MACFRUT, record numbers for the 33rd edition

Record numbers are expected at the 33rd edition of MACFRUT, the international trade fair for the fruit and vegetable sector to be held from 14 to 16 September at the Rimini Expo Centre. It will feature an even larger exhibition area, with 7 pavilions (one more than last year) covering an area of 40,000 square metres (20% more than in 2015). With more than 1,000 exhibitors, 139 new entries (including 26 from abroad) and exhibition spaces already sold out three months in advance, it is an increasingly international event, with one out of four exhibitors from abroad and the presence of 1,000 buyers. Leading innovations will be introduced, focusing especially on retail stores in the future and 35 absolute novelties for the entire supply chain. About 50 events including conferences, meetings and conventions will be arranged by exhibitors. Organised as always by Cesena Fiera, Macfrut will focus on two key aspects: internationalisation and innovation. Macfrut, increasingly internationalMacfrut continues to further consolidate its international appeal. It is a global event with delegations and traders from five continents, thanks to a wide range of activities aimed at promoting and introducing the trade fair worldwide. With 22% of exhibitors from abroad, Cesena Fiera has also invited 1,000 buyers (400 in 2015) interested in products, technologies, materials, services and the preharvest segment. The companies who have confirmed their participation come from Egypt, Sudan, the Dominican Republic, China, Tunisia, Poland, Mexico, Ecuador, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, France and New Zealand, as well as many new companies from Albania, Argentina, Colombia, Kenya, Peru, France, Costa Rica and Paraguay. A large number of delegations is expected from the Middle East, in particular from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and, especially, the presence of Carrefour Saudi Arabia, Al Jazeera and NRTC (Nassar Al Refaee Trading Company) of Dubai, one of the leading importers of fruit and vegetables in the Middle East. In addition, there will be delegations of professional traders from Iran (20 traders), India and Pakistan and, for the first time, a group of importers from Malaysia. Many participants are also expected from Africa, with two exhibiting countries (Sudan and Kenya), which will be present with 15 companies, as well as delegations from several countries. This year's special guest will be Peru, which will be Macfrut's partner country: with 16 companies attending the event, Peru is one of the most dynamic states in South America and a major producer of fruit and vegetables. Macfrut will also be an opportunity to focus on the market, with show cooking and events to promote fruit and vegetable produce from Peru. This country is greatly interested in importing packaging solutions and innovative technologies from Italy, since the latter is a world leader in these fields. Innovation is the norm at MacfrutThe fruit and vegetable sector has always been one of the most innovative sectors in the agri-food business, and Macfrut is the ideal platform to showcase new projects: 35 novelties will be introduced during this three-day event. To promote innovation in production and in technologies for the fruit and vegetable supply chain, the Macfrut Innovation Award will be assigned, once again, to the most important technical innovations in terms of environmental and economic sustainability and improvement in product quality. Retail stores in the future will be the focus of the New Retail Solution, a space offering innovative solutions for bulk and packaged products complete with analog and digital tools. "Less than 18 months ago, when presenting the relaunch of Macfrut, we announced 5 pavilions and the presence of 400 global buyers,” states Renzo Piraccini, President of Cesena Fiera, during a press conference in Rome. “Today, the pavilions have increased to 7 and the buyers have become 1,000. What is more, almost one out of four exhibitors are from abroad. We can clearly see how this internationalisation process has made considerable progress, and the same can also be said of the innovation process, another mainstay of the 33rd edition of Macfrut. A trade fair is successful if it is addressed to companies: Macfrut is becoming an international showcase for the Italian fruit and vegetable supply chain. This is just the beginning of a planned path to be shared with the main players in the sector." The countdown to the 2016 edition of Macfrut can now begin: see you from 14 to 16 September in Rimini. More information