By Kylie Horomia, managing director of Fruitnet Media (Europe).
Ever had a trade show on your wish list? I had Fruit Logistica on mine for 12 years and this year I finally got to see what all the fuss is about.
Fruit Logistica is the largest horticulture trade show in the world, based in Berlin. Prior to covid there was a two-year waiting list to exhibit, which shows the importance of the event on the horticulture calendar.
Here are a few of the key facts:
• The event spans 26 halls on 13 hectares,
• More than 2770 exhibitors from 91 countries (90% from outside Germany)
• Over 66,000 trade visitors from 145 countries (82% from outside Germany).
To put it into perspective, Mystery Creek Fieldays in New Zealand draws over 100,000 visitors, with 1000 exhibitors across 114ha. However, where Fieldays spans multiple sectors in agriculture, has open fields and a lot of general public, Fruit Logistica is wall to wall exhibitors, trade visitors and a pure focus on horticulture. With most attendees from outside Germany, it’s a true global event.
The tickets to attend are relatively cheap, but if you’re travelling from New Zealand, it’s a journey that will hit you in the pocket. Let’s face it, flights aren’t cheap these days, so be prepared to shell out. Once you add
in accommodation costs, food and other additions, your credit card will be weeping from the euro charges.
The great news is the largest producers, distributors and retailers in the world attend this event. You’re never going to get a better opportunity to make some excellent new connections all in one place. So it could work out cheaper than visiting multiple countries.
There are some seriously impressive massive stands there. It is the Oscars of horticulture, after all. For newbies, a 9 square metre basic build will set you back approximately $8000-$10,000, which isn’t too bad (you buy the floor space and then you buy the build on top and a few extras).
However, if you need to ship hardware from New Zealand or other stand pieces it will get very expensive. In addition, you’ll need a minimum of three team members to man the space so that’s additional costs.
Berlin isn’t the type of event you show up with your pull-up banner and fold-out table. To be taken seriously, you have to invest money, otherwise you will stand out like a dog at a cattery … and not in a cute way.
The great news is gaining valuable return on investment in a short period is highly likely.
NZ company Hectre, which exhibited this year, mentioned it got ROI within the first hour of day one. Other companies I spoke to also had a positive experience and felt it was well worth the costs to exhibit.
You have to do your pre-event homework. It’s chaotic, colourful and crazy, so you have to be smart about who you need to see, where you need to go and what you need to do.
More importantly, you can’t assume that people will be available for you to speak to as they can be booked up before the event even starts. I got lost all the time. It was frustrating.
The good news is you can “stalk” attendees through the event app and line up meetings prior to arriving. Pull out your speed-dating skills and make the most of the three days.
I spent a lot of time people-watching and the handshakes and conversations I saw over the week represented billions of dollars flowing through the industry.
I could imagine contracts being signed and strategies for the next few years being mapped out. There were no gumboots and plaid shirts at this gig, but rather huge potential for NZ agritech to play a bigger role in global horticulture.
I got to tick it off my wish list and would highly recommend it to anyone in the horticulture industry – especially if you’re in the business of agritech.
If you want to hear more on Kylie’s perspectives take a look at her VLOGS
1 – https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kylie-horomia_ive-channelled-my-inner-budget-sir- peter-activity-7161096074462400513- ftt8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
2- Vlog discussing Zespri and feedback from New Zealand exhibitors on ROI.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kylie-horomia_horticulture-activity- 7161608811013660672-BxtS?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
