Greece must pay special attention to the production of quality products, of high added value and authenticity, and the promotion of extroversion, according to the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food Ms Olympia Teligioridou, from the podium of the 5th Freskon inauguration. In fact, she stressed that Freskon provides a first class opportunity to strengthen international trade relationships in the primary sector. She characterised the event as especially important on a Greek, European, and international level, and she underlined that it is an exhibition institution that provides Greek producers with the opportunity to come into contact with international retail chains. 

Deputy Minister of the Interior (of Macedonia-Thrace) Ms Eleftheria Chatzigeorgiou characterised Freskon as one of the most important fruit and vegetable expos of Southeastern Europe and the broader Mediterranean basin, stressing that this great exhibition effort, transforms Thessaloniki into a strategic hub for fruit and vegetable transportation in the Balkan peninsula and the European hinterland, through the development of cooperation networks. 

The potential for Greek fruit and vegetables to conquer markets beyond Europe was underlined by the Secretary General of Agricultural Policy Mr Charalambos Kassimis, who noted that fruit and vegetables are one of the most dynamic sectors of 
the agricultural industry. The Region of Central Macedonia is participating in this year’s Freskon with 25 fresh fruit and vegetable enterprises, as was announced by the Deputy Governor for Rural Development Ms Gerakina Bisbina. She also stressed that the Region is in first place in Greek agricultural production, with 85% of rice, 70% of vegetables, and 30% of cotton and cereals being produced here.  

Next, the Deputy Governor of Development, Infrastructure, Networks and the Environment of the Peloponnese Ms Dina Nikolakou stressed that her Region is participating in Freskon for the fifth consecutive year, while she announced a strategic cooperation with TIF-Helexpo, for the continuous presence of the Peloponnese at its exhibition events. 

Lastly, President of TIF-Helexpo Mr Tasos Tzikas noted that this year’s Freskon is more international than any before it, and that it had started off with an intense international character from the very first time it was organised. He characterised the fruit and vegetable sector as strategic for the primary sector, especially in recent years. 

215 direct and indirect exhibitors from 16 countries are participating in Freskon, in comparison to 191 of the previous event, and 205 hosted buyers from 35 countries were welcomed, of whom 130 are individual hosted buyers from 33 countries and 75 are hosted buyers through group participations from the Balkans.  In fact, approximately 2500 business meetings between representatives of Greek enterprises & producers and international hosted buyers have been scheduled. This year Freskon is hosting Digital Greece Freskon Edition for the first time, with 13 startup companies present. 

Among the side events the International Peach Congress stands out, with the participation of renowned Greek and international speakers, which started today and which will continue tomorrow, while an important position at the expo is held by the FreshCon Market. Freskon will last until 13 April and its opening hours are the following: Friday 12 April 09:30-19:00, and Saturday 13 April 09:30-17:00. 

12/04/2019 – 16:34

Freskon, the 5th International Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Trade Show opens tomorrow, with 215 direct and indirect exhibitors from 16 countries, in comparison to 191 of the previous event, and 205 hosted buyers from 35 countries, of whom 130 are individual hosted buyers from 33 countries and 75 are hosted buyers through group participations from the Balkans.

The Trade Show covers an exhibition area of 12,500 square metres. In fact, approximately 2500 business meetings between representatives of Greek enterprises & producers and international hosted buyers have been scheduled. Exhibitors are coming from, among other places, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Argentina, Bulgaria, Italy, India, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Spain, Denmark, and Germany. Once again, this year Freskon will be a meeting place for producers, international retail groups, as well as domestic and international transporters of fresh fruit and vegetables, while also acting as a reference point for the fresh fruit and vegetable market in Southeastern Europe. The FreshCon Market is being organised in the framework of Freskon, focusing on connecting production to retail sales.

The main goal of FreshCon Market is to bring large supermarket chains into direct contact with professionals of the agricultural sector, creating ideal conditions for direct agreements. In fact, some of the largest supermarket chains in Europe will be present. This year Freskon will host Digital Greece Freskon Edition for the first time, with 13 startup companies present. This year’s event incorporates a number of side events, at which specialised subjects of the primary sector, the connection of agricultural production with trade, standardisation-packaging, extroversion, etc., will be presented and analysed. The International Peach Congress stands out among these, which will be held on 11 and 12 April, with the participation of renowned speakers from Greece and abroad. Both FreshCon Market and the International Peach Congress are being co-organised with ‘Froutonea’ magazine.

Freskon will last until 13 April and its opening hours are the following: Thursday 11 April and Friday 12 April 09:30-19:00, and Saturday 13 April 09:30-17:00. Press Conference “Greece deserves to be present in the vegetable markets of the whole world”, noted TIF-Helexpo CEO Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis at the Freskon press conference today, while he focused on the importance of this year’s event for the sector, and he announced that eight of the hosted buyers are companies with a turnover of more than 300,000,000 Euros.

On his side, the publisher of ‘Froutonea’ magazine Mr Takis Orfanos stressed that the fresh fruit and vegetable sector needs an exhibition like Freskon, which, he noted, has established itself and will be here for years to come. He also expressed his concerns about the sector season, when taking into account weather instability and climate change. Lastly, the head organiser of Freskon Ms Tonia Nikolaidou underlined the contribution of the event to the growth of enterprises through the promotion programme, while she referred to Freskon’s extroversion through the Freskon Greece project.

11/04/2019 – 12:51

More than 100 participations, 40 of which were sports federations and sports goods and equipment companies, will kick off the 4th Sportexpo on 10 April at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre. This year’s expo, which is being co-organised by TIF-Helexpo and the General Secretariat of Sports, marks the cooperation of Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania for the joint bid to hold major sport events.

Sportexpo’s goals include, among other things, promoting the work and programmes of the sports federations and associations, and side events will be organised in that framework, such as tournaments, shows, seminars, etc., aiming at making more obscure sports known to a broader public, as well as creating a sports consciousness.

“It is very important to create a sports celebration surrounding Sportexpo, and to imbue it with an international character. We are being given this opportunity to bid for major international events through the cooperation of Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania. Through this cooperation we want to build a major international sports expo”, noted President of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Tasos Tzikas at the Sportexpo press conference today. “Forty sports federations, 18 clubs-bodies, and 20 fitness stations are just some of the numbers from the 4th Sportexpo”, he stated.

On his side, the CEO of the national exhibition agency Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis noted that Sportexpo focuses on daily exercise, sports in the school environment, team sports, volunteerism, and sports for people with disabilities.

His belief that the sports family of Thessaloniki and beyond will support Sportexpo, the largest – as he characterised it – sports expo in Greece, was expressed by Mr Dimitris Akritidis, special adviser to the Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports Mr Giorgos Vasiliadis. He also revealed that there will be a wide range of events and shows at Sportexpo, where new, less well-known sports will be promoted, while there will be everything from a pool and boxing & kick-boxing ring, to a mountain-climbing wall and beach volley court in the exhibition spaces. In fact, as he stressed, from Wednesday 10 to Friday 12 April, approximately 5000 students will visit Sportexpo.

Lastly, the deputy general director of TIF-Helexpo Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis referred to the other exhibitions and events that are also going at the International Exhibition Centre, such as Freskon, the Recycling Festival, and the Thessaloniki Dance Festival. The head of organising Sportexpo Mr Panagiotis Chatziioannou was also present at the press conference. He wished the event the best of success.

It should be noted that this year Sportexpo is coinciding with the ‘Alexander the Great’ International Marathon, which is being held on Sunday 14 April by the MEAS TRITON sports club.

Entry to Sportexpo is free, while there will also be free parking for exhibitors and visitors who can enter through the Trade Gate.

The opening hours of the exhibition are: Wednesday to Friday 09:00 to 20:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 20:00. The Sportexpo opening ceremony will be held on Thursday 11 April at 19:00, at pavilion 17.

05/04/2019 – 12:13