importers and exporters. Setting a new attendance record, 2,302 exhibitors from 71 countries (2009: 2,283/78) presented the full spectrum of products and logistics services required to ensure a year-round supply of top-quality fresh fruit and vegetables to consumers all over the world. With 89% of exhibitors and 80% of visitors coming from outside Germany, FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 was more international than ever before.
Dr. Christian Gke, Chief Operating Officer, Messe Berlin GmbH: “FRUIT LOGISTICA is clearly a premium product for Messe Berlin. Hardly any other industry worldwide has a trade fair with such an indisputable market leadership position. FRUIT LOGISTICA brings together all trading partners across the global value chain”.
FRESHCONEX 2010, the only European trade fair for the fresh produce convenience sector, took place for the third time in conjunction with FRUIT LOGISTICA. 71 exhibitors from 15 countries presented their products and services and were extremely pleased with their trade fair results.
Presentation of key industry awards
The winner of the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA) 2010 was a pomegranate seed removing device developed by the Israeli company Mehadrin Tnuport Export. The coveted innovation prize was awarded for the Arils Removal Tool (ART). The device enables consumers to remove pomegranate seeds quickly, cleanly and easily, making it simple to enjoy this vitamin-rich fruit. Noa Ohad, Shoham Product Development, accepted the award. She anticipates that the development of the Arils Removal Tool will also result in increasing pomegranate sales.
The “FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZIN Retail Award Germany’s Number 1 Retailer for Fresh Produce” was presented for the first time at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010. Of all retail department stores, supermarkets and discounters, the fresh produce departments of Globus, St. Wendel, came out on top. Consumers voted them the most popular in Germany in a representative survey carried out by GfK Nuremberg. The survey shows that this is where consumers find the freshest produce and the most attractive produce departments. Retailers were rated for clarity of layout, cleanliness, general presentation, staff service and selection, including trend products such as organically-grown and convenience items. In the “fresh produce” category, Globus was followed by the Edeka Centers and Tegut. The GfK survey was commissioned by Fruchthandel Magazine, Dsseldorf.
The “Grner Merkur” award was presented at FRUIT LOGISTICA for the fourteenth time in recognition of outstanding achievements in the international fresh produce trade. This year, FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE, Dsseldorf, presented the award to Antonio Cerd Cerd, Consejero de Agricultura y Agua, Regin de Murcia. The award is presented to individuals and companies who have shown exceptional commitment to the interests of the fresh produce industry and trade.
Highly satisfied exhibitors with innovative products
Key objectives for exhibitors at FRUIT LOGISTICA included company presentation/image building, new business development, fostering customer relations and providing information to industry professionals. Nearly all exhibitors reported that they were highly satisfied with their achievement of these objectives. About two thirds of all exhibitors presented an innovation or enhancement of existing products.
88% of exhibitors said that their participation at the trade fair had a positive impact on business. Although business contracts were not among the top priorities, nearly 50% of all exhibitors managed to conclude new orders. Over 86% of exhibitors said they anticipated good post-exhibition business. Around 60% of exhibitors rated the current economic situation in their industry as favourable, and 88% reported a positive overall impression of this year’s FRUIT LOGISTICA. 92% said they would recommend the trade fair to their business associates and colleagues.
Positive commercial results for 97% of trade visitors
Top-level decision-makers from all over the world that describes in a nutshell the industry professionals attending FRUIT LOGISTICA. 80% of trade visitors were from countries outside Germany, with the vast majority coming from the EU (65%). The most frequently cited countries of origin were Spain, the Netherlands and Italy. 9% were from European countries outside the EU. 26% of foreign visitors came to Berlin from America, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Most of the trade visitors to FRUIT LOGISTICA were there to establish contacts or meet new suppliers, find out about new products, and monitor the market and the competition. They were primarily interested in fresh produce as well as packaging and packing machines. The majority of trade visitors identified themselves as fruit and vegetable growers, representatives from import/export companies or wholesale and retail buyers. The level of decision-making authority among trade visitors remained high, with 74% of them holding management positions in their companies as directors, executive officers or department heads, and 75% being involved in purchasing or procurement decisions.
Nearly all trade visitors gave an extremely positive assessment of their business results at the trade fair (over 97%). 82% managed to establish new business contacts, and 77% were anticipating follow-up negotiations and business transactions as a result of the contacts made at the trade fair. The range of products and services presented at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 was rated satisfactory to excellent by 95% of trade visitors, and 97% said they would recommend FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 to their colleagues or business associates.
Source: Fruit Logistica 2010