3/18/2010 | Communication and Press Department - Alimentaria Exhibitions

The International Food and Drinks Exhibition expands to 94,500 m2 of exhibition space, forums and culinary activities

Almost 4,000 companies from 75 countries attend the event

Brands and internationalisation, benchmark themes at the 2010 edition

Alimentaria 2010, held in entirety for the first time at Fira de Barcelona's Gran Vía venue, becomes the international centre of operations for food and beverage manufacturing, distribution and trade. At its 2010 edition, the show – an international benchmark – highlights the attributes of brands and focuses more heavily than ever on the foreign market as an essential outlet for competitiveness and the future of the industry. Almost 4,000 companies occupy 94,500 m2 of exhibition space and more than 130,000 professionals from over seventy countries are expected to visit.

In its drive to become more international, Alimentaria 2010 has succeeded in attracting so many foreign companies that they account for 30% of the companies participating, almost 1,200 of the close to 4,000 filling the event. Some 14,000 m2 of the entire 94,500 m2 are allocated to international exhibitors.

It should be noted that Korea, Singapore, Iran, South Africa, Nicaragua and Venezuela are attending for the first time. This is in addition to China, Indonesia, Thailand and India, which strengthen their commitment to Alimentaria, repeating their attendance at the show. In this regard, Alimentaria 2010 is joining forces to strengthen commercial relations with the countries of the Mediterranean basin, coinciding with Barcelona being named headquarters city for the Union for the Mediterranean. Almost 40 companies from Syria, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Egypt are taking part as the first step towards creating a project to encompass these countries and strengthen bilateral trade.

International business opportunities
While Alimentaria is synonymous with business and creating value for close to 90% of Spanish agribusiness, which has attended the show for over 30 years, the urgent need for international expansion among Spanish companies is an engine driving activity which does not falter during the trade show.

Alimentaria becomes a promotional platform for participating companies and a major centre for international business. The show offers various tools which enable companies to get the most out of their presence at the event through activities and bilateral meetings to facilitate business contacts. The organisers estimate that around 7,500 business meetings will be held. To this end, close to 200 international buyers have been invited.

A great future for brands
Together with internationalisation, the show's organisers are focusing especially on strengthening other strategic values such as innovation and division into sectors – with the event’s 15 different shows all co-existing under the same roof. However, the leitmotif for this edition is highlighting the attributes of brands, most notably innovation, differentiation, pleasure, specialisation, tradition and safety.

Brands and knowledge at Innoval 2010
The seventh edition of Innoval – Alimentaria's innovation area – reinforces the show's commitment to focusing on R&D&I, occupying the place where brands and innovation come together.

More than 62,000 buyers visited the last edition of Innoval, which at Alimentaria 2010 is located in the lobby area of Pavilion 3. The show recreates every aspect of the shopping experience through specific focal points. These spaces present practical and novel solutions with real-life demonstrations.

International Food Forum: the Brand-Consumer-Industry triangle
The 8th International Food Forum is held in concert with Innoval 2010, presenting the study 'What consumers of brands expect. The manufacturer’s role as brand manager', prepared by the consulting firm Synovate for Alimentaria Exhibitions. Instituto Internacional San Telmo will present 'Manufacturers' strategies in the current environment' at the same forum.”

Culinary Activities
Gastronomy plays an extremely important role at Alimentaria. It is spotlighted at a great many of the exhibition's associated activities, such as BCNVanguardia, the Barcelona International Gastronomy Conference; the final of the 3rd Chef of the Year Competition; Spain, Land of 100 Cheeses; and Taste & Flavours of Spain (wines, oils and Iberian pork products), among others.

Alimentaria 2010 is made up of the following shows:

• Alimentación Ecológica / Vegefruit, Organic food and fresh fruits, vegetables and produce show
• Congelexpo, Frozen foods show
• Expobebidas, Water, soft drinks, beer, must and cider show
• Expoconser, Preserves and semi-preserves show
  Intercarn, Meat and meat products show
  Interlact, Milk and dairy products show
  Interpesca, Fish and seafood, aquaculture and farmed fish products show
  Intervin, Wine and spirits show
  Mundidulce, Sweets, biscuits and confectionery show
  Multiproducto, General food products show
  Olivaria, Olive oil and vegetable oil show
  Restaurama, International eating out show
  Autonomous Communities Pavilion
  International Pavilion

Together with these, Premium brings together well-known companies specialising in delicatessen products and high-end gastronomy.

Communication and Press Department
Susana Santamaria / Xavier Bertomeu
C/ Diputació, 119. 08015 Barcelona
Tel: +34 93 452 11 04 – Fax: +34 93 452 18 01
prensa@alimentaria.com

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