Objective Achieved: From the "Varieties and Brands" Exhibition in 1998 to Fruit Attraction 2023

The 2023 edition of Fruit Attraction marked the 15th edition and, simultaneously, the most successful gathering of all. Regarding the participation of companies, this year saw the addition of 316 new companies. According to information from the fair itself, "the Fresh Produce Area represents nearly 70% of the fair and shows a 14% increase compared to the previous year. The Auxiliary Industry Area, accounting for 25%, sees growth in two of its sectors: Biotech Attraction, up 5%, and Smart Agro, up 20%. Additionally, the Fresh Food Logistics Area records an increase of over 31%, with the participation of 48 companies. National participation represents 60% of the fair, with the presence of all autonomous communities that are producers in the country. The international segment accounts for 40% of the occupancy, with 56 countries taking part. This time, 17 new markets have joined, including Austria, Denmark, Cyprus, or Bulgaria, further strengthening the strong European presence." The figures from the Fruit Attraction website, which are likely to be adjusted upwards once the counts for this edition are complete, indicate 90,000 professional participants, 64,000 m2 of exhibition space, 2,000 exhibiting companies, and attendees from 137 countries. The fair occupied at least one more pavilion than usual, and while walking through it, especially in the pavilions with international participation, it often felt like being at Fruit Logistica, such as in the middle of the Netherlands' pavilion. The presence of visitors this year was very high from the first day, something that usually happens on the second day, which also saw full occupancy. On the third day, with fewer visitors as expected, the fair's spirit appeared to continue a bit later than usual. The conferences and presentations were numerous and interesting, with attendees having to manage their time between these educational activities and exploring the fair. A Long Journey The success of this year marks a milestone in the long journey that began with the efforts of Spanish producers and exporters. Since the late 19th century, they started sending grapes and oranges to northern countries. The quantities and variety of shipments increased, positioning Spain as a supplier to Europe during the Northern Hemisphere's winter. Spain's entry into the European Union made things easier, and from 1986, volumes saw a significant increase. Simultaneously, two foreign-born ideas made their appearance. On one hand, the notion that fruits and vegetables benefit from branding and promotion. In Rotterdam, the AGF Totaal fair was held at the Ahoy venue, a celebration of the promotion of fruits, vegetables, and their added value. Its director, along with Pere Papasseit, the founder and manager of Ediciones de Horticultura, visited Jos? Ma. Pozancos and Jos? Ma. Zalbidea, executives of Fepex, to invite Spain to join this vision. "5 a Day" MovementThe other idea was the awareness of the importance of consuming more fruits and vegetables, initially for better health. The proposal to replace animal proteins with vegetables came later, driven by environmental and ethical concerns. The "5 a Day" movement emerged in Canada, later widely promoted by the PMA (Produce Marketing Association) during its annual Fresh Summit event. The PMA, primarily dedicated to fresh fruits and vegetables, has now merged with Fresh Produce, the association for minimally processed products. "Varieties and Brands" Exhibition at EuroagroEdiciones de Horticultura led the European project "Fruit & Veg," which aimed to collect and disseminate the characteristics and healthy properties of fruits and vegetables and how to promote them. This laid the foundation for the organization of the "Varieties and Brands" exhibition in 1998 in Valencia, as part of Euroagro. It also laid the groundwork for the creation of the "5 a Day" movement, whose first headquarters was in Reus, also home to the mentioned publisher. This "Varieties and Brands" exhibition was part of the IV FITECH, the International Forum for Horticultural Technology, an in-person activity by Ediciones de Horticultura that began in the early 1990s. For many years, Euroagro was the exhibition for fruit and vegetable production technology, in parallel with Iberflora, which did the same for ornamentals (with overlapping or non-overlapping dates depending on the years), and the fair in Almeria, with several initiatives over the years. The PMA served as an inspiration for all. Germany saw the opportunity to leverage its privileged position as the main European importer and created Fruit Logistica, which started in 2000. SIAF, the Interprofessional Fresh Food Fair Valencia, as explained by Francisco Borr?s, was already a leader in the horticultural business. With the aim of creating a fair that would turn its capital into a showcase, the "lighthouse of the horticultural business," a position it already held concerning horticultural technology, the SIAF fair was held in parallel with Euroagro. SIAF, the Interprofessional Fresh Food Fair, evolved from the "Varieties and Brands" forum and was a precursor to the current fair, where a group of pioneering companies made a proactive effort to promote their fruits and vegetables. Among the members of the organizing committee of SIAF were Pere Papasseit, its promoter, Vicente Peris, the director of Iberflora at that time and closely linked to Euroagro, who enthusiastically welcomed it. Manuel Garc?a Portillo, the director of Tecnidex, Isidoro S?nchez, the technical director of Pascual Hermanos, and a representative of Fepex, among others. SIAF had a two-year run in 1999 and 2000. The following year, in Murcia, a forum on "promoting fruits and vegetables from Spain" was held, proposing a framework for European policies on promoting these foods. Shortly after, in 2008, Fruit Attraction was born. Organized by Fepex and Ifema, with the support of both the Ministry and the autonomous communities, it quickly gained importance in the European trade fair landscape. Italy's Macfrut also plays a significant role as the Mediterranean Green Corridor. Fruit AttractionThe undeniable success of the consolidation of Fruit Attraction is due to its organizers, who have made continuous efforts to introduce improvements and attractive events. Congratulations to all those involved. The future is expansion. The SIAF brand, once associated with Euroagro, suggested this with the fair in Palermo, Argentina. Fruit Attraction and the Milan Fair are now planning an event in S?o Paulo. The "Innovation Hub Awards" is another success, but it has both its merits and drawbacks. This year, all the awards went to Spanish companies, a mistake made by previous fairs, especially when the quality of the awarded items does not match the novelty of the award. The FutureFruit Attraction embraces production, trade, and production and post-harvest technologies, just as the Euroagro fair did many years ago. The current evolution of Fruit Attraction is making efforts to align with all 17 of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) for 2030. This includes reducing material and energy AuthorAlicia Namesnyinfo@postharvest.biz