New recipes, tested ingredients: FOODAPEST-UKBA in the HUNGEXPO Budapest Fair Center

In 2010 the two trade fairs are held together for the first time. (HUNGEXPO Zrt. decided to organise the recently bought HOVENTA in the autumn.) We asked the director of the fairs, András Kele about FOODAPEST and UKBA: – HUNGEXPO Zrt. has been organising food industry trade fairs for decades. UKBA was originally organised in cooperation with German partners, but later became the only trade fair of international significance for the Hungarian bakery and confectionery industries. FOODAPEST started in 1992, for a long time it was held every second year and is still the market leading event in Hungarian food industry. If both events are market leaders, what motivated the change? The market. It changed so much that a new concept became a necessity. Not only the two events are held at the same time, but there will be thematic changes as well. Trade fairs need to be made more effective by different events and programmes. Let’s go! What programmes will there be in 2010? The full programme can be found on the website. Let me just mention the Hungarian final of the Bocuse d’Or chef competition, that will hopefully attract lots of visitors from abroad as well. The winner qualifies to the European selection event in Geneva and if he does well there too, he or she makes it to the 2011 World Championship in Lyon. At the Junior Confectioners’ World Championship 20 contestants from 13 countries will compete. It is not easy for other programmes to compete with these! FOODAPEST is an international and professional event. Competitions serve both purposes well, but alongside attractive presentations business negotiations are of major importance as well. Conferences, presentations, workshops and business meetings make the programme richer; we also organise visits for businesspersons. Which programmes can the public see? From 2010 we open towards consumers. On Sunday and Wednesday, the first and last days of FOODPAEST and UKBA, we await customers with lower entry fees. What else invites our readers to visit the event? The recently renewed HUNGEXPO Budapest Fair Center offers European-level services to exhibitors and visitors alike.