Food Ingredients Europe: hub of innovation

Returning to Messe Frankfurt from November 28 to 30, organiser UBM claims this year’s show will be the biggest one yet, and it will feature a host of initiatives dedicated to offering novel insights into everything related to food ingredients.

The biennial show, which this year covers 65,000m sq of exhibition space, will give more than 1,500 suppliers a stage from which to showcase food and beverage ingredients sourced from all over the world, including a wide variety of functional and organic raw ingredients.

FiE is also boosted by its location, with Frankfurt a central hub for visitors from all over the world. Reflecting this, UBM expects 25,000 visitors from around 125 countries.

Expo FoodTec Content Hub​

New to the show is the Expo FoodTec Content Hub, which will focus on the latest developments in food and beverage processing and ingredients packaging.

Held at the Expo FoodTec pavilion, the Content Hub will feature speaker sessions, presentations and videos from experts and associations.

Returning is the Industry Insights Theatre, which will focus on the current consumer trends influencing the global food and drink market.

Supplier Solutions Sessions will be an opportunity for suppliers to unveil their latest ingredients, while the Start-up Innovation Challenge offers start-ups a platform to demonstrate their new innovations.

The New Product Zone, organised in cooperation with Innova Market Insights, will also again be at FiE.

The Fi Innovation Awards, meanwhile, will include a number of new categories that further celebrate innovation.

Four-day conference programme​

Allied to the show is a four-day conference programme dedicated towards knowledge sharing and networking opportunities.

The programme starts on Monday November 27 with the Fi Future of Nutrition Summit, which will bring together food pioneers and explore cutting-edge innovations in nutrition.

From November 28 to 30, the Fi Conference will offer in-depth insights into the issues shaping the food and beverage landscape through a mix of keynote presentations, panel discussions and masterclasses.

Clean-label, natural ingredients, food safety, health and wellness, reformulation, and sustainability are just some of the topics to be covered.

The conference programme will also include a Women’s Networking Breakfast on November 29, which brings together inspirational women from all areas of the food industry and beyond to share their insight, knowledge and experience on topics covering innovation, entrepreneurship and women’s excellence in the food and beverage industry.

A range of package prices for the conference programme are available here​. The main show, meanwhile, is free to attend.

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Frankfurt: far more than a financial centre

Many know Frankfurt as a financial powerhouse and recognise it for its Manhattan-style skyline, but those familiar to the city claim it has much more to offer.

In among the skyscrapers lies a city of character and variety, from its cosy pubs and half-timbered buildings in the medieval old town, to its parks, gardens and riverside walkways.

Sightseeing highlights include the Römer, recognised as one of the oldest and most charming town halls in the world.

In close proximity is St Paul’s Church, the original site of the first all-German parliament and where the democratic constitution of Germany was formed. The Imperial Cathedral, a former coronation site of German emperors, is also said to be well worth a visit.

When it comes to museums, Frankfurt is second only to Berlin in Germany in number. On the south bank of the city, nine museums are lined up in a row. These include the Städel Art Institute, and the German Film Museum.

Another landmark that may be of interest is Goethe House, the former home of Frankfurt’s most famous son, poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.