Conor Farrelly reports from Alimentaria 2022, which took place in Barcelona last week.
Alimentaria, one of the world's leading events for professionals across the food, drinks, and foodservice industry, took place in Barcelona from April 4 to 7. The focus of this year’s event was the ‘revitalisation and internationalisation of the sector’, after two pandemic-impacted years.
Close to 3,000 companies attended the trade show, and of those in attendance, some 400 were international exhibitors, from 52 countries.
The international pavilion, meanwhile, featured representatives from 16 different countries, and a number of VIPs were also present during the week, with King Felipe VI of Spain making an appearance on Monday.
As usual, meat and dairy producers created captivating displays of their product ranges, as well as providing live cooking sessions, a common feature across the seven different pavilions. This year's event was also notable for the array of plant-based foods and alternative proteins, given the recent momentum in both segments.
Other highlights included a self-guided olive tasting bar, as well as pavilions dedicated to Mediterranean food and regional produce from across Spain. Organic producers were well represented at Alimentaria, with 200 products from non-specialist brands on display in the Organic Market & Trends area.
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food had a strong presence at the trade show, and was represented by over 120 companies from across Spain.
Current and emerging trends in food were also highlighted, with the Alimentaria Trends section dedicated to functional and dietary products, as well as allergen-free, halal, and organic products.
Alimentaria A 'Strategic Partner'
Commenting on this year's trade show Alimentaria’s director, J. Antonio Valls, said, “The intense dynamic experienced during this edition reinforces the character of the event as a strategic partner of the sector in its unstoppable process of internationalisation.
"The quality of the buyers who visited us stands out, which will contribute to boosting the food industry’s sales abroad”.
Those who attended got a unique insight into the world of food, with many simply happy to be taking part in an event the scale of Alimentaria once more.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest A-brands news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
