Exclusive: Berlin is Ready for Insights, Networking and Business

The 2019 edition of Fruit Logistica is here and as a preview, I had an exclusive interview with Madlen Miserius, senior product manager of the trade show, to discuss the opportunities this yearly trade show offers to both visitors and exhibitors.

What is the concept for the 2019 Fruit Logistica trade show?

Fruit Logistica covers every single sector of the fresh produce business and provides a complete picture of the latest innovations, products and services at every stage in the international supply chain. Our mission is to bring together the best in the global fresh produce trade, offer you the best insights, and networking and enable you to do the best business. The increasing number of trade visitors, exhibitors and continued growth of the exhibition area at Fruit Logistica 2019 impressively underscore this approach.

What are some of the highlights of the event that potato processors, potato equipment manufacturers and other potato industry professionals should look forward to?

Besides the fact that 13% of the Fruit Logistica exhibitors come from the potato business making the event an excellent business platform for the above-named industry professionals there is one potato related “Spotlight” I want to point out to you. “Spotlight” presents premieres and innovations at Fruit Logistica. One of them is Potato Market, the first online platform for professional buyers and sellers of potatoes. It connects buyers and sellers directly. On the website, producers can sell their goods across Europe in just eight minutes. The main objective of Potato Market is to ensure transparency in this sector and to increase opportunities for potato growers. Key features of the new online platform are digitizing and accelerating potato transactions and taking e-commerce in this sector to the next level. With Potato Market, potato buyers and sellers can access the European market with the security of a pre-determined contract. In addition, Potato Market is also a great source of information for both buyers and sellers such as variety, popularity, quality and price.

Please discuss other highlights of the event, which all participants should consider.

"What lies ahead for the fresh produce trade?" This is one of the key questions facing the industry today. Check out the details of this year’s event programe - the Future Lab, the Tech Stage, the Logistics Hub and the Fresh Produce Forum. They all aim to present you with inspiring, innovative ideas and information on key trends in the international fresh produce business. Fruitnet World of Fresh Ideas, taking place a day before Fruit Logistica is a unique opportunity to be up-to-date with the latest and most important trends in the global supply chain. This fast-paced multimedia show is all about innovations in production, packaging, transport and logistics right through to the POS.

Let’s talk about the Fruit Logistica Awards. How is the selection process decided upon?

A panel of experts from all levels of the fresh produce industry selected the ten nominees from more than 70 submissions. The Fruit Logistica Innovation Award is regarded as the most important industry award. It recognizes new products, services or technical solutions that are destined to drive the global fresh produce industry forward, from production to point of sale. What makes the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award so special? Thetrade visitors themselves vote for the innovation of the year on the first two days of the show. The ten nominees are presented in the passageway between halls 20 and 21. This is also where the winners will be announced on 8 February 2019 at 2:30 pm. You’re very welcome to join us!

How many exhibitors will attend the event this year? Of these, how is the potato sector represented at the event?

We are pleased to once again welcome more than 3,000 exhibitors from around the globe. Nearly 400 exhibiting companies are directly linked to the potato business offering fresh products, technical systems, services or logistics. We are expecting more than 75,000 top-class buyers and trade visitors from over 130 countries.

What are the networking opportunities that the event provides?

In fact, this year we are focusing on networking opportunities to increase the dialogue within the industry. New networking formats include the Start-up Day, the Career Network and the Global Women's Network. The Start-up Day brings established companies together with young, innovative companies, the Career Network brings employers together with students, graduates, young professionals or industry-experienced experts, and the Global Women's Network ensures greater networking among women in the fresh produce business. In addition, we are offering a Networking Tool in our Virtual Market place which will help to make new business contacts. It’s so easy: Find appropriate business partners, arrange appointments in advance to meet them during Fruit Logistica and stay in touch with them all year round to cultivate your business relations. Onsite we will provide a Networking Lounge in hall 7.1a.

If you were to describe the event using just three words, what would you choose and why?

Insights, networking and business, because that’s our mission. We want to offer you the best information and innovation, connect you with other experts from the industry and consequently fuel the growth of your business.