MARCA

MARCABYBOLOGNAFIERE 2021: MARKED POSITIVE TREND IN BOOKINGS TO PARTICIPATE AT THE EVENT SCHEDULED FOR 13 AND 14 JANUARY 2021 IN BOLOGNA

The leading event for the sector of Private Labels, in which the Grocery Retail sector plays a central role, for more than 17 years has represented an important opportunity to discuss and analyse market trends and to plan business strategies. The next edition of the event, which is organised by BolognaFiere in collaboration with ADM, the Grocery Retail Association, has been announced in the context of highly encouraging numbers of requests to participate. Five months ahead of the date there is a tangible excitement amongst the business community and a determination to kick-start the economy in the post-pandemic period.

“Seeing such substantial demand to participate from the business community,” announced Antonio Bruzzone, General Manager of BolognaFiere, “in a year in which we were forced to face up to the reality of the pandemic emergency is, for our Company, a real source of pride. My sincere thanks go to those companies that have shown that they believe in the value of MarcabyBolognaFiere as an essential moment to develop new business and new contacts, confirming their presence at the next edition well ahead of the event. In recent months the structure, in close collaboration with our partner ADM and the Technical-Scientific Committee, has worked on further enhancing the fair with new initiatives to make participation at MarcabyBolognaFiere even more strategic and effective.”

The positive trend in requests to attend MarcabyBolognaFiere 2021 also reflects the dynamism of Private Label products, which in Italy have substantial potential to continue increasing their market share: in France this product category makes up 33.9% of the Food sector, in the Netherlands 30% (with constant progress), in Italy this number is 22.3% (+2%), the only country in Europe experiencing a countertrend is the United Kingdom that registered a drop of 2.8% but this should be viewed in the context of a level of market penetration of 53%; in the USA finally, Private Label products make up 18.7% (+0.5%). (Source IRI-Consumer Spending Tracking, May 2020).

New layout and safety a priority at MarcabyBolognaFiere 2021 Professional operators attending the event will be able to move around within a layout that has been enhanced from previous editions and that will include seven large exhibition pavilions, in fact, in addition to the usual pavilions 25, 26, 28 and 29, MarcabyBolognaFiere 2021 will also include the Bologna Exhibition Centre pavilions 31, 32 and the brand new pavilion 37, ensuring the optimal conditions for holding the event in complete safety also thanks to the pathways created to rationalise visitors flows and the safety protocols that will be applied.

MarcabyBolognaFiere 2021 will dedicate pavilions 25, 26, 28, 29 and 37 to the Food sector while NON FOOD will be housed in pavilions 31 and 32. Two entrances will be available to exhibitors and operators: the Nord entrance and the Ovest-Costituzione entrance. The former is connected directly to the motorway network and the car park system (more appropriate for those arriving by car), the latter is connected to the railway station, the city centre and the Guglielmo Marconi International Airport via public transport links (more appropriate for those traveling by train or plane).

Focus dedicated to emerging trends: Fresh produce, Wine and Free-From products take centre stage
A key feature of MARCAbyBolognaFiere has always been how it highlights emerging trends, dedicating space and specific opportunities to examining these in depth.
In 2021 the event will propose the new MARCA WINE AREA and the FREE FROM HUB alongside the second edition of MARCA FRESH, the space reserved for the sector of fresh produce, mainly fruit and vegetables (but set to involve all sectors of fresh products), that promotes the relationships between producers and distributors, highlighting three primary objectives in terms of business strategy: Innovation, Experience and Networking.

The new WINE area will be situated within the FOOD pavilions and will offer the leading producers the opportunity to network and dialogue with the representatives of the Grocery Retail sector to reinforce the presence of their products in retail points. It would be inconceivable not to include Wine among the protagonists of MARCAbyBolognaFiere 2021, the substantial increase in sales of wine in Grocery Retail has transformed this channel into one of the main markets for the wine sector. The ever-increasing quality of Private Label wines on sale through Grocery Retail – including also appellation and designated origin labels – has helped change consumers’ perceptions of this product, which is gradually earning a market share of particular interest to other traditional channels, marking a net change in sales trends. An interesting webinar (held in July) has also been dedicated to this topic, arousing substantial interest from operators, the webinar is available at the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu2rDEb-tYw&feature=youtu.be

Presented at MarcabyBolognaFiere 2020, the initiative the FREE FROM HUB, which was born from the knowhow of BolognaFiere and Bos, will be repeated at the 2021 edition with the aim of representing the Italian and international free-from market. The market is showing that growing attention is being paid to healthy food in its broadest iteration: healthy food that is good for the body both for beneficial properties that have been added to it, in the case of rich-in foods, or ingredients removed in the case of free from. Consumers are increasingly interested in the concept of healthy eating, prioritising functional, organic and free-from products. This trend will be taking centre stage at MarcabyBolognaFiere 2021 as part of the FREE FROM HUB that will include also a new Functional Food Hub to provide exhaustive answers and promote new business opportunities.

Great opportunities for exhibitors at MarcabyBolognaFiere 2021 with the option of accessing SIMEST financing for participation in international trade fair events in Italy. As part of the interventions established relating to the recovery of the Italian trade fair sector and connected measures to support SMEs, the decree extending finance at subsidised rates has been confirmed also for participation at international trade fairs which take place in Italy, such as MarcabyBolognaFiere. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation – Decree 11 June 2020 – Extension to Countries of the European Union of the operations of the fund 394/81. (20A04004) – GU General series n. 188 of 28-07-2020.

The initiative offers particularly advantageous conditions, including: SIMEST financing (currently 0.085%, equivalent to 10% of the EU reference rate), a financeable sum of up to 150,000 euros per initiative; cover that can reach 100% of expenses per exhibition, logistics, promotion and consultancy area connected to participation in trade fairs and exhibitions; a duration of 4 years of which the first year is repayment-free. It will be possible to obtain up to 40% as a funding grant, therefore a substantial “discount” on the cost of participation in MarcabyBolognaFiere 2021.

Furthermore, the request for finance, which must concern one single initiative, can be repeated for other events as long as they respect the maximum set limits; the finance can be activated also in combination with measures provided by local institutions (Regional authorities, Chambers of Commerce etc.) for eventual costs not contemplated by the latter but covered by the SIMEST offer. The compilation and presentation of the request can be made directly online through the SIMEST portal (www.sacesimest.it) beginning from 6 August 2020.
Discover all the details at: https://www.simest.it/partecipazione-a-fiere-e-mostre

MarcabyBolognaFiere, on 13 and 14 January 2021, meet with the protagonists of the market.

FREE FROM HUB: A NEW INNOVATIVE PLATFORM
HAS BEEN CREATED FOR ‘FREE FROM’ PRODUCTS

Bologna, Italy – May 2020

Bologna, April 2020 – Thanks to the know-how and experience of two players in the trade fair sector, BolognaFiere and BOS, a new innovative trade fair project has been created – the FREE FROM HUB dedicated to the emerging sector of ‘free from’ products, which are becoming available in a growing variety of contexts.
This category consists of products that don’t contain certain ingredients, compounds or substances that consumers choose to avoid for various reasons (from intolerances, allergies or alternative dietary choices and others). Increasingly widespread, in fact, are gluten free and lactose free products, which are increasingly flanked by an increasing number of other products free from other ingredients (eggs, salt, yeast and allergens).
Previewed to professional operators on the occasion of MarcabyBolognaFiere 2020, the FREE FROM HUB immediately elicited the curiosity and interest of operators from the sector.

FREE FROM HUB is an innovative and dynamic project: a transversal exhibition platform. It is not one single appointment, but a series of opportunities for in-depth sessions as part of the line up of events at BolognaFiere in which free-from products can be relevant.

There are four major events that, from 2020, will be involving the FREE FROM HUB project:

• COSMOFARMA (BolognaFiere)
• SANA, International Exhibition of Natural and Organic products (BolognaFiere)
• CIOFE – China International Organic Food Exhibition (Xiamen, China)

and in 2021:

• MARCABYBOLOGNAFIERE – Private Label Conference and Exhibition (BolognaFiere).

as well as other reference events that take place annually.

This is the starting point for a hub that will later address foreign markets.

FREE FROM HUB is positioned within the BolognaFiere events that are leaders in their respective sectors, providing businesses involved in the sector of free from products with new tools to showcase their own products, enabling them to stand out at the single events. The project will be completed with a series of in-depth sessions that will involve the leading experts and actors.
In view of the rapid growth experienced by the market for free from foods in recent years and the versatility of companies and operators in this sector, it is no longer possible to think of representing the market at one single event, thus the FREE FROM HUB was created precisely to meet the requirements of the market and all of the stakeholders of this compartment, in order to analyse and represent it.
The strength and uniqueness of the FREE FROM HUB lies in the fact that, positioning itself within the events that have specific targets for their respective sectors, and with events throughout the year, both in Italy and abroad, it is able to meet all types of requirement, both of companies and national and international buyers and consumers.
FREE FROM HUB is, in every respect, the new primary reference point for getting to know the international free from market, the missing link in the international trade fair panorama that BolognaFiere and BOS have had the prescience and the capacity to represent.

www.freefromhub.eu
info@freefromhub.eu

MARCABYBOLOGNAFIERE CONTINUES TO GROW
New larger layout for the Private Label exhibition and conference
Constant growth in exhibitor numbers –
consistently over 10% in the last 5 months
A new pavilion assigned for the non-food sector: 15% more companies from the sector Foreign delegations from 26 countries

Less than one month away from MarcabyBolognaFiere 2020, due to take place on 15 and 16 January 2020 in Bologna, and the figures for the event dedicated to the Private Label sector, organised by BolognaFiere in collaboration with ADM (the Italian association for the grocery retail sector), point towards a very successful edition.

The number of exhibitors continues to rise, with double digit growth for the fifth consecutive year; the exhibition space will also be greater this year, with the addition of pavilion36; the number and variety of organic products, which now take up almost a quarter of the exhibition space, will be greater than ever. Furthermore, the non-food sector will see an increase of +15% in the number of companies; the number of foreign delegations visiting the event has tripled; MARCA 2020 will also be further enhanced by new initiatives.

“Sixteen years ago, when we launched MarcabyBolognaFiere,” BolognaFiere President Gianpiero Calzolari explains, “we embarked on a pathway that anticipated the market trends. The constant growth of the event and the increasing attention of foreign buyers are proof of the dynamism of the Private Label sector, which still offers ample opportunities for development. In terms of volume, the share of private labels in Italy is estimated at around 30%, while the European average is in excess of 30%. In parallel, these innovative products,” continues Calzolari, “ respond to the consumers’ changing requirements with products that meet emerging trends such as organics, the growing attention to the sustainability of the packaging, traceability and food intolerances. The statistics provide the best demonstration of these trends: organic products today represent almost a quarter of the exhibition space at MarcabyBolognaFiere and ‘free from’ products for those with food intolerances, make up one fifth. For each of these segments we will be dedicating focus sessions to present the latest news and innovative solutions proposed by the main players in the market.”

The 2020 edition is set to be reinvigorated in terms of both the layout, which professional operators will be able to appreciate as it has been designed to make attending the event even more conducive to doing business. For the first time, non-food will have its own dedicated area, pavilion 36. More than 100 companies in this sector have already confirmed their presence; these are active in the sectors of ‘Personal Care’ and ‘ Home Care’, representing a total of more than 50 trade categories and hundreds of different products. Available to them will be an exhibition space of more than 3,500 square metres that will ensure the efficacy of the commercial matching activities. Alongside the co-packers in this area, proving the growing importance of the sector, will also be some of the Grocery Retail groups that sit on the Technical Scientific Committee for the event, which will be organising a second stand specifically to host buyers from the non-food sector.

The new area completes the layout of MarcabyBolognaFiere2020 combining with the pavilions 25, 26 and the new pavilions 29 and 30 (the latest to be created as part of the extension and revamping plan for the Bologna Exhibition Centre that, on completion of works in 2024, will see an increase of 30% of the exhibition space available with 90% of the structures either newly constructed or renovated).
The new layout further reinforces the position of the event at international level. Now, with an even more defined articulation of the trade sectors, Italian and foreign operators will be able to optimise their visits to the Fair, assisted by the new exhibition pathways that offer a more immediate perception of the content.

Among the new initiatives at the Fair is also the debut of MARCA FRESH, a space reserved entirely for news and innovations in the compartment of fresh produce and hosted within the event that will see the fruit and vegetable sector take centre stage, while the professional operators from the sector will be invited to discuss the topic of sustainable innovation.

The new Salone Satellite (Satellite Fair) hosted in pavilion 28 will offer new business opportunities to the thousands of professional operators in attendance. This event will examine the latest trends in the markets for organics, ‘free from’ products and traceability (an area in which the digital transformation is enabling rapid progress). Focus sessions for the operators will explore these themes in depth through a new format that combines cultural and exhibition content.

Also confirmed and expanded at the coming edition is MarcaTech (pavilion 30). In its seventh edition this appointment includes areas reserved for packaging, logistics and digital industry, which enables greater efficiency in the management of modern trade. Also in this case there has been a substantial increase in the number of companies participating, estimated at around 10%.

MarcabyBolognaFiere is an exhibition platform that offers notable visibility for the exhibiting companies in the Private Label business, a sector that is generating customer loyalty and becoming increasingly varied in terms of the product ranges and individual products on offer. Private Labels represent a new frontier for the market compared with industrial brand products, while also offering significant space for further growth. Among the exhibitors are also 20 large Grocery retail Groups that sit on the technical-scientific committee for the event, involved in the definition of the event’s development strategy.

In line with the growing attention of the market towards Private Label products, the 2020 edition of MarcabyBolognaFiere will promote an important programme for incoming delegations, developed also in collaboration with ITA- the Italian Trade Agency in order to encourage dialogue between exhibitors and buyers from the leading foreign markets. The top international retailers attending will be involved in a schedule of meetings with category managers from the leading Grocery Retail Groups as part of the VIP Buyer Program. The success of ‘made in Italy’ products worldwide is further underlined by the interest of international buyers in developing new commercial relationships. One statistic that highlights this trend is that the number of foreign delegations visiting MarcayBolognaFiere 2020 has tripled compared with the number from 2019, with buyers attending from 26 different countries.

MARCABYBOLOGNAFIERE TO INCLUDE A HALL DEDICATED TO THE
NON-FOOD SECTOR

An increase of 15% in the number of companies in the non-food sector at the event A trend of constant growth in the number of exhibitors (+10%) in the last 5 years

An entire hall reserved exclusively for non-food private label products is just one of the new features of the 16th edition of MarcabyBolognaFiere, the Private Label Exhibition and Conference, that will take place on 15 and 16 January 2020, organised by BolognaFiere in collaboration with ADM (the Italian Grocery Retail Association).

The new layout will further reinforce the position of the event within the international scenario. With an even more defined articulation of trade sectors, Italian and foreign operators will be able to optimise their visits to the event, assisted by exhibition routes that are more immediately perceptible.

The 2020 edition will see a further increase in the exhibition presence (+10%) for the fifth consecutive year; also growing is the range of organic products that represent a quarter of the exhibition space. There will also be an increase of 15% in the number of companies participating from the non-food sector. These, which will be positioned in the newly assigned hall (hall 36), number more than 100, operating in sectors such as personal care and homecare, and have already confirmed their participation, making up a total of more than 50 trade categories and hundreds of individual products. All of which will be taking place in an exhibition space of more then 3,500m2 designed to ensure effectiveness in commercial matching. Within this space alongside the co-packers, and demonstrating the growing importance of the sector, there will also be representatives of some of the Large Retail Groups that sit on the fair’s technical Scientific Committee as well as a second stand specifically to host buyers from the non-food sector.

The new exhibition area completes the layout of MarcabyBolognaFiere 2020 combining with the existing halls 25 and 26 and the new halls 29 and 30 (the latter created as part of the renovation and extension plan at the Bologna Exhibition Centre that, on completion of works in 2024, will see an expansion of over 30% of the exhibition space available and 90% of the structure newly built or renovated).

Among the new initiatives at the event is the debut of MARCA FRESH, a space reserved entirely for the new innovations from the compartment of fresh goods, positioned within the fair in such a way as to showcase the sector of fresh fruit and vegetables and invite operators involved to discuss the topic of sustainable innovation.

Offering new business opportunities to the thousands of professional operators visiting the fair will also be the new Satellite Fair held in hall 28, in which the latest market trends – organic, freefrom, traceability and mass catering – will be examined in focus sessions for operators with a brand new formula that will combine cultural and exhibition content.

Returning to the event in an extended form will be the seventh edition of Marca Tech, the area reserved for packaging, logistics and digital industry, which enable greater efficiency in the management of modern trade. Also in this case there has been a significant increase in attendance of around 10%. As part of the event’s new layout, Marca Tech will be hosted in Hall 30 of the Bologna Exhibition Centre.

The 2019 edition of the event concluded having registered the attendance of 746 exhibitors and more than 10,100 professional operators (+7% compared with 2018), with an increase in the number of foreign operators of 11% further confirming the interest in ‘made in Italy’ products.

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