Impressions of Fruit Logistica

Between February 5th and 7th ?took place in Berlin the 2014 edition of Fruit Logistica. Each new edition of that trade show confirms its importance for the fruit and vegetable trade worldwide. Its internationality is its main trait and its consolidation has prompted the organization of its twin show, Fruit Logistica Asia. This time we have heard some ideas suggesting the possibility of a new Fruit Logistica, much closer to Spain and the Spaniards. The organizers of the fair make, year after year, an important effort to make easier the presence of the visitors.? Besides and by chance, this year the temperature in Berlin was very agreeable. Illusion and tasteIn the meeting ?33rd Fresh Produce Forum?, previous to the show and organized by the German Fruchthandel Magazine, the lectures? centered on how to create more ?illusion? for the client at the point of sale of fruit and vegetables. One of the speakers underlined, in a very graphic way, the importance of creating positive sales arguments in the promotion of fruit and vegetables. He prompted the participants to imagine the illusion experimented by a couple that goes to a mattress store to buy one for their first shared apartment. ?At the same time, the speaker showed pictures of mites dwelling inside the mattresses, asking also who could feel thrilled for a product which main sales argument would be the absence of such disagreeable neighbors. Also the back of a sleeping person showing clearly the vertebras ?the speaker argued that also health is not an attractive sales argument. German consumers gave to the Globe supermarket chain their best evaluation. These supermarkets make of taste their main sales argument. That was decided last year, and again the present one. It is clear that consumers react positively to taste; both in surveys and in their purchasing behavior, which is the key of the business? growth. Imagination and appeal in presentationFruit Logistica is a showcase for the presentation of new packaging forms, marketing concepts, etc., ?always found at the stands of participants like the Dutch Greenery or the French Prince de Bretagne, among others. Regarding potatoes, ?all? participants showed products that could be prepared in the microwave oven, nicely packaged due to the possibilities offered by flexible plastics, a kind of product already shown in the US- trade show PMA some years ago. This is a similar development to the one of the minimally processed fresh produce, which hit the market first in the US and was later adopted in Europe and other regions. Innovation hits also more traditional packaging materials, like nets. Besides environmentally friendly materials, also new presentations were shown. An ?example were the extra-wide strips with openings and the printed handles of Gir?. Innovation: Easiness and qualityThe search of new products and solutions knows no end. Among the nominations to the yearly Fruit Logistica Award new vegetable varieties were found ? like a long stemmed cauliflower called, ?Fioretto?, similar to Sakata?s Bimi , sold since a couple of years in the UK and now also by Makro in Spain; and also a new banana variety. Dried oranges ?Fette di Sole?, that should be really delicious; vegetable add coatings, lending an attractive color to products cooked with them, ?vegetable crumbs??winner was a barbeque tray, the ?BBQ Grill?Mix?, with ready to cook cut vegetables. Economics, environment, workersEnvironmentally friendly solutions carry on and are represented by biodegradable materials used for packaging (nets, baskets, stripes, labels to be directly attached to fruit?). A company showed a water recycling system, to be used either in packaging plants or irrigation; sea logistics adapts further to environmental protection, using larger ships at lower speeds, which are less environmentally damaging. New solutions make worker?s tasks easier, avoiding repetitive operations that cause physical damage. Among transportation packaging, some systems ?travel? more easily: a detachable pallet and plastic foam vessels could be considered interesting examples of manufacturers trying to reach new markets. Quality and postharvestSolutions to lengthen postharvest life are among the most important proposals of very many of the exhibitors. One of those solutions, then nominated for the prizes, is the new broccoli packaging system presented by BrimaPack. And also equipment improvements that result in a softer handling ?of the produce during the packaging process. Regarding processing of whole products, progress in detail for a better handling of produce units and management of the equipment are continuous, including more operator friendly interfaces. Quality improvements covers also packaging materials. The new cardboard treatment introduced by Mondi lends it resistance to humidity, for instance. Value addedBoth regarding whole product and also fresh cut, the presence of equipment designed to process moderate amounts of produce ? which opens the way to companies that add value with limited production and limited investment possibilities ? is increasing. It is the case, for instance, of the new potato cutter presented by FAM. Among company news, a highlight is the presence of the new one Compac? Fomesa (www.compacfomesa.com ), a division of the Compac Group specialized in peripherical machines, putting into work the experience gathered by Fomesa Machinery during more than half a century in the main world markets. ? The pictures1st ? Net packaging including windows with different shapes2nd ? The vegetable crumbles3rd ? A hearth shaped packaging for strawberry, a ?best pictured? 4rd ? Many forms of wrapping lettuce5rd ? ?Microwavable? potatoes ?