Anuga 2023 is ten trade fairs under one roof, the world's most important business and inspiration platform for the food industry with the most significant international industry community and, at the same time, an innovative marketplace and trend show in excellent food products. It is also one of the most important trade fairs in our portfolio. It plays a central role for Koelnmesse, not only in Cologne but also with our successful Anuga satellite events in Brazil, China, India, Japan and Thailand.
With more than 7,800 exhibitors from 118 countries at a fully booked exhibition centre with a gross exhibition area of around 300,000 m².
The proportion of foreign exhibitors is 94 per cent. This makes Anuga bigger and more international than ever.
The ten most extensive countries participation come from Belgium, China, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey and the USA.
The importance of Anuga as the number one trade fair for food and beverages is also confirmed by the participation of Cem Özdemir, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, at the opening of the fair and Dr Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. In addition, numerous delegations from abroad will visit the fair.
On the visitor side, Anuga will once again bring together numerous top national and international decision-makers from all over the world from trade, industry and the out-of-home market.
Anuga has numerous registrations from well-known food retailers and distributors from over 20 countries. From the German-speaking countries, all crucial retail chains have already registered, including Aldi, dm, Dohle, Edeka, Kaufland, Lidl, Metro, Netto, Penny and Rewe. International participants include Auchan from France, Coop and Migros from Switzerland, Costco, Target and Walmart from the USA, Aeon Co from Japan, Carrefour from France, Max Hypermarket from India and Zona Sul from Brazil.
This year's central theme is Sustainable Growth. Anuga is more political than in previous years, which could be an excellent thematic hook for innovations and new products.
The global food industry is facing significant challenges: With a population of around 10 billion people by 2050, the demand for food, especially proteins, is also increasing. At the same time, global threats of climate change, water and energy scarcity and biodiversity loss are putting pressure on agriculture and the food industry. Economic and humanitarian impacts, such as disrupted supply chains due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict and rising energy and food costs, also exacerbate the situation. The need for product innovation and solutions that sustainably improve the global food system is greater than ever.
The critical challenge of the future will be to promote economic growth and sustainable development while ensuring that the necessary natural resources continue to be available. In a time of disruptive change that has a lasting impact on the global market, together with the exhibiting companies, leading institutions, and experts, we offer the opportunity for an intensive exchange of ideas and solutions at Anuga. We aim to provide a holistic and international overview of approaches for a sustainable food system.
Anuga 2023 will focus on various issues, such as how the conflicting priorities of economic growth and sustainability can be reconciled in nutrition, what facets sustainable growth offers and what paths and approaches are possible towards the global transformation of the food industry. Topics such as implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), transparency and traceability of supply chains and products, climate-friendly production, resource-saving raw material cultivation, food waste and ways towards a circular food system will be discussed in different formats at the fair. And, of course, with "Sustainable Growth", we are also focusing on the commitment and solutions of our exhibitors. These and other topics are reflected in the ten trade fairs and discussed in particular as part of the Anuga event and congress programme.
EIT Food, Europe's leading initiative for food innovation, with whom Anuga would like to promote dialogue and interdisciplinary cooperation towards a sustainable food system in the spirit of Anuga's central theme, Sustainable Growth.
Another important partner is the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), a United Nations agency that focuses on promoting sustainable industrial development worldwide.
With UNIDO, Anuga has gained a strong partner committed to sustainable industrial development worldwide. Contributing to a world without hunger is one of UNIDO's top priorities.
UNIDO holds two attractive conferences with top-class speakers such as Dr. Gerd Müller, Director General UNIDO. On 7 October, under the title "A world without hunger", solutions of the food industry to meet this challenge will be discussed, and what role development organisations like UNIDO play in raw material procurement or questions of local investment. On 8 October, under the title "Food Supply Chains at Crossroads", challenges in supply chains will be discussed, also with regard to international SDGs.
On 10 October, EIT Food is organising a conference on "Healthy Food and Sustainable Production: Success Stories from Industry and Start-ups". Here, excellent start-ups that have found their way to success with new ideas from the niche and report on "learnings" for the industry will be presented.
In addition, Anuga offers further formats on the topic of New Food under the banner of Anuga HORIZON. In addition to the high-calibre "Anuga HORIZON Conference" and lectures within the Anuga Trend Zone, innovative start-ups will be exhibiting at the Anuga HORIZON exhibition area. In addition, an interactive "Meet up" format will provide the opportunity to bring together experts from the food sector, industry and science for exchange and networking. Under the title "Inspire the Future", the Anuga HORIZON Conference on 9 and 10 October will bring together many experts and thought leaders from the industry. The focus will be on technologies, such as artificial intelligence, for a sustainable food system, the role of global players in transforming the New Food Economy or the use of alternative and plant-based proteins.
Trends and innovation have always been an essential priority at Anuga.
Branded under the Anuga Horizon flag, we will again offer our trade fair guests the familiar Anuga event formats "Anuga Trend Zone" and "Anuga Taste Innovation Show" as central contact points for compact and descriptive trend information.
