This year’s Fi Europe embodied all the ingredients of a successful event, showcasing a winning combination of sourcing, innovation, networking and education.
In a milestone year for benchmarking organised event success, Fi Europe 2023 has shown that there is more demand than ever for a dynamic platform uniting the international ingredients industry. This year’s event, which attracted 23,149 attendees from 135 countries around the globe, was a resounding success, reaffirming its positive contribution to F&B industry innovation, collaboration and dialogue.
The build-up started on 20 November, when the event platform went live, enabling attendees to access exclusive content previews, coordinate meetings and stream a live keynote session. Then, on 27 November, the Future of Nutrition Summit kicked off a carefully curated in-person content programme designed to inspire and inform whilst facilitating networking and discussion. Speakers from Nestlé, Microsoft, Deloitte and the United Nations Global Compact gave their takes on the trends and technologies reshaping the food industry landscape.
On 28 November, Fi Europe opened its doors to reveal a vibrant show floor that was to become a hive of networking activity for the next three days. Over 1400 exhibition stands occupied four halls packed with ingredients and solutions from all over the world, providing a sensory spectacle and a wealth of sourcing opportunities. Many attendees also took advantage of the additional inspiration offered by the Innovation Tours, New Product Zone and Innovation Hub.
The first day culminated with the announcement of the Fi Europe Innovation Awards and Startup Innovation Challenge winners. Honoured at a special ceremony, the recipients were chosen by an expert judging panel for their outstanding contributions to the F&B ingredients industry.
The two-day Fi Europe Conference, which ran in parallel to the exhibition, provided a further forum for exchanges on the latest advancements and future trends in the F&B industry. The agenda revolved around four topical themes: plant-based, health & wellbeing, alternative ingredients & protein, and reformulation & ingredient innovation. Speakers from a broad cross-section of commercial, academic and research organisations, including Mintel, Euromonitor, NIZO, Wageningen University, Rabobank and Cultivated Biosciences, made for a varied and insightful programme.
Sustainability as an industry challenge was a thematic thread throughout this year’s event, with dedicated features such as the Sustainability Hub and content that focused on ethical sourcing, transparency, regulatory compliance, ESG and gender equity, creating a forum for constructive discussions in this important area.
The industry’s challenge of cultivating a strong pipeline of emerging talent was addressed at Fi Europe 2023 through the introduction of a new programme designed to facilitate connections between students and businesses. The Future Food Leaders Day, which took place on 30 November, gave university students valuable insight into the potential trajectory of a career in the F&B industry.
Yannick Verry, Brand Manager, Food ingredients Europe & Americas, at Informa Markets, says: “For me, feeling the buzz of this year’s show reinforced the important role that Fi Europe fulfils for the global food & beverage community. Not only does it provide a forum for making meaningful connections and discovering new ingredients and technologies, it also makes an important contribution to advancing discussions and thinking around innovation, sustainability and the future of the industry. We are already looking forward to 2024, when Fi Europe will return to Frankfurt, from 19-21 November.”
Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe: 3 days live, 2 weeks online, 710 exhibitors and 115 content sessions
Three days of Fi Europe, co-located with Hi Europe in Frankfurt, proved that for many professionals, face-to-face trade shows are still the unrivalled networking format. Amidst challenging circumstances, participants from a wide range of countries attended the world’s leading food and beverage ingredients show to discover industry innovations and meet customers and partners. Those who were unable to attend in-person had the opportunity to connect, network and watch all content sessions online.
Thanks to the Informa AllSecure Health & Safety Standard, Fi and Hi Europe serves as a prototype for successful and safe in-person events at the Messe Frankfurt.
On the exhibitor side, 710 companies from all over the world were present. More than 10,600 products were showcased at the booths spread across three exhibition halls, and on the online platform. The fact that Fi and Hi Europe is the central hub of the ingredients industry worldwide, was demonstrated by the international spectrum of attendees on site: professionals from 106 countries attended the in-person event. In total, more than 13,000 attendees participated online and in-person.
Julien Bonvallet, Fi Europe Brand Director, says: “I am happy that despite the travel restrictions, we saw high quality visitors at the event. 73 per cent had budget responsibility, and more than 36 per cent were in top management (C-level). By the end of the second day, 67 % of the 2022 floorplan for Fi & Hi Europe in Paris was booked – confirmation of just how much companies trust and value the event.”
Highlights of the three-day trade show included the live presentation of the Fi Europe Innovation Awards and the Startup Innovation Challenge, the New Product Zone, in partnership with Innova Market Insights, and a broad programme of presentations and trend analyses streamed live. The show was supported by an online platform that will remain open until 31 December 2021, allowing visitors to network and learn more about the latest industry highlights.
“The future of events is definitely hybrid. Thanks to the online element of Fi Europe, we were able to reach even more leads this year,” says Natalie Meijers, Marketing Communications Manager at FrieslandCampina Ingredients. Monique Hartog, Brand & Marketing Manager at Bunge Loders Croklaan, adds: “A packed booth, many good talks and one shiny Innovation Award! It was a great show for us.” Bart Piscaer, Senior Account Manager, Avebe, commented: “I’m very happy that the show is taking place in person because it’s still very valuable to meet people face to face.”
At Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe, the Informa AllSecure Health & Safety Standard again proved its value. Julien Bonvallet: “With 2G and our AllSecure Standard’s 10-point set of measures, we laid the groundwork for attendees to participate with confidence. During many conversations with customers and visitors on-site, I received confirmation that they felt safe and comfortable conducting face-to-face business.” Michael Biwer, Vice President Guest Events at Messe Frankfurt, adds: “Under the 2G rule, visitors were able to engage in a productive exchange about the latest topics in the food industry in a safe, controlled environment.”
Next year, Fi Europe, again co-located with Hi Europe, will be digitally smarter and offer even more on-site opportunities. The show will take place at Porte de Versailles in Paris, a new venue for the event that was chosen by the Fi Europe team as a result of feedback received by clients and partners. This location is both central and easily accessible, and also allows visitors the opportunity to enjoy the delights of Paris, and all it has to offer. The online version will start on 28 November 2022, while the in-person event will open its doors from 6 to 8 December 2022.
ACHEMA 2022 – the World Forum for the Process Industries – will be held at the Frankfurt Fairground from 22 to 26 August 2022, instead of 4 to 8 April 2022 as originally planned. This decision was made in view of the increasing uncertainty caused by the new Corona variant after intensive discussions with the community and in the ACHEMA Committee.
“As a global meeting place for the process industries, we are looking with concern at the newly emerging travel restrictions,” says Dr.-Ing. Thomas Scheuring, CEO of DECHEMA Ausstellungs-GmbH. “Despite the extensive hygiene concept for ACHEMA, which was originally planned for April 2022, we would like to enable our visitors and exhibitors to meet on site as carefree as possible after a two-year dry spell and the longing for an ACHEMA at their fingertips. We don’t see that for April 2022 at the moment and are therefore postponing ACHEMA to end of August.”
The organisers see the postponement by four months to late summer 2022 as an opportunity to ensure an international ACHEMA. “After many months of digital meetings, we want to fulfil the desire of exhibitors and visitors for a physical ACHEMA with participants from all over the world,” explains Dr Björn Mathes, Member of the Board of DECHEMA Ausstellungs-GmbH. This requires a comprehensive lively exhibition and the opportunity for personal contact.
After intensive discussion with partners and within the ACHEMA Committee, representing the exhibitors, the decision was made in favour of ACHEMA as a presence exhibition from 22 to 26 August 2022. With this early decision, DECHEMA also wants to give exhibitors planning security: After all, for them a major event like ACHEMA means a long-term preparation and investment effort.
“Apart from the date, nothing will change about the planned ACHEMA 2022,” Scheuring sums it up: Trendsetting technology and worldwide networking will characterise the world’s leading trade fair when manufacturers and service providers present their products and solutions for chemistry, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, energy and the environment in August 2022. Founders and young entrepreneurs will meet in the Start-up Area.
With the focus topics “Modular and Connected Production”, “The Digital Lab” and “Product and Process Security”, ACHEMA 2022 will address the issues that are preying on the mind of the process industry. In addition, the megatopics of digitalisation and climate neutrality are moving even more into the focus of ACHEMA with the “Digital Hub” and the “Green Innovation Zone”.
The world’s leading trade show for food ingredients will open its doors to vaccinated and recovered attendees
Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe, which will be held in-person in Frankfurt from November 30 to December 2, will implement the so-called 2G rule to ensure maximum levels of safety for all. Additionally, the Informa AllSecure Health & Safety Standard promises full hygiene and protection in the exhibition halls thanks to a comprehensive number of measures. This means that attendees can network and learn all about the latest food and beverage industry innovations under optimal conditions.
The 2G rule requires attendees to provide a digital EU-approved COVID certificate proving that they are fully vaccinated, or have recovered from COVID-19 within the last six months.
Formnext, the first trade show held under 2G at the Messe Frankfurt venue, took place a few days ago with highly satisfactory results. Wolfgang Marzin, President & CEO of Messe Frankfurt, said: “It is fantastic to have tradeshows taking place again and for us it is important, and encouraging, to see that the 2G protocol works. Spirits are high, attendees feel safe and seem to really take full advantage of what the show has to offer. We are also seeing an increased proportion of decision-makers attending, something I have heard other event organisers are also experiencing.”
For trade fair organizer Informa Markets, it is clear that 2G in combination with high security standards will prove invaluable. Julien Bonvallet, Brand Director at Informa Markets, comments: “To have our attendees feel safe and comfortable while doing business has been a top priority for us at Informa in the last few months. Thanks to the Informa AllSecure Standards, we have recently run a lot of successful events where we saw confidence scores above 96 %.Given the current situation, it was important to make the event even safer and we have therefore opted for the 2G option last week. Meanwhile, the state of Hesse proclaimed the 2G rule as mandatory. We’re incredibly pleased to be back in Frankfurt, and I am confident that this year’s event will once again be all about business, inspiration and, of course, plenty of highly anticipated face-to-face networking.”
You can find further information about 2G at Fi Europe combined with Hi Europe 2021 here: https://www.figlobal.com/fieurope/en/visit/health-and-safety.html.
With record breaking visitor numbers, Fi Europe & Ni (Frankfurt, Germany) was the place to be for decision makers, product developers, market strategists and scientists
A marketplace for innovation, a source of inspiration and a trend barometer. The world’s most important trade show for food and beverage ingredients, Fi Europe & Ni 2017 welcomed more visitors than ever before.
More than 26,000 attendees from over 135 nations worldwide used the three-day trade show to discover innovative new concepts and novel solutions. Boasting an abundance of excellent, high quality delegates, post-event analysis showed that almost 78 % of the attendees had budget responsibility, with approximately 30 % having higher management roles – an ideal mix to generate promising leads at more than 1,600 stands. In total, show organizer UBM recorded 50,000+ visits.
Oliver Wolf, Head of B2B Marketing at GELITA, gave a very positive review, stating: “The sheer volume of visitors at the GELITA stand was immense – and the overall quality of enquiries was very high. That’s why Fi Europe was, once again, the perfect setting for us to introduce our latest innovations in gelatine and collagen peptides to a broad expert audience.” Peter Hennebichler, Director Corporate Sales & Marketing at AGRANA, added: “We counted a record number of attendees at our stand this year. Because of the highly relevant contacts we make here, AGRANA has exhibited at FiE for many years.” Key players such as Cargill, FrieslandCampina, BENEO, Roquette, Avebe, Kerry and Naturex all presented innovative new products and solutions. In addition, several start-ups and first-time exhibitors used Fi Europe & Ni as a platform to further expand their brand.
Fi Europe Brand Director Richard Joyce’s conclusion was also positive. Sharing his excitement for the reservations numbers for the 2019 edition in Paris, he said “Currently, 80 % of the exhibitors have already booked a stand for the next show. This clearly indicates that Fi Europe & Ni is a must-attend event for food ingredient companies. We are already looking forward to 2019 and will do our utmost to arrange another top-class agenda.”
Value adding extras
Far more than just a supporting program, this year’s Fi Europe & Ni once again offered a variety of additional attractions, including 20+ country pavilions and themed areas – such as the Expo FoodTec Pavilion – and daily Innovation Tours. In the Industry Insights Theater and Supplier Solution Sessions, attendees were able to get up close and personal with interesting companies and their concepts. Furthermore, the New Product Zone and Ingredients in Action, hosted by Innova Market Insights, provided an overview on the latest products that made their way into consumers’ shopping carts.
With the second Future of Nutrition Summit, the pre-show one day summit, show organizer UBM EMEA offered detailed insight into the future of the industry; social and technological developments that will impact the ingredients industry during the next 5 years were put under the spotlight. In addition, the three-day Fi Conference covered everything from clean label to regulatory issues. Jennifer Arthur of Leatherhead Food Research introduced the possibilities and challenges of personalized nutrition, whereas Dr Laurice Pouvreau, Senior Project Manager, Protein Functionality at Nizo, explained how promising sensory results can be achieved by blending different protein sources. With more than 250 delegates, the conference program also reached a record-breaking number.
Post-show is pre-show: Hi Europe 2018 in Frankfurt, Fi Europe & Ni 2019 in Paris
Next year, Hi Europe will open its doors on November 27 in Frankfurt for three days. In times when functional ingredients with added health benefits are becoming increasingly important, Europe’s leading trade show for health and nutrition is the meeting place for manufacturers and decision makers in the food and nutraceuticals industry. The following year, Fi Europe & Ni will return to Paris (3–5 December 2019) and take place at the Parc des Expositions Villepinte.
