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As Fruit Attraction hopes to become major competition for Fruit Logistica in Berlin, it might be important for organizers to listen to the sentiment of some of the exhibitors we spoke to, some of which shared that: "Berlin has become a victim of its own success", along with describing the event as ‘unclear’, ‘impersonal’ and ‘too crowded’. As the event becomes busier with each passing year, several attendees hope that the same will not apply to Madrid. We heard these comments from Dutch and Italian exhibitors.
Some Polish exhibitors voiced that it was a shame that the Polish Pavilion was smaller this year compared to last, which forced them to be out on their own, competing for visitor attention, away from their colleagues. They are hoping, and expect, the Pavilion to be much larger next year
It seems that the biggest attraction for the event, is exactly its Spanish influence, with a relaxed and personal atmosphere.
Click here to view the photo reports from freshplaza.com, along with our Dutch, Spanish and Italian sites.
Unfortunately, the event overlapped the PMA in New Orleans which made it a bit tricky for companies wanting to attend both events. But luckily, because of the event’s location being to close to the Madrid airport, many visitors made it into a ‘hit-and-run’ event, dedicating one day for the show.
For Spanish companies, there is definitely a switch to seeing Fruit Attraction as the main event of the season, instead of Fruit Logistica. They say that the main reason for this is that the timing is much more in line with the Spanish season, which makes it a great opportunity to make deals for the coming season. By the time February comes along, it is already too late, along with the fact that the cost of having a stand in Berlin is much higher than in Madrid.
New packaging and products launched
In general, many people consider Fruit Attraction a 'product exhibition' and some told us that two trends will be more developed in the coming years: exotics and packaging.
Isored took to the opportunity to announce the market launch of their new apple range, Kissabel. The red fleshed apples could be seen on display throughout the halls at the stand of their partners across 3 countries.
Big boost for fresh cut this year
Fresh cut and convenience has been growing in Spain over the last few years, but it was clear that it has become a huge focus for many major Spanish companies this year. Anecoop is just one example, using the event to promote a whole brand they have created for the segment, which includes deserts (such as avocado and chocolate), shakes, soups and purees.
Organic consumption also on the rise in Spain
Spain has been producing organic fruit and vegetables for years, but had always been more of a producer than consumer, but it was noticeable this year that the tides are turning.
With the recovering economy, Spanish consumers are more aware of the differences between choosing organic over conventional, as more and more consumers become health conscious. A major Spanish company called Biovivo is launching a huge media campaign this year to further educate consumers, which will cover all types of media, like television, radio and billboards.
Another interesting development is that many Spanish traders are becoming more and more interested in getting into the trade of avocados. Not necessarily to grow, but to source from South American countries like Peru, Columbia and Chile. The market continues to grow and Spanish have the advantage over traders from other European countries for the EU market because of sharing the same language, along with having a better understanding of their culture.
Click here to view the photo reports from freshplaza.com, along with our Dutch, Spanish and Italian sites.