Meat centre stage at world's largest trade fair

With more than 800 suppliers from around 50 countries exhibiting at Anuga in Cologne from 5-9 October, the meat section forms a substantial part of this major international food exhibition.

With companies showcasing the best in meat, sausage, game and poultry over an exhibition space of around 50,000m², the organisers said demand for space was so high the event has been fully booked out, following on from the sell-out success of the fair in 2009 and 2011.

The event will see companies small and large demonstrating a range of items from raw meat through to processed products, such as gourmet sausages and hams, as well as regional specialities.

Those businesses exhibiting at the show include: Bell, Beretta, Campofrio, Citterio, Danish Crown, Elpozo, Ferrarini, Gausepohl, Heidemark, Houdek, JBS, LDC, Plukon Food Group, Reinert, Rügenwalder Mühle, Sprehe Gruppe, Tönnies, VanDrie Group, Vestey Foods, Vion, Westfleisch, Wiesenhof and Wiltmann.

There will also be wider country specific exhibitions, with pavilions representing Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, France, Italy, Canada, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, South Africa and the US.

The show’s organisers have also created a special networking event dedicated to the meat industry. The event, ‘Meat Essential’ takes place at 6.30pm on 6 October in the Rheinsaal of the Congress Centrum Nord. This is the second time the event has been organised, and it offers an excellent opportunity for the participants to meet and talk with colleagues, suppliers and buyers at the international level.

While meat consumption figures are fairly static within the developed world, fresh meat consumption is growing on the global stage, and has been climbing by around 3% annually for the past five years. This is driven by increased wealth and affluence in developing countries, which has led to meat becoming a more important part of the diet, and this is only likely to continue.

According to the organisers of Anuga, world meat production is likely to rise from 297m tonnes in 2011 to 350mt by 2021. Leading the field is the increase in poultry production, which is rising at 2.2% annually, while beef is increasing by 1.8% and pork 1.4%. Poultry is expected to grow to represent around 37% of global meat production, equalling pork.

Meat consumption per capita within the developed countries stands at 79kg, unchanged for some years. However, within the developing countries it averages just 32.7kg per capita, and that is showing a strong upward trend.

The opportunities to tap into this growth are just one of the reasons for a visit to Germany this October.

Meanwhile, for those looking for some thought-provoking discussion, the Anuga Executive Summit is the place to be. Kicking off the day before the official opening of the fair, 4 October, keynote speakers will include Herbert Bolliger, chief executive officer, Migros Genossenschafts-Bund, Zurich, and Harry Brouwer, chairman, Unilever Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Hamburg.

The Anuga Executive Summit offers senior managers from the world’s leading manufacturers and retailers a forum for discussion of current trends and issues of strategic importance for the future.

Anuga Notes

• The show runs from 5-9 October

• ‘Meat Essentials’, a must-attend networking event, takes place at 6.30pm on 6 October at the Rheinsaal of the Congress Centrum Nord

• The show is open from 10am to 7pm except for 9 October, when doors close at 6pm.

• Sausage products are in Hall 5.2

• Red meat and sausage in Hall 6

• Poultry and red meat in Hall 9