TradeScope helped to organise a US bakery ingredients stand at the Sudback Bakery Show in Stuttgart, Germany (22-25 October).
Most of the large Germany bakery companies were there, incuding Bako, BackEurop, Dawn, and Backaldrin. It was predominantly a German show though some visitors came from other continental European countries. Unlike an international trade shows, such as SIAL and Anuga, many of the German exhibitors did not speak much English. A U.S. ingredient stand was novel; almost all the other ingredient exhibitors were German.
The show comprised 4 halls with a mix of bakery products, ingredients, equipment, coffee related products and software. Equipment and software accounted for roughly 30% of the trade show. The show spanned Saturday to Tuesday. On the Saturday and Sunday, there were many consumer visitors who seemed to be out often with family for a day of sampling pastries; roughly 50% of the stands had some bakery products available for sampling.
The jury is still out on the power of this show for US ingredient producers. We managed to connect with the purchasing people from many of the larger German bakery manufacturers and distributors but, surprisingly, interest in dried fruit and flavours was sometimes lukewarm. This was partly because many of these Germany companies buy from German ingredient wholesalers and distributors.
The cycle of German bakery shows is Sudback for two years running, and then one year with IBA in Munich. Whenever Anuga happens, the show falls well before Anuga in September. In 2017, for example, Sudback happens 23-26 September. In 2018, IBA is 15-19 September. Some visitors mentioned that IBA is larger than Sudback and possibly more international.