Exhibitors from 70 countries at beverage and liquid food trade show in Munich between September 16 and 20 - Organizers invite Serbian companies to Drinktec

Drinktec trade fair, the world`s largest event for the beverage and liquid food industry, will take place between September 16 and 20, 2013 at the Munich Trade Fair Center in Germany, it has been announced at a press conference held by the German Business Delegation to Serbia.

This year`s event is expected to gather over 1,500 exhibitors from 70 countries and attract about 60,000 expert visitors from more than 170 countries worldwide. Drinktec will see the presentation of the complete production chain - from processing, bottling and packaging to marketing in the beverage and liquid food industry, as well as raw materials, beverage additives and logistics solutions. Liquid food is an umbrella term for dairy drinks, mixed drinks with milk and yogurt, soybean and whey beverages, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, oil and vinegar.

Michael Schmidt, director of the German Business Delegation to Serbia, said that the percentage of food processing machines imported to Serbia from Germany was on a rise, so that the machines imported from Germany accounted for as much as 25 percent of the total imports of machines valued at EUR 1.1 billion.

He noted that Drinktec served to continue an upward trend of imports of packaging machines and plants for the beverage and food industry as that was "in the interest of both Serbian and German economy."

Michael Schmidt (Photo: Lična arhiva)

- I am glad that German food companies more often choose to invest in Serbia in the past few years. Among them are Meggle and Dr Oetker which has already bought Centroproizvod and now plans new investments – said Schmidt.

An important characteristic of Drinktec is its internationality in terms of exhibitors and visitors. Foreign exhibitors accounted for 57 percent of all exhibitors at the previous issue of this trade fair, with organizers expecting the number of exhibitors from abroad to increase this year.

When it comes to visitors, most of them are coming from Europe, but nearly a third are from across the ocean, meaning that 8,500 visitors come to Drinktec in Munich from Asia and America.

Beatrix Fraese, manager of the Machine and Beverage Division of the Association of German Manufacturers of Machines and Plants (VDMA), said at the press conference that she expected more visitors from Serbia in 2013 than in 2012, when 160 people from our country visited that trade fair.

Michael Schmidt also mentioned Serbian participants and exhibitors at the beverage and liquid food trade fair in Munich.

- Of all the companies operating in Serbia, only Carbo Concept and Doehler exhibited at the previous Drinktec. We expect more companies to apply for participation in this year's event, considering that companies in Serbia usually make a decision at the last moment – said Schmidt.

He pointed out that Serbian manufacturers of processing equipment and packaging machines could take part in the trade fair.

- Drinktec is also open to juice concentrate manufacturers such as Nectar.

Soft drinks, beer and milk

Two thirds of the participants in Drinktec will exhibit technologies for producing, bottling and packaging water, juices and soft drinks. People interested in this field account for about 45 percent of all visitors.

The organizers said that marketing and technology experts from large and small enterprises should make it mandatory for themselves to visit the Special Area for New Beverage Concepts in the exhibition hall B1, where manufacturers present latest sweeteners, dyes and aromas.

(Beatrix Fraese)

Oils+fats 2013

Oils+fats, the world's only specialized trade fair for edible oils and fats trade and technology, will take place between September 18 and 20 at the Munich Trade Fair Center.

There will be 50 exhibitors in the exhibition hall B0, which will present systems, components and auxiliary equipment for producing and processing edible oils, fats and lubricants.

Tickets

The best way to buy tickets for Drinktec trade fair is via Internet as this saves time and the price is more affordable. An one-day ticket costs EUR 28 when bought online and EUR 55 when bought at the trade fair.

S.O.