Successful premiere: International FoodTec Brasil provides strong impetus in the region

The premiere of International FoodTec Brasil, international supplier trade fair for the food industry, which took place in Curitiba, Brazil, closed its doors on Thursday, 7 August 2014 following an excellent event. 81 suppliers from nine countries took advantage of the full 6,595 gross square metre Expo Unimed trade fair grounds to present an information and business platform that was unique for the region. The exhibition covered manufacturing, processing and packaging food with a focus on meat, poultry, fish and cheese. The event, which was jointly organised by Koelnmesse GmbH and Hannover Fairs Sulamérica (HFSA), drew the interest of professionals and high-ranking representatives from politics and business in Paraná. Attracting approximately 3.000 regional and international visitors the trade fair gave a strong business impetus. "International FoodTec Brasil is fully focused on the growing demand for both products and technology in the Brazilian food processing sector," says Gerald Böse, Managing Director of Koelnmesse GmbH. "Close consultation with the industry during development yielded a concept that is 100 % suited to the branch requirements. This claim was firmly underlined by the success of the event. We can build on this positive resonance and strategically develop the trade fair further alongside our Brazilian partners."

Valerio Regente, Director of Hannover Fairs Sulamérica shares his partner's enthusiasm: "With its premiere event, International FoodTec Brasil impressively cemented its claim to being the leading business platform for the industry in Southern Brazil. Subjects such as automation, packaging, hygiene and food safety show that technologists in Brazil are really committed to promoting safety, quality and sustainable production in the food industry."

The trade fair covered the entire spectrum of food technology. Visitors were presented with innovative technologies and latest solutions for processing procedures at all stages in the production of meat and cheese goods. The suppliers on show included top companies such as Bettcher, Ishida, Linco Food, Marel, Middleby, Multivac, Ulma and Vemag.

A number of European companies also made the most of the opportunity to get a foothold in the promising food-technology market in Brazil by participating in the premiere of the International FoodTec Brasil event. Companies such as Cabinplant, CSB-System, Seydelmann, Unitherm and Verinox represent process technologies that are 'Made in EU'. The Danish pavilion also piqued the interest of the visitors. This is where firms such as Animalcare, Dybvad Stal Industri, DACS, Engsko, In-Mix Flow Technology, Hans Jensen Engineering and Vikan were showcasing their new solutions. Overall, the proportion of foreign suppliers was unusually high for a trade fair in Brazil, with more than 40 % coming from overseas. This provided buyers from across the whole region with an outstanding order platform.

Visitor services pay dividends

Both exhibitors and visitors at International FoodTec Brasil benefited from the Koelnmesse specialist competence as an international trade fair organiser. It was always certain that the calibre of visitors at the fair was going to be high following a visitor advertising concept that used business rounds to encourage on-going communication between exhibitors and visitors. The Internet-backed 'match-making' service also made it possible for visitors to the fair to arrange their trade fair visit in advance and at the same time, formulate queries surrounding appointments and offers in a dialogue with the exhibitors. These services were very well received and led to exciting new business contacts being established. 

Specialist supporting programme

The demanding specialist seminar programme, organised in cooperation with the Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos (ITAL – Institute for Food Technology) and Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial (SENAI – National Service for Industrial Training) rounded off the spectrum of International FoodTec Brasil and also provided both visitors and exhibitors with further relevant information and a number of synergies. There was a focus on subjects surrounding the influences and trends of the meat and packaging markets, with a look ahead to 2020.

Luis Madi, Director of ITAL, pointed out: "Brazil plays an important role as a producer and exporter of meat, poultry and dairy products and is on a level playing field with the very best on the international market. International FoodTec Brasil provides the market with the right platform for us to benefit from."

Impressions from the trade fair

The outstanding impression made by the organisers and the positive turnout reflect the excellent mood of the suppliers, who were more than happy with the way the trade fair played out. A large number of companies reported on high-quality business contacts that they had established and direct conclusion of contracts by new costumers.

Ulma, a packaging machines manufacturer of loading and unloading robots, present in this first edition of the International FoodTec Brasil is very optimistic. "The level of visitation is similar to fairs already consolidated," said José Segovia, director of the multinational company Ulma based with its headquarter in Spain. He says that the market was in need of an event like this where customers could visit them with comfort. "During the show we established new partnerships and met customers in order to follow up on existing projects and verify new technologies. We support this event and its organizers in order to become the largest one in the industry, "he concludes.

At the booth of Bettcher do Brasil, CEO Edson Bittencourt celebrates the good results that the company had during the fair due to the quality of the attendees." Being it the first edition of International FoodTec Brasil, we didn’t expect that qualified visitors beforehand, but we were surprised," he says. According to him, since the first day, the Bettcher booth had very good visits both in quantity and quality. "I can say that this fair is already at the level of visitors similar to fairs already established in the market." He believes that the high potential of anchor companies that are exhibiting is one of the factors responsible for this high rate of visitors. "The result that we are having surpasses the expected. Our customers are happy to visit the event" he celebrates. Bittencourt also talked about market trends on his field. "I have noticed that in recent years companies have sought to perfect the deboning process and utilization of meat increasing productivity and generating products with added value," he says.

World leader in processing beef, mutton and poultry, and a strong competitor in the production of pork, JBS attended the business rounds at International FoodTec Brasil. "In the pre-scheduled meetings we’ve looked for partner companies that would like to grow with JBS, to offer advanced equipment and first-line products primarily related to industrial products," comments Alessandro José Baldissera, responsible for the Mercosur supplying area. "In the business rounds we have a chance to explore new opportunities, something that is not possible on a daily basis," he says. In Brazil, JBS has twelve distribution centers for the operation of beef. Besides the new structure in São Paulo, the company has distribution centers strategically located in Porto Alegre, Itajaí, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza, Brasilia and two units in Curitiba.

Cristián Ciancio, Managing Partner of Baci, an Argentinian company representing brands like Tecmaes to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay: "I usually visit several trade shows and the choice of Curitiba for holding International FoodTec Brasil was the right one, because the region has an excellent location, infrastructure access and it is suitable for business development. The quality of the brands exhibiting here, even though the show is making its debut only, makes its potential already clear."

International FoodTec Brasil in figures

81 companies from nine different countries participated in International FoodTec Brasil 2014, which took place on trade fair grounds that measured 6,595 gross square metres. This included 44 exhibitors and 4 additionally represented companies from Brazil as well as 33 from abroad (including 23 suppliers from Europe). Estimations including the last day of the trade fair suggest that approximately 3.000 professional visitors took part in International FoodTec Brasil.

The next International FoodTec Brasil takes place from 02.08 to 04.08.2016 in Curitiba, Brazil.