ISM Cologne still a-go for 31 January – 3 Feb 2021
These days, the caveat to making plans for any event is an unspoken ‘Covid-willing’, but it’s great to hear that 77% of the space at ISM Cologne 2021 is already booked. The organisers take the view that, after long months of purely digital meetings, it is more important than ever to meet again personally and to exchange experiences, not to mention taste a some real chocolate and other tasty goodies again.
TradeScope couldn’t agree more. Broadband-powered online communications have been a blessing throughout the coronavirus pandemic (where would the food and beverage industry have been if this had happened in the 90s?!) but nothing beats face-to-face – or mask-to-mask – meetings. Trade shows are the ideal place to make new contacts, rekindle old relationships, discover new products and taste the latest trends.
ISM Cologne is the world’s leading trade fair for confectionery and snacks and in tandem with ProSweets Cologne, it represents the entire industrial value chain, from ingredients to production to final packaged product. This will be their 50th anniversary show.
The organiser says you may purchase your ticket digitally in the ISM ticket shop from the end of October. By recording the digital ticket at the exhibition stands and in the special areas, contacts can be precisely tracked if necessary. They are offering a new online matchmaking ticket (sounds interesting ...) to visitors who cannot travel to the trade fair due to travel restrictions. You can read full ISM Cologne info here and here.
STOP PRESS – Travel to Germany allowed again
At time of writing, this welcome news just in from the German government via the ISM newsletter: Good news: the federal government has decided that trade fair visitors and exhibitors can re-enter Germany regardless of their origin. As a trade fair visitor, you need your personalized online admission ticket as well as a confirmation of at least one appointment at the trade fair. We are pleased that our visitors can travel to Cologne again and we warmly welcome everyone.
Anuga Cologne planned for 9 – 13 October 2021 (same place as ISM Cologne, different time)
Established in 1924, Anuga claims to be the world's leading food fair for the retail trade and the food service and catering market. According to the organiser, it's the world's most important food and beverage fair for new markets and target groups, for all the trends and themes and, above all, for first-rate contacts and business deals. We should have put that in quotation marks perhaps, but TradeScope certainly thinks it’s right up there with the best. You can read all about Anuga Cologne 2021 right here.
Obviously, a year is a long time in the food and beverage business, especially given our ongoing our experience with Covid-19, but we’re inclined to be optimistic that the pandemic will have been brought under a lot more control by then and the show will indeed go ahead as scheduled.
If you’d like to chat with us about meeting up at either of these shows (Covid-willing), please contact Ted in the UK here and Jörg in Germany here.