Around 950 exhibitors from 47 countries will present their innovations at IFFA – The No. 1 fair for the meat industry – in Frankfurt am Main from 4 to 9 May 2013. With new products covering the entire process chain, they will occupy 110,000sqm of exhibition space, an increase of six percent compared to the previous event. Organizer Messe Frankfurt expects around 58,000 trade visitors from all around the world.
Safety, hygiene, traceability, automation and sustainability are important subjects for the meat-processing and supplier industries. In particular, ever greater significance is the question of sustainability. Many ideas and solutions for the efficient use of energy and resources have already been implemented in many parts of the meat-processing and packaging technology sector, and IFFA offers an up-to-the-minute overview of them. The machines and equipment to be seen in Halls 8, 9 and 11 cover the entire spectrum – from slaughtering, via processing, to packaging. Suppliers of ingredients, spices, additives, casings and packing materials (Hall 4.0) are important partners for butchers and industrial meat-processing companies. Besides product safety, a good feeling for consumer trends is vital in this field. One of the main subjects in the sector is clean labeling, i.e., the reduction or exchange of declarable additives, allergens and artificial aromas. Additionally, the trend to ‘Walking Food’ describes the lifestyle and eating habits of younger target groups, for which the spice industry offers suitable concepts – not just for characteristic spicy sauces, but also for appealing take-away packaging. Wolfgang Marzin, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Messe Frankfurt said: “We are experiencing a strong response to IFFA, as the unrivalled leading trade fair for the meat industry. All market leaders have signed up to present their innovations to an international audience of trade visitors. With a new, optimised hall concept and more exhibition space, this year’s IFFA will have a new look – more modern, more compact and bigger. Together with our partners, we have created the best possible conditions for a successful IFFA.”
New hall concept
IFFA 2013 will be distinguished by a new, optimized hall concept. For the first time, the fair will occupy both levels (11.0 and 11.1) of the new Hall 11. There, key international players from the packaging, supply facilities, measuring and weighing technology will present their innovations. Additionally, exhibitors from the processing and cutting segment will be located in Hall 11.1. As in the past, companies from the slaughtering, dismembering and processing segment will be positioned in Halls 9.0 and 9.1. The focus in Hall 8.0 will be on processing. Thanks to this new structure, visitors will find the complete range of machines and equipment concentrated in the western part of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre. Also new is the use of two floors in Hall 4. Thus, the range of products and services for ‘Selling – Everything for the butcher’s shop’ and suppliers of packaging are now to be found in Hall 4.1 while exhibitors with ingredients, spices, additives and casings are on the floor below, in Hall 4.0. Wolfgang Marzin said: “For our visitors, the new hall concept means shorter walking distances and an improved overview. Moreover, the impressive ‘Portalhaus’ building forms a new main entrance in the west of the Exhibition Centre. And, last but not least, the new hall concept means we have been able to comply with the long-standing wishes of many exhibitors for more exhibition space.”
High level of internationality
The high degree of internationality on both the exhibitor and visitor sides reflects the international importance of IFFA. At the last event, 55 percent of exhibitors came from abroad. After Germany, the top 10 exhibitor nations included Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, USA, France, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Poland. The proportion of German exhibitors has remained stable at around 45 percent over recent years (2010: 421 companies). The broad spectrum of products and services at IFFA attracts trade visitors from the industry, trade and butchers’ business. In 2010, 59 percent of the approx. 58,000 visitors came from outside Germany. The best represented visitor nations were the Russian Federation, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, the USA and Australia. A total of 24,180 visitors came from Germany.