Alimentaria will return in 2020 with new exhibition spaces

For the 2020 edition of Alimentaria, the show will be joining with Hostelco for a series of joint workshops, gastronomic lessons and cooking show sessions, making the event one of the largest trade show platforms in the world of hospitality and food sectors.

A new feature for the 2020 show will be the Alimentaria Trends exhibition area, which will display the latest trends in production and consumption, such as gourmet/delicatessen foods (Fine Foods), organic production (Organic Foods), allergen-free products (Free From), halal production (Halal Foods) and functional products (Functional Foods).

It is expected that an increasing number of British visitors will be attending Alimentaria in 2020 compared to previous editions. For the 2018 show the UK raked sixth as a country in terms of visitor numbers, and overall hosted 4,500 exhibitor companies and 150,000 visitors across 156 countries.

The UK is shown to have a continued interest in Spanish food and drink, with figures from the Spanish Food and Drink Industry Federation showing that it’s the fourth largest recipient country of Spanish food exports. In 2018 6.7% of Spain’s foreign food sales were shipped to the UK, accounting for €2.037billion.

The food and drinks industry now represent 11% of Spain’s total good exports, valued at €27billion. Meat is the most in-demand product with an export value of €4.42billion. Spain is also the leading producer of olive oil, as the country produces half of the world’s total olive oil and exports 46% of its production to other countries.

Data shows UK companies also seem more interested in increasing their business in Spain. According to statistics provided by the FDEA (Food & Drink Exporters Association) in the UK, Spain is the sixth largest destination for British food and beverage exports, which were valued at €1,108 billion in 2018, an increase of 2.5% on the previous year.

Jose Antonio Valls, managing director of Alimentaria Exhibitions told Speciality Food, “What sets Alimentaria apart is its dedication to being a truly international show. 4,800 companies from 70 countries will be exhibiting their products, giving visitors to the show unparalleled access to the very best food and drink, technology and expertise across Europe and beyond. We’ve worked hard to make Alimentaria an interactive event; as well as offering the opportunity to build relationships with businesses from across the world face-to-face, attendees can learn to cook with Michelin-starred chefs, discover the latest trends and groundbreaking technology, and discover everything they need for their business - from decor to equipment.

“In terms of the international opportunities available to attending businesses, Alimentaria is unparalleled - and the world is keen to learn more about what Britain’s food and drink industry has to offer.”

Alimentaria will be taking place in Barcelona at Fira de Barcelona from 20th - 23rd April 2020.