Fruit Attraction 2021, the sector's major festival returns

Fruit Attraction 2021, the sector’s major festival returns

Fifteen days to go until opening day, and so far participation at the fair totals 1,300 companies from 44 countries; 42,000 net square metres of fruit and vegetable produce and the entire value chain, eight IFEMA MADRID halls, and accredited professional visitors from 98 countries

Fifteen days to go before Fruit Attraction and the Organizing Committee, which met yesterday, confirms the high expectations for participation at the next edition, organized by IFEMA MADRID and FEPEX, which will be held from 5 to 7 October.

The fair’s director, Raúl Calleja, reported the latest participation figures for this edition “probably the most special to date”. As of today they stand at 1,300 exhibiting companies from 44 countries, 21% attending for the first time, thus reaching the heights of the 2018 edition and achieving 82% of the numbers seen at the last face-to-face event in 2019. A total of 42,000 net square metres of exhibition space spread over eight halls of the IFEMA MADRID Convention Centre will host the offering from exhibitors, over 31% of which come from abroad. Among them, the notable growth of Latin America particularly stands out, as does the increase in companies from Italy and France.

Likewise, the Committee meeting analysed the status of the International Guest Programme, with international buyers from 67 countries. This programme, financed by IFEMA MADRID with the help of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and of ICEX, allows exhibitors in the production area to choose buyers from outside Spain to invite to the fair to boost their business. In addition, there is the ´Guest Importing Country´ initiative, which has the support of ICEX, with Brazil, Ukraine, South Korea and Belarus as protagonists on this occasion.

The number of accredited visitors, with 15 days to go until opening day, has reached levels very similar to the last edition, hailing from 98 countries.

The fair will also bring the entire fruit and vegetable community together with the Fruit Attraction LIVEConnect platform, a digital tool that enhances and complements the on-site event, with new features to enhance both initiatives. This will make Fruit Attraction far more than a face-to-face industry encounter, offering a new hybrid value proposition that adds the possibilities of technology to the effectiveness of the face-to-face encounters.

Furthermore, Calleja recalled the measures adopted by the fair and IFEMA MADRID to guarantee the safety of all professionals. A strict protocol has been developed for this purpose that includes all the necessary measures to keep the flow and mobility of attendees orderly, capacity monitoring has been introduced, and the corridors within the halls have been substantially expanded. At the same time, digital registration has been adopted to eliminate direct contact, and latest technologies for health safety, and especially for air renewal in halls, have been deployed.

Fruit Attraction 2021 will once again have the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in its opening ceremony, which will also once again be chaired by the Minister Luis Planas.