ISM has now come to a close, reporting that this year’s edition attracted more than 25,000 visitors from 135 countries, with an international share of visitors high at 72% and a foreign share at 88%.
As a one-off occurrence, ISM was staged together with ProSweets, covering the entire value chain for sweets and snacks. This year’s edition had a stronger focus on addressing the challenges the industry is currently faced with and on the joint development of solutions.
“We are delighted that ISM was able to set a strong signal in spite of the one-off postponement of the event from the January to the April. The positive figures, particularly with regards to the number of visitors, show that we are in a position to offer an outstanding trade fair of unique quality and internationality even under these difficult conditions,” said Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse.
“The fact that exhibitors and visitors from the whole world flocked to Cologne on this unaccustomed date by way of exception, underlines the outstanding significance of this trade fair for the global sweets and snacks industry,” added Bastian Fassin, Chairman of International Sweets and Biscuits Fair Task Force (AISM). “The quality of the business contacts was very high. This was confirmed by representatives from both the industry and the trade.”
At 72% the share of international trade visitors was high. European countries registered the strongest participation, particularly from the Netherlands, Great Britain and Belgium. Outside of Europe, trade visitors primarily came from the US, South Korea and Israel.
Made apparent by the sweets and snacks on display at the show, consumers are placing more importance on healthy and natural ingredients. Plant-based products and ingredients are booming, reflected at ISM by creative ideas such as enriching food with fibres.
The three most innovative products were recognised with the Product Showcase Award which took place on the first day of the trade fair. First place went to tri d’Aix for its sweet, sugar-free candy floss; CAL Marketing came in second place with ‘Brown Sugar Boba Milk Tea Mochi’ and World’s Coconut Trading claimed third place with its ‘Purple Sweet Potato Chips BBQ’.
Maljen Fazer, Senior Specialist in Product Quality, Cocoa and Chocolate at Fazer won this year’s ISM award, as ISM paid her tribute for her commitment for more sustainability in the sweets and snacks industry during the ISM dinner.
The ISM Consumer Award was held for the first time on the last day of the trade. The most popular item of products submitted to the New Product Showcase was determined by consumers voting on Instagram. The ISM Consumer Award went to company Mitsuba, from the Netherlands for its street food mix.
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Caitlin Gittins
Editor, International Confectionery
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