Berlin, GERMANY - The continuing high demand for hall space at the world’s leading International Trade Fair for the Fruit and Vegetable Trade shows no sign of abating. By the time FRUIT LOGISTICA Berlin 2005 invites experts from all parts of the trade to meet at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, from 10 to 12 February, the world’s leading International Trade Fair for Fruit and Vegetable Marketingwill have expanded yet again. Despite the fact that next year the amount of hall space available to exhibitors from every continent for presenting their products and services will have increased by a third, already the extended display area covering 48,000 square metres and eight halls is nearly booked up. This strong of demand for additional stand space has come mainly from exhibitors from Italy, Spain, Turkey, France, Argentina and Greece. For Japan and Ukraine, this will be their first appearance at FRUIT LOGISTICA. Federal Minister Renate Künast will open the 13th FRUIT LOGISTICA at 6 p.m. on 9 February in the ICC Berlin.

Specialist supporting programme

On 9 February top representatives of the European retail food sector and of the world’s fruit trade will already gather at the 24thFresh Produce Forum, with the “Special report on fresh produce trading in Germany: Figures, Trends and Strategies” as this year’s main theme (beginning at 2 p.m., Hall 15.2, ICC Berlin). The opening ceremonies of FRUIT LOGISTICA 2005 will take place at 6 p.m.in Saal 3 of the ICC Berlin. As in previous years, the Federal Minister for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture, Renate Künastwill hold opening address. The evening’s keynote speaker is Dieter Brandes, international consultant for discount strategies, and former managing director and member of the supervisory board of Aldi Nord.

In Hall 6.1, at the Hall Forumsorganised by FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZIN (Düsseldorf) whichaccompany the fair, both current and controversial issues will be discussed. These include “Quality and brand policy in Belgium: Flandria 10 years on” (10 Feb., 10 -11.30a.m.), “Quality produce from Italy – innovative and safe” (10 Feb., 3 -4.30p.m.), “Fresh produce in the supermarket – an “in” product with untapped potential” (11 Feb., 10-11.30a.m.), “Fruit and vegetables in a healthy diet – opportunities to increase consumption” (11 Feb., 3 -4.30p.m.) as well as “Solutions for product tracing and ECR in fresh produce” (12 Feb., 10 -11.30a.m.). In addition, the “AL-Invest – Latin American and European Business Meeting” workshopwill serve to intensify business relations betweenEuropeand the countries of Central and Latin America (10 and 11 Feb.,9.30a.m. to 6 p.m., Hall 7.3, Room “Europa 2”).

Numerous industry awards emphasise FRUIT LOGISTICA’s valuable role as a meeting place of the international fruit trade that is not to be missed. The “SB-Blumenpreis Deutschland” (11 Feb., 12 noon), the “Deutsche Frucht Preis 2004” (11 Feb., 1 p.m.) and, for the first time, the “Deutsche Marketingpreis” Award, as well as the “Grüne Merkur” (9.2. as part of the Fresh Produce Forum) will be presented to public figures who have earned recognition for their commitment in this field, with awards also being made for outstanding marketing achievements in the fruit trade. Several receptions by the show’s organisers, exhibitors and associations will round off events at the fair.

Information for visitors

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2005Berlinis open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.from 10 to 12 February. The admission price is 20 euros, unlimited admission 48 euros. Unlimited admission plus entry to the Fresh Produce Forum can be obtained for 85 euros. All ticket holders receive a catalogue and are free to attend the various Hall Forums.

All the latest information is available on the internet at www.fruitlogistica.de. This also provides access to the FRUIT LOGISTICA Virtual Market Place®. For 365 days a year this internet platform provided by MesseBerlin gives an overview of the companies and their products in the international fruit and vegetable sector, as well as helping to promote communication within the industry and serving as an invaluable information resource. The media partner of the FRUIT LOGISTICA Virtual Market Place® is fruitnet.com, the leading internet-based information service. In addition to the latest news about the industry from around the world, it also offers numerous services and links to other useful portals. Fruitnet.com is operated by Dr. Rolf M. Wolf Media GmbH (Düsseldorf) and Market Intelligence (London), who are respectively the publishers of the leading trade magazines Fruchthandel-Magazin (Düsseldorf) and Eurofruit (London).

This press release and photos in advance of the event are available on the internet at www.fruitlogistica.de

Programme of events at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2005

Wednesday, 9 February 2005
• 2 - 5.30 p.m., ICC Berlin, Room 15.2
24th Fresh Produce Forum: 
“Special report on fresh produce trading in Germany: Figures, Trends and Strategies”

In cooperation with BBE Unternehmensberatung Köln, Fruchthandel Magazin presents a special new report on the current state of the fruit and vegetable market, distribution channels, the current situation in the retail sector, and consumer behaviour. This will be followed by a panel discussion which will take a look at future trends and strategy options on how to obtain best business. Fruchthandel Magazin will then present “Der Grüne Merkur” awards.There will be simultaneous interpretation in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish. The attendance fee is 85 euros, which includes unlimited admission to FRUIT LOGISTICA. To register and to obtain all the latest information, including details about the programme and speakers, click on “Events” (www.fruitlogistica.de).

• 6 p.m., ICC Berlin, Room 3
 
FRUIT LOGISTICA OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY
Official opening of FRUIT LOGISTICA 2005 by
• Renate Künast, Minister of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture.
• Keynote speaker: Dieter Brandes, international consultant for discount strategies and former managing director and member of the supervisory board of Aldi Nord.

THURSDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2005
• 10 - 11.30 a.m., Hall 6.1
FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZIN HALL FORUM

Quality and brand policy inBelgium: Flandria 10 years on Small, but efficient, would be an apt description of Belgium’s fruit and vegetable sector, which long ago put quality and food safety at the top of their list of policy priorities. At the Fruchthandel Magazin Hall Forum, not only will this commitment be duly recognised, but together with retailers and wholesalers from Europe, representatives of Belgium’s fruit and vegetable sector will discuss options for improving processes and products.
 
• 3 - 4.30 p.m., Hall 6.1
FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZIN HALL FORUM
Quality produce fromItaly– innovative and safe

For decades,Italyhas without doubt been one of Europe’s, and indeed the world’s, leading suppliers of quality and volume produce. In this day and age, Italian fruit and vegetables are products which are indispensable to international cuisine. For many years, Italy’s producers and the trade have proved to be at the forefront of product innovation and food safety policies. At the Fruchthandel Magazin Forum, together with the European retail food sector, representatives of Italy’s fruit and vegetable sector will discuss the latest trends and current trade and consumer issues.

FRIDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2005
• 10 - 11.30 p.m., Hall 6.1
FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZIN HALL FORUM
Fresh produce in the supermarket – an “in” product with untapped potential

A healthy, low-calorie diet is one of the most important and much-debated topics of our time, and in this context fruit and vegetables play a very significant part. Often however, trends, needs and reality do not always correspond: thus in recent years actual consumption of fruit and vegetables, respectively retail sales, have mostly fallen behind expectations. On the other hand this means that there is a potentially huge market waiting to be exploited. At the Fruchthandel Magazin Hall Forum, discussions will analyse approaches and strategies on how to win over the customer and how to provide the business of selling fruit and vegetables with a new impetus.

• 12 noon - 12.30 p.m., Hall Forum, Hall 6.1
GERMAN SUPERMARKET FLOWER AWARDS

In cooperation with Centralmarkt Roisdorf-Straelen, the trade publications “Rundschau für den Lebensmittelhandel” and “Fruchthandel Magazin”, Blumenbüro Holland will for the 5th time present an award to honour the best flower displays in the retail trade in Germany.

• 1 – 2 p.m., Hall Forum, Hall 6.1
GERMAN FRUIT PRIZE AWARDS

The trade publications “Fruchthandel Magazin” and “Rundschau will for
the 9thtime present the “Deutsche Frucht Preis” award for the best
greengrocery displays. New at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2005: the Marketing Award
2005 for the most successful point-of-sale promotional activities.

• 3 – 4.30 p.m., Hall 6.1
FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZIN HALL FORUM
Fruit and vegetables in a healthy diet – opportunities to increase
consumption

At this Hall Forum suppliers and the retail trade will obtain some new ideas on how to reach consumers, and why, in their own interests, buyers need to consume more fruit and vegetables. Nutrition experts will explain how fruit and vegetables are beneficial to human health on a daily basis. International experts take a look at other sectors: how do others make use of consumer trends in health foods?

SATURDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2005
• 10 - 11.30 a.m., Hall 6.1
FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZIN HALL FORUM
Solutions for product tracing and ECR in fresh produce

Nowadays, modern supply management and tracking systems have a decisive role to play. As of1 January 2005, a new EU regulation stipulates among other things that it must be possible to track the origins of food products, i.e. those of fruit and vegetables as well. What impact will this have on the international fruit trade – from the grower to the point of sale? What are the best means of achieving this? And how can these be made to succeed? In this context, some key items for discussion are RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and ECR (Efficient Consumer Response). At the Fruchthandel Magazin Hall Forum experts from all parts of the tradewill provide answers to these questions. At the Hall Forum events there will be simultaneous translation in German and English, and also in those languages where issues dealt with concern the countries in question. The programme is subject to change.
 
Also in the programme:
• 10 -11 February 2005, 9.30 a.m. - 6 p.m., Hall 7.3, Room “Europa 2”
 
“AL-Invest – Latin American and European Business Meeting” workshop The AL INVEST programme of the EU and the Eurocentro Córdoba fromArgentinahave organised this two-day meeting of entrepreneurs at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2005. Company representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexicoas well as from Belgium, Germany, England, France, Italy, Poland, Spain and the Czech Republic have been invited, and at individual meetings will discuss the issue of possible trading partnerships. Potentially all trading partners doing business in the marketplace for fresh produce are involved. These markets include produce such as fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, nuts, spice, organic produce as well as technology for packaging, storage, transport, shipping, IT solutions for managing logistics and transport services, as well as marketing and industry expertise. Visitors to FRUIT LOGISTICA may attend the workshop free of charge. The deadline for registration is 19 December 2004.