Ricardo Márquez faces its second edition at the helm of the show’s organisation with the conviction that it will be the ideal business platform for professionals in technology and equipment for the food and beverage industry. In this interview, he outlines the show’s main value propositions and forecasts for participation.

Alimentaria FoodTech will hold its most eagerly awaited edition next September. What is the response from the food and beverage equipment, technology and ingredients sector?

We are seeing great interest in participating from exhibitors, associations, research centres and professionals. Proof of this is that, with three months to go, we have over 90% of the exhibition space booked.

More than ever, the industry needs this meeting point to deepen its business relationships and generate new ones. And Alimentaria FoodTech will be the best platform to achieve this.

What makes it stand out from the rest?

It is a trade show that prioritises increasing business opportunities. Therefore, it is very transversal, covering the entire food and beverage chain, so that exhibitors will leave with business projects and demand – in each of its verticals – will find solutions adapted to their needs.

In fact, it is the only event on the Iberian peninsula with such a wide-ranging offer and the maximum representation of the leading companies in technology, equipment and innovation for all food and beverage sectors.

How will the offer be structured to facilitate the visit of buyers from different food and beverage sectors?

All the sectors on offer will be organised into areas dedicated to SmartAgro, processing, packaging, ingredients, digitalisation and automation, food safety, refrigeration, handling and storage, as well as other industrial and ancillary services. Therefore, this wide range of proposals will attract visitors and buyers from all food sectors, who will easily find solutions for their different production and preservation lines: meat, dairy, liquids such as oils, juices and wines, seafood, fruit and vegetables, preserves, bakery, confectionery, snacks and ready meals.

What are the most important new features of the 2023 edition of the show?

We have a new sector, SmartAgro, which includes digitalisation, automation and sensor technology applied to the production of raw materials, with the aim of improving resource efficiency, production sustainability and food safety.

We will also be strengthening our innovation hub with the launch of FoodTech Innovarena, which will be the central space and meeting point for the innovation and technical knowledge ecosystem. It will have a speakers’ corner where a full programme of papers, presentations and technical seminars (from research centres, associations and companies) will be held on the most relevant topics in the sector: sustainability, food safety, use of raw materials, regulation, digitalisation and automation, among others.

What are the organisation’s forecasts in terms of the number of exhibitors and exhibition space?

We estimate the participation of more than 350 exhibitors – around 20% of which will be international – and almost a thousand brands represented, as well as the total occupation of the 32,000 m2 of Hall 2 of Fira Barcelona’s Gran Vía exhibition centre.

What actions have you taken to attract international visitors?

Our aim is for around 10% of our visitors to come from outside Spain. Therefore, through our international promotion programme Hosted Buyers, in which we have amec as a partner, we have invited more than a hundred top buyers from 25 countries to the show, mainly from Europe, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Above all, we hope to welcome high quality professionals who come to the show with projects and the intention of doing business.

What trends will gain weight within the fair?

The major trends will be the digitalisation and automation of the food and beverage production chain; the demonstrable sustainability and circularity of production processes, as well as the reduction of environmental impact; and the complexity of raw material sourcing, both for the production of machinery and for the production of ingredients and, eventually, food and beverages.

Will the meat industry again be the most represented sector?

Indeed, equipment for the meat industry is the main focus of the trade show, which has to offer solutions for the different stages of the food chain. Thus, around 30% of the visitors will be from the meat industry,

Around 30% of the visitors will be from the meat sector, and they will be mainly looking for packaging and processing. We are seeing a growing interest in alternative protein and new meat technology. In this respect, the most important role will be played by ingredients.

What do you highlight about the participation of the ingredients and additives segment?

The representativeness of this sector, with more than 30 exhibitors of all kinds of intermediate food products, is key for different demand sectors (e.g. bakery or dairy) to find in the fair a totally transversal and valuable offer for their production chain. And once again, the Ingrenova area will be showcasing the most innovative intermediate food products.