FOODAPEST and UKBA make a good pair – for the second time next February

HUNGEXPO will organise the FOODAPEST and UKBA trade fairs together for the second time on 5-8 February 2012. We asked commercial director Csaba Siklósi about the upcoming event.

• T.M.: – Could you please recall how HUNGEXPO’s culinary exhibitions started 20 years ago? – UKBA (Ungarische Konditorei und Bäckerei Austelliung) started in the 1980s when such events were real novelties in the Comecon countries. Later in 1992 FOODAPEST saw the light of day, a real western-oriented food forum that was established in the right time and became one of HUNGEXPO’s most successful undertakings. HOVENTA Kft. also started their fair, which HUNGEXPO later acquired and in 2010 the three events mentioned above underwent great changes.
• T.M.: – From 2010 FOODAPEST and UKBA are held together, while HOVENTA is organised on a new date. How did this new concept work out? – On 21-24 February 2010 almost 20,000 visitors showed interest in what the 255 exhibitors from 12 countries had to show. The Hungarian final of Bocuse d’Or was also part of the programme. Feedback from partners and our own experiences proved that the concept worked well. An important part of the new strategy is that we try to utilise the synergies and know-how of our French parent company, GL Events as much as possible.
• T.M.: – Which items will be part of the programme from the 2010 agenda? – We definitely count on the participation of experts from the big retail chains – Auchan, CBA, Coop, Match, Metro, Spar, and Tesco. In close cooperation with Trade magazine, there will be conferences where participants will try to find out what opportunities Hungarian products have on foreign markets, what effects mergers will have and how the recently passed legislation will influence the sector. UKBA will host a number of ‘delicious programmes’ and competitions, for instance strudel experts and guest bakeries from Germany will be in focus.
• T.M.: – What are going to be the new elements of the 2012 programme? – Hungaricum products and trademarked products such as ‘Quality Food from Hungary’ will be given special attention. We will try to reach more foreign visitors than ever before, we will organise business meetings, product presentations and form ‘meeting points’ for purchasers.
• T.M.: – Which is more important: reaching consumers or the trade? – We put more effort into making a stronger presence from the representatives of the trade as this is the goal of all our B2B exhibitions. Exhibitors show demand for the presence of the public but strong trade participation is the key to the success of all trade fairs.
• T.M.: – Which are the most convincing reasons for partners to participate in FOODAPEST-UKBA? – First and foremost, we offer exhibiting space at the same price as in 2010. Preparing for the 2012 FOODAPEST we do much more for raising the event’s prestige than before, with the help of our network of international agents and by participating in important international trade fairs. 20-year-old FOODAPEST is the leading food fair in Central Europe and in the Balkans, while UKBA also has great traditions and market success.