Attending a trade fair is a big step for any company, especially those operating in the food, drink and hospitality sector. That’s where you meet new clients and strike up important partnerships. You can examine the products of your competitors closely, assess the average standards of the industry and make an educated guess on where you rank. These types of conventions are crucial for advertisement purposes. They can open the door to dozens of business opportunities, making them a valuable part of any company’s arsenal.

The issue is that many expos are very costly, to the point where attending one can put a massive strain on the budget. Exhibition space and stand building are expensive enough, and then you need to factor in travel, transport for your products and hotel accommodations, and the whole thing can easily get out of control! Because of this, many companies fear a trade fair may not be right for them or will make a wrong choice that won’t pay off.

Don’t panic! We, at Fair Point, have more than a decade of experience with researching all kinds of expos and can answer all of your burning questions to make sure your trade visit is the success it should be!

Which Event Should I Visit?

This is the first big question you need to ask yourself, and the answer – as it usually is – will be “it depends.” There are dozens of professional trade fairs for food and beverage across Europe and beyond, and narrowing down which one you’d like to attend depends on three things.

First and foremost, what do you specialise in? A big food and beverage trade fair like Anuga can be useful if you specialise in something that can easily reach a lot of people. For example, food processing equipment that can be used for multiple tasks, or produce/raw materials. On the other hand, if you specialise in something more specific, the best option is always to find a fair that is focused on your niche, as that will give you more exposure for a fraction of the cost. For example, if you’re in the pastries business, a snack-themed fair like Snackex is a much better choice.

The second question is why you’re going. Is it to advertise your products or to learn and make connections? Or perhaps a little bit of both? Every convention is different, some will have huge conference programs with dozens of speakers that aim at educating the attendees, as well as dedicated networking areas that allow you to easily exchange relevant contacts. On the other hand, other food-related fairs don’t have any conferences whatsoever – or at least none that you’d benefit from. ISM Cologne has numerous events, like an award show, but for the most part, people go there to explore (or present) the newest products, rather than learn or network. Knowing your goal is key to a successful trade fair, in the food and beverage industry or beyond!

The final question is also the simplest to answer – which market are you trying to penetrate? Are you presenting your products on a local level? Go to an expo in your country! Are you entering a foreign market? Go there! Are you hoping to sell internationally? Go big!

Answer all three of these questions, and suddenly you’ll find it very easy to find the perfect trade fair just for you!

Should I Exhibit or Just Visit?

Generally speaking, there are three things that people hope to gain when going to a trade fair – exposure for their products, contacts with industry experts and decision-makers and a good look at the current state of the market. Food innovation fairs like SIAL have an extensive training program hosted by veterans of the business. They can help you learn how to cook certain dishes, work with new products and other practical knowledge. Other fairs allow you to sell food at the event, gaining you profit. But we won’t look at those at the moment. For this question, we’ll only examine the three core principles, as they drastically change depending on whether you’re visiting or attending.

If you choose to exhibit your products at an event, then you’re guaranteed some exposure just for being there. People will see your logo, get your catalogues and look at the goods first-hand. Meetings and contacts are also made a little bit simpler. It’s easier to impress others with a product already there instead than with a hypothetical one that isn’t tangibly there. On the other hand, this option is much more expensive. For example, exhibiting with a decent stand at a relatively small specialised event like EuroTier costs as much as €300/m² per day. Not every company can afford this, and more importantly, not every company will benefit from it.

If you’re just visiting, you severely limit the exposure your products can get. You can still set up meetings with other attendees, but without a stand, you can only reach dozens of people as opposed to thousands. On the flip side, you’ll have a lot more time browsing the other exhibits and give your card to the representatives most relevant to you, thus increasing your networking capabilities. Additionally, even if you’re not an exhibitor, you can still promote your product on the stage. Some expos, like Food Ingredients Europe, feature interviews with different speakers who still manage to promote their products and services at a fraction of the cost. And that’s ultimately the deciding factor, as visiting expenses are exponentially lower than exhibiting costs.

What Else Should I Know?

Overall, food trade fairs aren’t all that different from any other convention, so they all obey the same preparation rules. Make sure to bring lots of pamphlets and business cards, way more than you would need. Ensure your staff is trained and can give a 20-30 second “elevator pitch” on what your product is and how it’s better than the rest. Arrange how your booth will be manned, when employees can take breaks and who will be browsing the exhibits and taking care of networking.

The most important question comes regarding the food presentation. A lot of exhibitors like to showcase their snacks, produce or raw materials. Bear in mind that the rules regarding what is allowed and what not are different for each expo. Some fairs will absolutely not allow any food within their halls (likely due to sanitary concerns), and others openly encourage free samples. If food is allowed, make sure you ship it separately through a company that specialises in food transport. If samples are allowed, ensure you can prepare them accordingly so that people can enjoy them – have plenty of trays and napkins available, more than you’d need. If exhibiting produce, you can have a few fruits or veggies cut in half and displayed so the visitors can see the colour inside. Make sure you change those often, as they’ll dry up quickly!

Most importantly, try to plan. Decide how you’ll run your exhibit, set up meetings with visitors before the event when possible, and take care of your hotel bookings as early as possible. We can help you with the latter, as Fair Point is one of the top providers of business travel accommodation services. Our specialist will arrange everything for you so you can focus on your more important tasks. Do your homework, prepare and know what you’re doing – in a few words, that’s the recipe for trade fair marketing success!