124th Markant trade forum – Focus on sustainability!

Specialist lectures

With this in mind, the first day of the trade fair began with interesting specialist lectures from the fields of sustainability and change management: Yvonne Zwick, Chairwoman of B.A.U.M. e. V. - Network for sustainable business, presented the interdependencies thereof in more detail in her lecture "Sustainability requires partnership & cooperation". Afterwards, the GfK sustainability expert and Insights Director for Consumer Panels & Services linked two very present topics of everyday life in her lecture "Sustainability and inflation – what behaviour German households are learning from the multi-crises". Tobias Sudhoff, food & sustainability expert and former Michelin-starred restaurant chef, gave the audience a view from a different perspective with his lecture "Food transition and social change management – how top chefs are saving the world with quality of life instead of doing without!

Iberiana specialist lectures

As always, the specialist lectures by Markant subsidiary Iberiana also offered exciting insights into the topic of fruit and vegetables: Clara Montesinos, Global Technology Development Manager Biologicals & Pathology of DECCO Iberica, and Miguel Sanchis, Managing Director of DECCO Iberica, spoke on the topic of "How do we ensure that high-quality fruit reaches the consumer? Afterwards, Dr Oliver Stolper, Head of Projects at Analytica Alimentaria GmbH, shed light on the relevance of this in his lecture "Food safety with moderation and success". Michael Koch, authorised representative and head of the horticulture division of Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH, offered a market overview at the end of the conference in his lecture: "Persistent slump or economic upturn – the fruit and vegetable markets in Germany".

Food service special topic

A total of 351 exhibiting companies incl. 14 marketplace exhibitors with 303 booths were represented on the exhibition grounds, again including 37 new exhibitors and 20 start-ups. They were able to network with around 270 retailers and exchange information about the products. In addition, the 124th Markant trade forum was devoted to food service: on site, visitors had the opportunity to talk to up to 30 wholesalers and food service specialists.

Iberiana & partners

Another highlight was the large, centrally located Iberiana trade fair booth with 15 suppliers who had travelled especially for the fair. Iberiana presented a wide range of fruit and vegetables on approx. 120 square metres. Visitors were able to experience quality, freshness and variety up close and they were also able to see the culinary delight of a freshly prepared smoothie made from fruits and vegetables for themselves.

Back to the Future

The first day of the trade fair was rounded off with the Markant evening get-together which was part of the motto "Back to the Future" this time. The main attraction was a DeLorean converted into a "time machine" in the middle of the garden hall of the Karlsruhe Congress Centre.

Start-up arena

There were also all sorts of exciting pitches in the start-up arena voilà! to marvel at on both trade fair days! A total of 10 start-ups presented their innovative products to Markant retail partners and many other interested parties. On the second day, the winning start-ups were chosen and prizes were awarded: the winner of an article in ONE Markant magazine and a free trade fair booth at the 125th Markant trade forum was the chewing gum company HEYY GmbH. In addition, the start-up HEYY GmbH as well as Grizzly Foods, Resty BV, ratzfatz food GmbH and ALL GOOD Cereal won retailer talks with Markant retail partners.

We are now pleased to announce the next event: the 125th Markant trade forum will take place on 24/25 April 2024!

Markant would like to thank all suppliers and retailers as well as Markant employees who made the 124th Markant trade forum!