Record number of exhibitors set for this year’s key ISM trade fair

As ISM in Cologne, Germany, is set to marks its 50th anniversary, the trade fair has confirmed a record total of 1,750 exhibitors from 76 countries.

This year’s event opening on Sunday (2 February) will be no exception in terms of a wide range of new products being unveiled from major sweets and snacks manufacturers, as well as smaller and medium-sized producers and enterprises from across the world.

Speaking on the evolution of the show, organisers noted that back In 1971, there were 351 companies presenting products on 16,500 square metres of floor space to the 5,800 trade visitors. This year, the world’s leading trade fair for confectionery and snacks expects a total of 1,750 companies from 76 countries on gross exhibition space spanning 120,000 square metres. As such, ISM is not only gathering together the entire sweets and snacks industry including numerous international market leaders, but in its anniversary year is also recording a six percent increase in the number of exhibitors compared to the previous year (1,652 exhibitors).

Furthermore, the loyalty of exhibitors at ISM is also reflected in the regular participation in the fair – with a total of 29 companies exhibiting at the fair without interruption since 1971, including numerous large and medium-sized enterprises. These include: Aachener Printen-& Schokoladenfabrik, Henry Lambertz, Chr. Storz, Coppenrath Feingebäck, Eichetti Confect Spezialitäten A. Eichelmann, Carstens Lübecker Marzipan/Erasmi & Carstens, Farüchoc Schokoladenfabrik, FDF Flensburger Dragee-Fabrik, Feodora Chocolade, Frankonia Schokoladenwerke, Frigeo Vertriebsgesellschaft, and Genuport Trade to name a few.

From chocolate and chocolate products, to sweets, biscuits, snacks, through to trend snacks, natural snacks, ice cream, frozen sweets and breakfast snacks, a broad range of innovations are expected from across the sector.

ProSweets also makes its return

Furthermore, ProSweets Cologne – the international supplier fair for the sweets and snacks industry – is once again being staged parallel to ISM. With 260 exhibiting companies, it offers a wide-ranging spectrum of services and products from the areas of raw materials and other ingredients, sweets packaging and packaging technologies, machines and facilities for the sweets industry, food safety and quality management. Together both trade fairs cover the entire value chain in the production of sweets and snacks, a unique constellation worldwide.

Traditionally, both market leaders as well as medium-sized and smaller companies participate at ISM. Germany is strongly represented again with an overall participation of 221 exhibitors (previous year 211) and was thus able to record a growth rate of just under five percent.

In addition, the world’s leading trade fair for confectionery and snacks is more international than ever. The expected foreign share of visitors is more than 70 percent. On the exhibitor side, the fair is even setting a new record, with around 88 percent. The largest contingents from outside Germany come from Italy, Belgium, Spain, Great Britain, Poland, France and the Netherlands. Turkey, China and Greece are also represented with a broad range of offerings. New exhibitors are participating from Algeria, Kenya and Madagascar.

Among the returning pavilions are groups from Belgium, Brazil, the People’s Republic of China, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Canada, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Taiwan, the Czech Republic, Turkey, the Ukraine and the USA have confirmed their participation. Beyond these, the fair is also welcoming returnee and new group participations from Bulgaria, Latvia, Jordan and Russia.

Notable returnee or new exhibitors at ISM 2020 include among others Hosta Group from Germany, Arcor from Argentina, Cacau Show from Brazil and Fazer from Finland.

With snacking presently forming a current mega trend, ISM has rebundled its sections, with Trend Snacks and Natural Snacks in Hall 5.2, providing a detailed overview of the product world of snacks. In addition, there will be a pavilion dedicated to the theme Bean2Bar chocolate within the Natural Snacks section.

New products and innovations are furthermore a key theme at the leading global trade fair for sweets and snacks. Many established trends such as organic, vegan, vegetarian, fat and sugar reduced or gluten and lactose-free are ongoing again this year. Plant proteins made from beans and peas, which are especially used to enrich snacks such as muesli bars with hazelnuts, almonds or hemp additives are a further recognisable trend. Insect snacks will also be represented at ISM again. Initial insights in this connection are already available in the New Products Database of the exhibitors on the trade fair’s website.

Trend Court@ISM

The Trend Court@ISM in Hall 5.2. is also dedicated to the theme trends within the sweets industry. Different accents will be set in the three sections. New product trends and developments within the industry will be presented on a special area under the focus “Sweet Trends presented by Innova Market Insights”. The Expert Stage is additionally the place for an exchange of knowledge and information. Current industry themes such as the top trends of the industry and the future of sweets and snacks will be discussed every day from Sunday to Wednesday. Furthermore, this year the Start-up Area within the Trend Court@ISM offers 21 companies that have been founded within the last five years a good opportunity to present their innovative products and concepts at ISM.

There will also be 130 display windows containing the current new products of the exhibitors of ISM and ProSweets Cologne await the visitors. Furthermore, the four winners of the “Innovation Award” of yummex Middle East in Dubai will be presented once again.

ISM also offers guided tours on various themes, which last one and a half hours, themed around innovations, sensory experiences and the professional exchange. Our partner NutriMarketing will accompany the tour and provide in-depth insights into these trend topics.

For the first time, ISM and ProSweets Cologne are jointly organising the future congress #CONNECT2030 for the sweets and snacks industry. Famous experts will talk about digital networking, artificial intelligence and smart packaging and present concrete digital technologies and options, which can offer true added value for the sweets and snacks industry also regarding sustainability.

An overview of the further highlights of the event programme: https://bit.ly/2tX8YXU with further exclusive content previewing the event being available in the pages of our latest edition of Confectionery Production.

 

 

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