TIF-Helexpo is ending February and welcoming March with three dynamic exhibitions in the food-beverage and the jewellery sectors, all of which are enjoying an increased scale.
From 26 February to 1 March, the ‘heart’ of food and beverages will be beating at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre through the 24th ‘Detrop’ International Exhibition of Food, Beverages, Machinery & Equipment and the 5th ‘Oenos’ International Wine Fair. This exhibition ‘duo’ managed to attract over 500 exhibitors and cover a net exhibition area of 7,665 sq.m. over seven pavilions. In the framework of the two events, TIF-Helexpo is implementing a ‘hosted buyers’ programme, with approximately 250 invited foreign trade visitors from over 30 countries and with over 3,000 pre-arranged business meetings. The participation of the Association of Overseas Greek Food & Drinks Importers (SELETROPE) with its member-enterprises is particularly important.
Another event will be held almost concurrently, from 28 February to 2 March, at Metropolitan Expo in Athens: ‘ELLINON KOSMIMA’, with its ‘shine’ reflected in the number of 280 participating exhibitors, as compared to 230 at the previous event, and the 25% increase in exhibition area, coming to 6,600 sq.m. The hosted buyers at ‘ELLINON KOSMIMA’, being co-organised with the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Silver- and Goldsmiths, Jewellers and Watchmakers (POVAKO), will come from eight countries (Cyprus, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, Russia, United Arab Emirates and Tunisia).
Detrop and Oenos are accompanied by important events. The 15th Thessaloniki International Wine Competition, returning after many years to its ‘home’, the ‘heart’ of the Fair (the 1st International Competition of Distillates of Vine Origin is being held concurrently), will bring 600 wines and distillates from Greece and abroad to Thessaloniki to ‘wage battle’ against each other. The 9th International Cooking Competition of Southern Europe, co-organised in cooperation with the ‘Olympius Zeus’ Chefs’ Club of Northern Greece, will bring the international ‘cream’ of professional cooking to Thessaloniki, with 450 participants from 27 countries around the globe. Another noteworthy parallel event is the Pan-Hellenic Conference on Meat and Meat Products, with 120 speakers and 200 participants, and the colloquium on religious certification and exports of food and food ingredients.
The President of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Tassos Tzikas, underlined the increased dynamism of the three exhibitions, placing great emphasis on their international character. In turn, the Managing Director of the national exhibition agency, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, noted that this ‘triptych’ of exhibitions enables Greek enterprises to present their products to buyers from important international markets, opening channels of communication and paving the way for agreements and commercial partnerships.
The President of SELETROPE, Mr Aristotelis Karvelas, referred to the value and quality of Greek products of the food-beverage sectors, stressing that they must be given the name they deserve. In fact, he noted that SELETROPE, which numbers 67 members and over 5,000 restaurant-clients abroad, has created the first Greek mark of quality in Greek Mediterranean gastronomy, which will be awarded in the framework of Detrop-Oenos.
The President of the Wine Producers’ Association of the Northern Greece Vineyard (ENOAVE), Mr Stelios Kechris, stated that this is the first time Oenos is welcoming such a large number of buyers, which is the substance of a Fair, and underlined the excellent price-quality ratio of Greek wine and its high level, recognised through major international distinctions. ENOAVE is participating in Oenos with 15 of its members.
The President of the ‘Olympius Zeus’ Chefs’ Club of Northern Greece, Mr Yiorgos Mastrodimitris, stressed the important contribution of TIF-Helexpo towards upgrading the 9th International Cooking Competition of Southern Europe, noting that participants in the competition are the best ‘ambassadors’ of Greek flavours and raw materials abroad.
The Continental Director for Africa and the Middle East of the World Association of Chefs Societies, Chef Thomas Gugler, noted the global character of the competition and the Detrop-Oenos exhibitions, stressing that it is very important that they do not focus solely on Greece and the European Union.
The Vice-President of the national exhibition agency, Mr Kostas Dimou, underlined the major contribution of the sector exhibitions organised by TIF-Helexpo to the local economy, beyond the sectors they represent, while the Deputy General Director, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, stressed that all the exhibitions held from early 2015 to date have proved the dynamism of the company in organising major events.
Finally, the 2nd Vice-President of POVAKO, Mr Anastassios Kanakaris, identified a major improvement in the figures of ‘ELLINON KOSMIMA’, which numbered just 142 exhibitors when it began and has managed to increase this figure by more than 90% at present.
The Detrop and Oenos exhibitions, which will be inaugurated tomorrow, Thursday, 26 February, at 19.30 at Pavilion 16 by the Deputy Minister for Rural Development, Mr Panayiotis Sgouridis, are being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and Administrative Reform, and the Municipality of Thessaloniki, as well as numerous sector agencies, and with the support of numerous sponsors. ‘ELLINON KOSMIMA’ will be inaugurated on Saturday, 28 February, at 20.30 at Metropolitan Expo, by the Minister of Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism, Mr Yiorgos Stathakis.
26/02/2015 – 13:54