International Fair Plovdiv, Bulgaria Final report - FOODTECH 2020, p. 1

26th InternatIonal eXhIBItIon of food and drInks, PackagIng, MachInes and technologIes

The International Exhibition FOODTECH is the most representative forum of the food industry in Bulgaria. It has become the preferred venue for manufacturers and traders offering delicious and healthy high-quality products, technologies, equipment and materials.

The 26th edition of FOODTECH was focused on clean food. The production of products under the strictest selection and control was presented both in the technological area and in the unique City of Wine and Delicacies, which has established itself as the preferred venue for presenting new lines.

There were more companies offering machinery and equipment for the food industry compared to last year. The stronger presence of such companies may be explained by the major changes taking place in the industry due to increased product quality and safety requirements.

The implementation of more stringent standards could also be seen in the choice of finished products that covered the whole range of food and beverages.

Dates: 19-23 February 2020

Venue: International Fair Plovdiv

Organizer: International Fair Plovdiv Under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture,

Food and Forestry of the Republic of Bulgaria

Partners: Association Traditional Raw-Dried Meat Products Bulgarian Meat Processors Association Bulgarian Association of Dairy Processors National Trade Union of Bakery and Confectionery

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Once again, FOODTECH was part of the only mega forum for agriculture, wine, food and equipment in the Balkans. It is a unique business and advertising platform that includes prestigious events such as AGRA (agriculture), Vinaria (vine-growing and wine-making) and Tastes from Italy. At its sixth edition, nearly 650 companies from 30 countries showcased the latest generation of technologies, equipment, products and services along the whole chain from the field to the table. The forum marked an increase of registered professional visitors by more than 60%.

For the first time was organized the compe tition New Product on the Bulgarian Market with 40 products participating. The traditional Consumer’s Choice competition mar ked a stun ning record: 119 products were assessed by nearly 3000 visitors in a survey. The Innovations Contest presented 63 developments from Agra, Vinaria and Foodtech.

FOODTECH 2020 – KEY FIGURE

ExHIBITORs• 107 exhibitors

• 13 countries: Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Spain, Syria, The Netherlands, Turkey and United Kingdom

• Increase in the number of direct exhibitors by 13%

• Increase in the surface of exhibition areas by 20%

VIsITORs Number: 41 700 from Bulgaria and Europe

Profile:

86% professional visitors

45% play an important role in the making of business decisions at their employer

HIGHLIGHTs Ø Elite meat and dairy products

Ø Nature-based food supplements

Ø Exotic specialties and organic food

Ø Extremely pure mineral and demineralized water

Ø Technologies and equipment: sorting, processing and packing systems

Ø Gourmet delicacies from global brands

Ø Farmer markets

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TREND

FOODTECH 2020 highlighted the following new consumer behaviors: ØOpen-mindedness: producers are willing to experiment with tastes

and consumers are open to such innovations. ØDairy products: remain close to the culinary traditions yet modernized.

MAIN sECTORs

Foodstuffs

Material, raw materials, supplies for the food industry

Packing industry

Healty eating

ØMeat products: return to tastes from the past using raw materials of natural origin.ØCanned food: a combination of traditional recipes and innovative technologies.ØBread and bakery products: gluten- and atypical additives-free. Nowadays, Bulgarians pay more attention to what they put on their table. They’d rather

have healthy food and products from smaller producers with whom they can communicate and receive information, said Georgi Toskov, PhD, Senior Research Assistant at the University of Food Technology.

MEDIA COVERAGEFOODTECH 2020 was covered in more than 300 publications in national, regional and specialized media.

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BUsINEss CONTACTs

The Accompanying Program of FOODTECH 2020 included various events, including: ØRound table on Trends in the development of the food industry and environmental protection

ØConference: Current problems of the food industry in accordance with the latest requirements of Bulgarian and European regulations“

ØWorkshop: How to get more customers for your business through digital marketing and online advertising

TAsTEs OF ITALYExhibition of finest Italian food and wine

Another exhibition related to the food and wine industry, SAPORI D‘ITALIA (TASTES OF ITALY), organized by Bulgarian Fair Service, is taking place within the mega forum. It allows connoisseurs to experience the charm of the famous Italian cuisine presented by leading producers and traders.

Its 16th edition featured 28 companies. They presented various types of cheese, meat specialties, sweets, canned vegetables, olives and olive oil, wine, gourmet delicacies, a diverse range of products suitable for a beneficial Mediterranean diet. The exhibits were located in the City of Wine and Delicacies.

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN FOODTECH 2020!

WE WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU AT THE NEXT EDITION

OF THE MEGA FORUM FOR AGRICULTURE, WINE, FOOD AND EQUIPMENT IN 2021!

www.fair.bg