The attendance at Macfrut's Italian fruit and vegetable fair this year was excellent, with many foreign exhibitors and visitors. On top of that, this has been one of Macfrut's goals for several years, that of becoming an ever-international fair. The next edition will take place from 8 to 10 May 2024 in Rimini. Valentina Piraccini, in charge of the Foreign Department, tells us about the fair's prospects and future plans.
"I started working at Macfrut in May 2008, where I immediately started working in the Foreign Department. Since then, we have made significant progress, but at all times with a solid foundation. We have been able to establish relationships with almost all exhibitors beyond the hectic three days of the event, as we try to maintain year-round contact. At Cesena Fiera we are a small, young team, which allows us to have a personal interaction with exhibitors and visitor delegations from all over the world," says Valentina Piraccini.
Valentina Piraccini
The presence of foreign exhibitors at Macfrut goes back a long way. Many companies from China and the Mediterranean basin had been participating since the late 1990s.
"Today the work is much more structured because we go abroad throughout the year to show our fair. We do not delegate the sale of booths to agencies; we have our own office. And this practical aspect also comes into play when organizing transfers for foreign visitors."
The official presentation of the 2024 edition will take place on 11 October at Expo Doha, in the Italian pavilion designed by Cesena Fiera. The choice of the capital Qatar is not random, since Macfrut has placed its focus on the Arabian Peninsula, as evidenced by previous presentations in Dubai (2022) and Riyadh (2023). And Macfrut 2024 focuses precisely on that region which is strategic for the Italian fresh produce sector.
For the three days of Macfrut 2023, there were 1,976 B2B meetings
Years go by, but companies' needs always revolve around one goal, namely holding productive meetings and growing business. "And we have that goal in mind. It is no coincidence that our platform for B2B meetings is highly appreciated. Suffice to mention one fact: 1,976 B2B meetings took place during the three days of MacFruit 2023." Many of the buyers participating in these bilateral meetings are from overseas. "And these are buyers that you will find in every link of the supply chain. We are trying to attract more and more of them every year, so that all the companies will have a good number of potential buyers at their disposal."
Another aspect that should not be underestimated is that of logistics, such as visas, permits, flights, overnight stays, and on-site visits to companies. "Being able to visit local companies is an added value for Macfrut. Within a perimeter of a few dozen kilometers, you can find companies from the entire supply chain. This combination of exhibition activity with B2B meetings and on-site visits makes our offer particularly interesting for foreign operators. And if in 2023 we reached some of our goals such as a strong presence from Egypt and Mexico, for the next edition we are putting a lot of effort towards operators from South America and the first feedback is already encouraging."
Although everything revolves around the fair, Valentina makes no secret that it often leads to human relationships that go beyond the professional dimension. "In May, during the flood that hit Romagna, my house was badly damaged, and we went through difficult times. I received so many messages of sympathy and encouragement from all over the world, showing real solidarity. It was a very touching moment for me," concluded Valentina.
For more information: 
Cesena Fiera
Via Dismano 3845
47522 Cesena (FC) - Italy
+39 0547 317435
[email protected]
www.macfrut.com
