Several important food industry trade shows have been postponed by organizers, because of the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus in Europe.
Among them, the Wabel Frozen Food Summit, which was moved from March to June in Paris, the CFIA in Rennes, France, moved from March to May, as did another GL event, namely M.A.D.E. Furthermore, the Parizza Snack and Sandwich show changed dates to mid-June as well, as did Food Expo Greece, whose organizers provided more details in a statement:
“The surge in cases of the new Covid-19 strain of coronavirus in Greece together with announcement from the Greek Ministry of Health regarding the cancellation of all outdoor meetings and events in the country, have created exceptional and unforeseen conditions that make the successful outcome of the upcoming FOOD EXPO trade show incredibly precarious. At the same time, these conditions constitute a potential health risk for the fair’s attendees (exhibitors, visitors, associates) and their families. Taking all this into serious consideration and with a deep sense of responsibility, FORUM SA, the show’s organizing company, has decided to change its plans and postpone FOOD EXPO until the 16, 17 and 18 May 2020.”
But perhaps one of the most anticipated trade shows for the foodservice industry this year, Internorga in Hamburg, also announced a change of date to an undetermined “summer 2020” season.
A Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH (HMC) press release says that the organizers are postponing the INTERNORGA 2020 exhibition amid growing concern about the increasing number of Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infections. HMC’s decision is consistent with the recommendations issued by the Federal Government’s Emergency Task Force to base risk assessments for large gatherings on the guidelines of the Robert Koch Institute, the government’s public health center. Furthermore, numerous exhibitors have already withdrawn their registrations. The postponement also applies to all conferences and accompanying events scheduled in conjunction with INTERNORGA.
“The safety and health of our exhibitors, visitors and employees are our highest priority. We will presumably hold INTERNORGA 2020 in summer instead,” said Bernd Aufderheide, president and CEO, Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH. The new date for the trade fair will be set soon to provide exhibitors and visitors with a reliable basis for planning.
So far, other two major events are set to continue as planned, namely the Interpack trade show in Dusseldorf and the PLMA private label event in Amsterdam, both taking place in May.