From the very first day of its operation, FOOD EXPO 2024 confirms the title of the largest food and drink exhibition in South-East Europe and promises three days, full of trade deals, exchange of ideas and new products.
A multitude of high-quality food and beverages had the opportunity to be seen up close by important decision makers of the Food and Beverage industry. The 1,300 exhibitors were impressed and excited by the fact that it may only have been the first day of the show, but visitors had come determined to discuss their real business needs with them and close business deals directly. The presence of 1,000 Hosted Buyers from more than 80 markets – targets for Greek, as well as Mediterranean food and beverages, created even more suitable conditions for the development of the extroversion of the Greek companies participating as exhibitors.
Thousands of organized retail, mass catering, wholesale and hotel professionals from Greece and abroad saw under the same roof top food and beverage suppliers and producers from Greece and 25 other countries and found PDO and specialty products at the stands of producers participating through the Regions, Chambers and Municipalities. At the same time, they got to know unique labels from wineries from all geographical regions of Greece, as well as products from winemaking equipment companies, which are presented at the booths of the 190 exhibitors of Oenotelia, the parallel exhibition of FOOD EXPO.
Also , today took place the opening ceremony by the Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development & Food, Mr. Dionysis Stamenitis. See more here.
Special events that informed and inspired
Both the Workshops & Seminars speeches and the cooking demonstrations at the Mediterranean Food Stage were a great success on the first day. The presentations, panels and live cooking shows piqued the interest of the visitors who filled the stages set up in Hall 2 and 1 respectively.
In particular, the exhibition, in the context of Workshops & Seminars, hosted in Hall 2, the Greek Exporters’ Association conference where extroversion and innovation in the development of a sustainable and competitive agri-food sector were analyzed and the export performance of the food-beverage sector was presented. In addition, the The Independent Authority for Public Revenue Conference was held which dealt with exports and customs facilities. The challenges and prospects in the food sector and the priority in safety and sustainable development were then analyzed at the Conference of The Hellenic Association of Food Scientists Technologists (HEL.A.F.T). See more here.
At the Mediterranean Food Stage in Hall 1, the culinary excellence and quality of Greece’s products were displayed for the first day through unique dishes – suggestions for appetizers created by renowned chefs. Places successively on the stage with the presentation of proposals for appetizers were taken today: the Region of Western Greece with the Club of Chefs of Greece and Chef Mandros Vassilis, the Region of Attica with the Club of Chefs Acropolis and Chef Kovaios K. – Tzima, the Region of Peloponnese with the Chefs’ Club of Greece and Chef Panagiotis Bourtsouklis, the South Aegean Region with the Chefs’ Club of the Dodecanese & Cyclades and Chef Nikos Christophorou and the Representative of the Organization Vice-Regional Governor, Filimonas Zannetidis, the Region of Thessaly with the Chefs’ Club of Greece and Chef Panagoulis Vassilis, the Region of Western Macedonia with Chef Giorgos Karavangelas and the Chamber of Serres with the Chefs Club of Greece and Chef Tati Bokotsi. See more here.
At the same time, an Anniversary Event for the 10 years of FOOD EXPO was held today, in the ROOM FOR GROWTH in Hall 3. In the context of the event, the most important points of the exhibition’s ten-year journey were presented by Mr. Thanasis Panagoulias, President & CEO of FORUM SA. Afterwards, an honorary awarding of Food and Beverage companies, which have been participating in the exhibition since the first event in 2014 took place. See more here.