After four trade show days of intensive discussions and presentations of new products, when ISM 2022 came to a close, it had recorded around 15,000 trade visitors from 96 countries, including estimated figures for the last day of the show.
"We are delighted that the restart of the leading global trade fair for sweets and snacks was successful amid these challenging times. In no small part, this is due to the exhibiting companies who took part in the 51st edition of the trade fair. Of course, we weren't expecting a superlative trade fair or new records. However, the fact that ISM 2022 took place underscores that trade fairs with a clear business focus can be staged safely in pandemic times.
"Trade fairs offer the urgently needed platform for the development and expansion of international business," said Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH.
"The leading global trade fair for sweets and snacks is sending an important signal not only to the sweets and snacks industry but also to the entire trade fair business in terms of confidence and optimism," explained Böse.
"Offering the industry a central business platform, one which it can use to present existing and new products to a broad trade audience is vital. The high internationality of the exhibitors and visitors shows once again how important the event is for the global sweets and snacks industry," emphasised Dr Uwe Lebens, Deputy Chairman of the International Sweets & Biscuits Fair Task Force (AISM).
The joy at personal encounters, engaging in an exchange face to face as well sampling a variety of sweets and snacks dominated this year's ISM. In addition to the high quality of the visitors, the exhibiting companies praised the opportunity to engage in intensive discussions with partners and customers. As was already the case at the autumn events, Koelnmesse's safety and hygiene concept proved itself and ensured the smooth running of the trade fair.
Furthermore, the good international response with a 78 percent participation of foreign trade visitors contributed to the trade fair's buoyant mood. The European countries with the strongest participation this year were the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Turkey. Also, growth was notable in Eastern Europe and Russia. Beyond Europe, the trade visitors predominantly came from the Near and Middle East, the USA, and Central and South America.
Alongside the high quality of the visitors, according to the exhibitor survey, the share of persons decisively responsible for purchasing decisions also increased. An initial evaluation of the visitor survey emphasises that around 90 percent of the respondents have a "decisive" or "contributory" influence on procurement decisions.
This high decision-making competence significantly contributed to the satisfaction of many exhibiting companies. The trade attended in smaller delegations this year.
New products and trends
Innovations and new developments led to satisfied buyers and underlined the vitality and performance capacity of the industry. This year the exhibiting companies primarily presented healthy, natural and sustainable products. Whether plant-based, with an additional health-promoting effect or energy-boosting, the new products took the needs of the consumers into account across the board.
New digital networking possibilities
With its hybrid concept and the new digital platform, ISM & ProSweets @home, from the third day onwards, ISM offered the exhibitors, visitors and media representatives numerous new possibilities of coming into contact with partners, potential customers and interesting companies. Simultaneously every on-site exhibitor was represented on the platform with a digital showroom.
In addition to the personal discussions and the extensive on-site event and congress programme beyond the physical trade fair, ISM offers new digital networking options and digitally streamed content such as expert lectures and presentations. The second edition of the future congress "#CONNECT2030 - The Future Summit for Sweets and Snacks - in transition" is also available on-demand and provides insights into the themes of the conservation of resources, CO2 reduction and the effects of climate change on the availability of raw materials.
The digital ISM & ProSweets Cologne ensures an extended reach. It allows all trade fair participants to network, establish new contacts, and call up contents they missed in person until 30 April 2022. The ISM app implemented parallel to the trade fair also integrates new networking functions for the digital exchange during and after the trade fair.
The next ISM is scheduled to take place from 29 January 2023 to 01 February 2023.
