The atmosphere of trade fairs – what the internet isn’t good for

Although most business relations are established on the internet these days, participating in trade fairs and exhibitions is of key importance when it comes to making business deals. If a company decides to participate, it can be sure of meeting the most important representatives of the given sector there. Ábel Kuncz, the head of MacLine Kft.’s Hungarian office told us that these events, especially their ‘special guest country’ programmes, are also an excellent opportunity to prepare for the entering of the host country’s market – for instance Turkey, Romania and Serbia have already used these chances well. Szilvia Máté, the Hungarian representative of BD-Expo Kft. (Messe Düsseldorf) spoke to us about how countries in an economic situation similar to Hungary’s invest more energy in their international trade fair presence. Registering for major international trade exhibitions has to be done one or two years in advance and many Hungarian firms don’t dare do this or don’t have the means to do it. The Agricultural Marketing Centre’s collective stand cerates an opportunity for them to introduce themselves on the international stage. According to the centre’s CEO Dr Péter Simon, despite not having an proved budget yet in 2014 they will be present at the big German fairs, at Moscow’s Prodexpo, at SIAL France and at the London International Wine Fair. AMC will build the biggest stand at Düsseldorf’s ProWein. Márta Kakuk of Mon-Art Reklámiroda Kft. – Kölnmesse’s official representative in Hungary – thinks the drawback of collective stands is the companies only get a small space to present their products or services. She added that for the Fine Food section of Anuga 2015 in Cologne there is already a long waiting list before Early Bird registration. Ágnes Györki of Villepinte Kft., the firm that represents Promosalons in Hungary, informed our magazine that in the last few years fewer Hungarian firms participated in trade exhibitions in France, partly because organisers pay less attention to promotion in the Hungarian market.

Hello Budapest – hello Bocuse d’Or!

Between 10 and 12 March 2014 for the first time HUNGEXPO will be the host of SIRHA Budapest, one of the world’s most famous food, culinary and catering trade fairs. HUNGEXPO Zrt.’s commercial director Csaba Siklósi told Trade magazin that more than 100 exhibitors had registered already and 10 percent of them are from abroad. Programmes will include ‘Street food in the kitchen: top-quality hamburgers’, ‘HELLO Bocuse d’Or! – What’s new 48 hours before the competition?’, ‘Hungarian traditions in confectionery: strudel variations’ and ‘Desserts of the year’. They keep updating the www.sirha-budapest.com website with the latest news for visitors and exhibitors.