Industry around the world has shown strong commitment to the leading global trade fair for food and beverages with participation of more than 4,000 exhibitors from 94 countries for Anuga 2021.
The largest trade fair regarding the number of exhibitors and exhibition space opens its doors in the regular mode at the fair grounds of Koelnmesse on 9 October.
The trade fair will be staged in 11 halls of the fair grounds. The newly constructed Hall 1, which satisfies all of the modern demands of a trade fair, will also celebrate its premiere during Anuga.
“This really is a strong signal, which we here at Koelnmesse and the trade fair industry as a whole can build on. Furthermore, this good resonance also confirms how much the industry is looking forward to this year's Anuga as the most important trade fair for food and beverages after the long abstinence," explained Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH, at the business conference of Anuga.
Overall, the net exhibition space booked is currently two thirds of the amount booked in 2019. With a current exhibitor participation from 94 countries, the level of internationality of Anuga is as high as usual and will continue to set benchmarks with regards to its product diversity and innovations. The ten country participations with the highest number of exhibitors come from Belgium, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey and the USA.
In terms of visitors, Anuga will once again unite national and international top decision-makers from the trade, industry and out-of-home market from all over the world. The number of visitors will no doubt not quite match the previous event in the year 2019. The decision as to whether to visit the trade fair is being taken much more spontaneously and at shorter notice than usual. However, numerous renowned food dealers and distributors from over 50 different countries have already confirmed their attendance. Among others, ALDI Einkauf SE & Co. oHG, Eismann Tiefkühl-Heimservice GmbH, Gate Group (formerly the LSG Group), Metro AG, REWE Group Buying GmbH as well as Supermarketfoods Asia and World Finer Foods are planning to visit Anuga.
Furthermore, the significance of Anuga as the leading global trade fair for food and beverages is going to be reinforced by the participation of Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister for Food & Agriculture and Armin Laschet, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia at the opening of the trade fair.
The leading global trade fair for food and beverages is treading new paths for the first time with its hybrid concept for the trade fair, which foresees the physical trade on-site in Cologne being additionally enhanced by the digital format, Anuga @home.
"Anuga @home will thus bring the industry players all over the world together regardless of their location or time zone and create a digital trade fair experience on the screens at home or in the office. Furthermore, we can offer our customers a host of new participation options and set new benchmarks regarding international reach, lead generation and networking over the coming years," Böse emphasised further.
Available from 11.-13-10.2021, the start of the digital event Anuga @home is staggered. A large range of contents will also be available there on-demand after the trade fair has closed.
In terms of content, Anuga will pick up where the 2019 anniversary edition of Anuga left off and as a global driving force of the industry provide an outlook on the new developments and innovations of the industry. This year's edition is focusing on the food transformation, which has picked up even more speed due to the pandemic and has once again underlined the volatility of the global food and ecosystem as well as the necessity for a global food change.
The new special events "Anuga Clean Label", "Anuga Free From, Health & Functional Foods“ as well as the Anuga Meet More Meatless“ format within Anuga Meat pick up on new consumer needs and offer buyers and the media an overview of product innovations in these trend categories.
In the congress section, the New Food Conference is celebrating its Anuga debut this year. Here, Anuga will be the first food trade fair to focus on the theme cell-based proteins, so-called "laboratory meat" as well as on alternative dairy products. What's more, the sustainability conference of the Centre for Sustainable Corporate Management (ZNU) will examine the complexity of a wide range of sustainability challenges across the supply chain such as, for example, the climate, packaging, food losses and human rights.
The transformation becomes most visible when assessing the food trends and product innovations of Anuga 2021. Here it is demonstrated that the food and beverage industry is encountering the challenges of the transformation with new approaches and innovative products. Trends such as alternative meat proteins, clean label, plant-based proteins or food such as sustainably-produced or packaged will thus also be reflected in the Anuga taste Innovation Show, the trend barometer of Anuga.
Anuga not only offers buyers, but also experts from the food service area several highlights. For example, one can start the day off at the Anuga trade fair with a breakfast in the hack enjoyment and beer garden or in the DEHOGA Lounge in Hall 7. The stage of the Anuga Culinary Concept in Hall 7 invites guests to attend cooking shows, lectures and product presentations. As in the previous years, this is where the finals of the two established professional competitions "Chef of the Year" and "Patissier of the Year" take place.
Anuga is still taking place under special circumstances and Koelnmesse has accordingly undertaken extensive preparations to ensure the Corona-conform conduction of the trade fair, including a comprehensive package of measures that have been put together under the term #B-SAFE4business. The current Corona Protection Ordinance of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia has provided significantly more planning security in this regard.
Anuga 2021 is being staged on-site in Cologne 9 to 13 October and is exclusively open to trade visitors. In addition to this, the digital format Anuga @home is available from 11 to 13 October.
Koelnmesse organises Anuga in close and trusting cooperation with the Federal Association of the German Retail Grocery Trade e.V., Berlin, (BVLH). Other industry sponsors include the Federation of German Food and Drink Industries and the German Hotel and Restaurant Association.
