A HoReCa gathering

– What do we need to know about the Mirbest Group?

– Biatorbágy-based Mirbesz Kereskedelmi Kft. is a 100% Hungarian-owned purchasing company, established in 2003 as a partnership of Hungarian food wholesale companies, with the common goal of providing members with products in a very difficult market. Over the past two decades it has also become a sales company, our primary markets are mass catering, retail chains and the HoReCa segment.

– In 20 years the business really evolved!

-Never in our wildest dreams would we have imagined to grow from a small firm to a group with over 2,500 employees, becoming one of the top players in Hungarian food wholesale.

– Why did you start your own expo?

– Our member companies have a long tradition of doing partner and customer meetings, and before 2019 they used to organise local events. The owners of our group have decided to organise a national exhibition for our customers, which allows the group’s suppliers to present their new products and the professionalism of the group via our creative chefs. Plus the expo also seeks to entertain our guests and partners.

– Did you manage to realise these goals?

– In 2019 the 1st Mirbest Gasztro Expo took place in the BOK Hall, with great success. We originally planned to organise a second expo in 2021, but due to the pandemic and the unstable economic situation caused by the Ukraine-Russia war, we decided to postpone it twice. Finally there were 134 exhibitors and 6,000 trade visitors in 2 days at the 2nd Mirbest Gasztro Expo.

– Who did the organisation work?

-A superb team of the group’s marketing managers organised the expo, together with colleagues from the technical operations, warehousing, logistics, IT and communications departments, representing their respective areas. A coordinated team of nearly 100 organisers worked together over several months for the success of the expo.

– In what ways was this year’s expo better than the first event?

– In comparison with the first expo, we put a bigger emphasis on serving our partners in the mass catering sector, introducing new ideas and technological solutions to them. We held product demonstrations, where you could see the potential of modern technologies and the latest products in person. The National Food Chain Safety Office (Nébih), the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition (OGYI), and the National Association of Public Sector Catering Service Providers (KÖZSZÖV) had their own booths at the expo.

– What special experiences were waiting for visitors?

– Our customers had the opportunity to discover the exclusive products of nearly 20 international Mirbest partners. There was great interest in the demonstration kitchen presentations, where our creative chefs were cooking to inspire our partners to try new products. We also had a variety of thematic stands, such as Italian, fish, street food, etc.

– Did you do any surveys on how satisfied the exhibitors and visitors were?

– We measured the satisfaction level of both visitors and exhibitors, and the results confirmed our expectations in both areas. For instance 99.7% of our visitors said they were very satisfied with the expo. We will definitely organise the expo again in 2 years’ time.

– How do you see the Mirbest Gasztro Expo in 5-10 years?

– We will work even harder to showcase those professional and technological solutions that can facilitate the daily work of our customers. I am sure the event will grow in size, with an even greater emphasis on food industry innovations. //

ECD membership

In 2022 Mirbesz Kft. joined European Catering Distributors (ECD), Europe’s most prestigious HoReCa trade association, with exclusive rights in Hungary. This creates a big advantage for us in the international food wholesale sector, and our customers will feel its results! //