ISM – the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair – announced an increase in the number of visitors. Around 37,000 trade visitors came to experience and learn at the 45th gatheringof the world’s largest and most important trade fair for sweets and snacks. That is about six per cent more than in 2014. At 67 per cent, the proportion of foreign visitors remained stable. This means that a strong trade presence from Germany also contributed to the increase in numbers of visitors. “This year the ISM has once again made it clear how important the fair is for the confectionary trade both nationally and internationally,” commented Katharina C Hamma, the managing director of Koelnmesse GmbH, referring to the positive results of the ISM 2015. Thisis because the fair was also able to record some modest growth in the number of exhibitors. Bastian Fassin, chairperson of the Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI) noted, “The quality of the trade visitors was again impressive. The producers are expecting strong and energetic business after the fair”. According to exhibitors, the quality of the trade guests at the ISM was consistently high. This is also confirmed by the visitor questionnaires as well as registration details. Top purchasers again came from abroad from large trading companies and importers. German trade was also strongly represented once again. As one supplier confirmed: “at ISM in Cologne we reach our important trading partners, whether from Germany or one of our many export markets”. Another vendor noted: “We couldn’t afford not being present this fair”. We also asked the following questions to some Turkish exhibitors.
1- How was ISM 2015? Were you satisfied with the performance of the fair?
2- What did you offer at the fair? Did you have any novelties this year? Did your stand arouse interest from the visitors?
3- How would you rate international food fairs? Which ones are the most important ones?
4- Which fairs are you planning to exhibit in 2015?
5- How do you foresee the Turkish food industry in the future?
We are offering two examples to cite the general impression of exhibiting Turkish exhibitors:
BIHTER KOÇUM, MARKETING MANAGER, KERVAN GIDA:
ISM Expo is a trade fair that we have been participating for many years. This fair is not only place to find new customers but also place to show our products and analyze the situation. We were happy about the exhibition however it was quite calm compared to the past years.
The reason of that calmness might be the other expo, Gulfood. The expos forced people to choose one of them. It affects the participation. This year, we made our launching of new products, marshmallows. Besides that we had a great chance to present our new products which have a healthy snack concept. We worked with a German designer to build our stand. It had a purpose to show our new products. It was attractive, the customers loved it and everyone took many photos of every corner. ISM is world’s biggest and most important confectionery trade fair however Gulfood Dubai has also great potential and is demanded by many exhibitors by every passing year. In 2015, we participated ISM in Germany, Gulfood in Dubai and Prodexpo in Russia. We are going to participate IFE in London on March and also a franchising exhibition in Azerbaijan on May. Turkey is situated on an area that many countries are jealous of and it has great fertility of agriculture. This is an opportunity for the Turkish producers to have an important place in the world market when they combine their business with trustworthiness and good quality.
EREN DOGAN, EXPORT MANAGER, CLASS CHOCOLATE:
It was good. I enjoyed the fair and its atmosphere. It was for the first time for our company to exhibit at ISM but we had good responses from visitors especially for our powder drinks andcompound chocolates. We can rate the shows as Paris SIAL, Cologne ISM, Dubai Gulfood and İstanbul Worldfood. Sial Paris is not held in 2015, Cologne and Dubai shows are already gone. We will be participating in Worldfood Istanbul in September and maybe other fairs in Central Asia or East-Africa. Turkish companies have been doing great business in international markets and have been working hard, increasing quality, solving customer problems on time and many more. I am very proud of being a part of Turkish exporter companies.
