InterMopro, InterCool, InterMeat 2010 - Final Press Release

Food Trade Fair Trio InterMopro, InterCool and InterMeat 2010 Gave Important Impulses in Turbulent Times +++ Exhibitors Report Good Business +++ Retail and Industry React to New Consumer Consciousness

InterMopro, InterCool and InterMeat 2010 – International Trade Fairs for Dairy Products, Frozen Foods, Meat and Sausage – closed their doors on 15 September in Düsseldorf. The multifaceted selection from approximately 760 businesses from 28 countries who presented their products from 12 to 15 September provided the experts from the European food trade with new impulses for assorting their ranges. The exhibitors were also able to establish numerous new business contacts. Approximately 33,000 trade visitors (including the synergy visitors from the concurrent hospitality trade fair, hogatec) from Germany and neighbouring countries travelled to the metropolis on the Rhine for the four days of the trade fairs.

"The fact that the food fairs registered a decline in visitor numbers this year was certainly a drop of bitterness," summarises Hans Werner Reinhard, Deputy Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf. "In this way InterMopro, InterCool and InterMeat reflect the current trends of an industry that is facing difficult times due to prolonged consolidation processes and slowly recovering consumer confidence."  Reinhard continues with positive emphasis, "Nonetheless our visitor survey showed that the most important key decision-makers were here."

Top buyers, particularly from the food retail and wholesale sectors, took advantage of the opportunity at the three trade fairs to scrutinise the concepts for existing and new trend assortments, next to the obligatory viewing of innovations. René Buitenhuis, Sales and Marketing Director at Vandersterre in the Netherlands, welcomed the distinct B2B character in Düsseldorf: "As a mid-tier business we benefit particularly from InterMopro. Since all major trading companies were present we were able to have good and extensive talks."

Josef Tillmann, managing director of Tönnies, was also very satisfied with the results of the InterMeat trade fair. "We had all of the top-ranking buyers from the international food retail sector at our stand. It was an excellent trade fair for us." All the while Frisch & Frost from Austria is already delighted about business done at the trade fair, especially with the neighbouring Benelux countries. Export Director Hans Böttcher reports that "Once again our participation at InterCool has truly paid off. We were able to fill our order books through the middle of next year."

The buyers particularly demanded organic, wellness and regional products. The topic of sustainability – implemented this year for the first time as the uniting motto of the three trade fairs – offered plenty of conversational material. Dr. Sylvia Pfaff, expert at Food Information Service (FIS) Europe, explains, "To remain competitive, retailers have to react to the significant shift in consumer behaviour. Consumers are becoming increasingly critical and scrutinise the statements made by trade and industry. They not only want to eat healthy food – they also want to know how the animals are kept and how the food is processed, under which conditions the people are working in food production and trade, and what effect the production chain has on the environment. Thus it is no longer image campaigns, but rather a true rethinking and most importantly the concrete implementation of sustainable practices that is called for."

This also substantiated the positive response to the special show dedicated to this topic, "Tomorrow's Fresh World" at InterMopro, InterCool and InterMeat 2010. The trade fair visitors especially applauded the impressively compiled lecture programme. Special highlights included the lectures by Dr. Daniela Büchel, Director of Corporate Marketing/Sustainability for the REWE Group, as well as the presentations by the two meat experts Hubert Kelliger, Sales Director for Westfleisch eG, and Josef Tillmann, Managing Director of Tönnies Fleisch.

The fact that new, more responsible and nutrition-conscious consumer behaviour and convenience are not necessarily mutually exclusive was effectively demonstrated by several dishes that are intended to simplify food preparation particularly for professionals and singles. Complete meals are in fashion, as are deep-frozen components, with which complete meals or menus can be prepared at home by combining ready-to-eat dishes with fresh produce.

The example supplied by Innoprax proves however that one thing must be present at meals: Fun! The Swiss company really hit the bullseye with their new mixed milk drink in its cheerful "ready-to-go" package. "We just founded our company a year ago and are completely overwhelmed by our success. We have had fantastic talks that promise to produce listings in the second stage with e.g. Edeka Southwest, famila, Kaufland and Metro, to name but a few. The international contacts were also excellent, for example from Russia, Turkey and the North African countries. The food fairs are dead on as a platform for innovative product launches," delights owner Erich Kienle.

In order to ensure that things stay this way, the trade fair organisers are working fervently on the concept for the trio. "We know that we need to react to the powerful dynamics in retail in order to create a lasting bond with the market leaders on the supplier side and the top buyers on the reseller side. Immediately after the trade fairs we will be having intense talks with all concerned parties with the intention of optimising the general conditions for the exhibitors and increasing the attractiveness for the visitors," announces Reinhard, since June of this year responsible for InterMopro, InterCool and InterMeat. He continues by emphasising, "Our new theme islands such as the Gourmet Plaza and the Freshness Lounge show that we are already headed in the right direction."

With the first European Halal Conference, Messe Düsseldorf in collaboration with DTFood was able to integrate a new, highly current topic into the food trade fairs within the framework of the ancillary events. In the words of Anya Schlie from DTFood, "Valuable approaches for more transparency and uniformity in the Halal certification process were formulated in the discussions between the various experts In the course of this first operative workshop. We hope that this commenced dialogue will continue and that we might even be able to present initial results regarding a uniform European standard at the next food fair trio."

The next InterMopro, InterCool and InterMeat take place from 23 to 26 September 2012.

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15 September 2010

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