The Fruit Attraction trade fair, organised by FEPEX and IFEMA, has only been held three times but has already made a name for itself as the premier meeting point of the fruit and vegetable sector in Spain. At least that is how it seems, given the turnout at this year’s event which was held in Madrid between 19 and 21 October.

The fair now has 30% more space and 20% more exhibitors and, although official figures had yet to be released when this magazine went to print, indications are that the number of visitors both from Spain and abroad has also grown. In fact, gaining renown among foreign sector professionals was the big challenge Fruit Attraction set itself this year and early estimates suggest the goal has been met. There was clearly a large presence of people from Eastern Europe as well as around 50 foreign exhibitors, mainly from France, Italy, Portugal and Brazil.

With this level of fame, no wonder Mercabarna businesses were keen to return to the fair this year. A total of 15 companies took part, five (Frutas Escandell, Hermanos Fernández López, Laumont, Grupo Diego Martínez and Gavà Grup) at the Catalonia-Prodeca joint stand coordinated by Mercabarna and the Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Business Association (AGEM), while the other ten (Cultivar, Bargosa, Grupo Lorenzo Carrasco, Sousacamp, Torres, Frutas E. Sánchez, Frutinter, Grupo Eurobanan, Hermanos Granero and Frutas Plasencia) had their own stands.

Chance to promote their businesses
The Mercabarna businesses used the fair to make new contacts, meet with customers and suppliers, demonstrate their offer or build up their brand. Some companies used it to showcase new products. One example was the Gavà Group, which took two new fresh-cut vegetable lines packaged in a convenient and attractive format that increases product durability. Mushroom specialists Laumont presented a line of different types of chilled and packaged mushrooms aimed at the end consumer. Finally, the Lorenzo Carrasco Group showed its new cut-fruit range packaged in individual cartons, as well as a number of vegetable snacks that boost vegetable consumption.

Mercasa presents Mercachef
Mercasa used the fair to present Mercachef, an e-commerce platform that facilitates commercial transactions between wholesale businesses from different Spanish wholesale markets and restaurant professionals.