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The DETROP BOUTIQUE, ARTOZYMA & HELLENIC JEWELLERY Exhibitions at the Starting Line
Growth through increased extroversion and incorporation of high added value in the food and beverages of domestic production and processing SMEs was depicted in the most graphic manner at this year's DETROP BOUTIQUE and ARTOZYMA exhibitions.
At the same time, the HELLENIC JEWELLERY FAIR International Exhibition for Jewellery, Precious Stones, Machinery & Equipment highlights the dynamism and modern face of Greek jewellery, which boasts a history of almost 6,000 years.
These three exhibitions are being organised by TIF-Helexpo from 26 to 29 February, with DETROP BOUTIQUE and ARTOZYMA being held at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre and HELLENIC JEWELLERY FAIR being held at Metropolitan Expo in Athens.
As noted by Ms Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha, the Deputy Minister of Interior & Administrative Reform (Macedonia-Thrace), during today's Press Conference, these exhibitions, their content and goals are aligned with the country's developmental effort.
Ms Kollia also noted that the numerous and varied events held as part of the exhibitions communicate technical knowledge and culture, stressing that DETROP BOUTIQUE and ARTOZYMA can become established as the largest such exhibitions in the broader region.
In turn, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, the CEO of TIF-Helexpo, initially referred to the national exhibition agency's performance from the beginning of 2016 to date. The Agrotica, Infacoma, Aqua Therm, Detrop Boutique, Artozyma and Hellenic Jewellery Fair exhibitions have attracted a total of 2,500 enterprises-exhibitors and 150,000 visitors (without taking into account the number of visitors who will attend DETROP BOUTIQUE, ARTOZYMA and HELLENIC JEWELLERY FAIR).
The dissemination of these results in the broader region of Thessaloniki is estimated to have resulted in an influx of 30-44 million euros for the local economy (hotels, catering enterprises, transport enterprises, etc.).
According to Mr Pozrikidis, the DETROP BOUTIQUE and ARTOZYMA exhibitions will be attended by 110 foreign trade visitors and hosted buyers representing importing companies, distributors, wholesale enterprises, Horeca & catering enterprises, bakery-patisserie chains, etc. from 13 countries. A total of 3,000 pre-arranged B2B meetings are expected to be attended exclusively by the participants of the two exhibitions, while group delegations of trade visitors are being expected from FYROM (a group of 100 delegates), Albania and Serbia.
The enterprises participating in HELLENIC JEWELLERY FAIR will be welcoming trade visitors from Cyprus, Russia, Belarus, Lebanon and the Netherlands.
Mr Neofytos Papadopoulos, the Vice-President of the Hellenic Federation of Bakers, specifically referred to the organisation of ARTOZYMA, stressing that the goal is to establish it as a major Balkan event. The exhibition will also include the 2nd Pan-Hellenic Bread Championship, with 6 regions of the country being represented and the winner being named the National Baking Team.
Mr Marios Papadopoulos, the President of the Guild of Patisserie Owners of Thessaloniki, underlined the integral connection between Thessaloniki and the confectionary art. In this context, he announced the effort to showcase Thessaloniki as the "city of sweets" and referred to the initiatives to be implemented by the city's patisseries during the upcoming exhibitions.
Chef Panayiotis Delithanassis referred to the tasting and gastronomy aspects of DETROP BOUTIQUE and ARTOZYMA, as the parallel events will include the 'Cheese & Wine' thematic event and Master Classes by distinguished chefs.
As regards the HELLENIC JEWELLERY FAIR, Mr Anastassios Kanakaris, the 1st Vice-President of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Craft Silversmiths Jewellers & Watch Sellers (POVAKO), described it as the "flagship" of jewellery fairs held in the country. Exhibitors will number almost 270 this year and the HELLENIC JEWELLERY FAIR will be larger than ever before.
Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, the deputy general director of TIF-Helexpo, presented the next exhibition events to be organised by the national exhibition agency during the first half of the year, while noting the exceptional performance of the Choco Factory & Museum in Athens in terms of visitor numbers.
The 26th DETROP BOUTIQUE and the 7th ARTOZYMA will take place with the participation of over 300 exhibitors in six pavilions (covering a gross area of 20,000 m2) representing many different sectors of the food and beverage industry and enterprises producing both brand-name and private-label products.
Trade visitors attending the two exhibitions will be coming from Romania, Germany, Spain, Austria, Russia, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, England, Cyprus and Albania.
The top thematic event at DETROP BOUTIQUE will be 'Cheese & Wine', with these two products being present together as an exhibition event for the very first time in Greece. The tasting events at 'Cheese & Wine' will be conducted by the distinguished connoisseur Elias Mamalakis, while the Greek wine map will be presented by award-winning oenologist and sommelier Apostolos Plahouras. Master Classes will be run by Dimitris Skarmoutsos, Christoforos Peskias and Panayiotis Delithanassis.
As an innovative exhibition, DETROP BOUTIQUE encompasses unique elements and inspired events, such as Pop-up restaurants, in the sense of emerging restaurants, where pioneering gastronomic demonstrations will be presented at a special dining area with varied themes.
Furthermore, exhibitors will have the unique opportunity of premiering their new products on the shelves of the CORNER SHOWROOM 'It’s all new to me' provided by the exhibition and contending for an honorary award!
DETROP BOUTIQUE and ARTOZYMA are not only intensely and dynamically commercial and professional in orientation, but are also supported by a rich programme of parallel events.
The most noteworthy such event is the extensive and diligently planned schedule of specialised speeches, seminars and workshops to be held in the context of DETROP BOUTIQUE, covering a broad range of issues related to the food and beverage sector.
Additionally, a colloquium will be held this Sunday on Kosher/Halal religious certification, which serves as a 'passport' for the export of related products & services.
Apart from the Pan-Hellenic Bread Championship, ARTOZYMA will also feature a colloquium organised by the Hellenic Association of Food Technologists on 'Technology - Innovation in Baking and Confectionary', as well as the annual meeting of the Presidents of Greek Bakers' Unions.
The parallel events of HELLENIC JEWELLERY FAIR will feature a seminar held over the coming weekend on the subject of synthetic diamonds, focusing on the methods for their production and recognition, as well as new developments in the jewellery industry.
DETROP BOUTIQUE is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Interior & Administrative Reform (Macedonia-Thrace) and the Municipality of Thessaloniki, as well as many sector agencies, and is supported by numerous sponsors.
ARTOZYMA is being held under the auspices of the Hellenic Federation of Bakers, with the support of the Guild of Patisserie Owners of Thessaloniki and the 'Profitis Elias' Bakers' Union of Thessaloniki.
*From left to right, Chef Panayiotis Delithanassis, Mr Marios Papadopoulos, the President of the Guild of Patisserie Owners of Thessaloniki, Mr Anastassios Kanakaris, the 1st Vice-President of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Craft Silversmiths Jewellers & Watch Sellers (POVAKO), Ms Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha, the Deputy Minister of Interior & Administrative Reform (Macedonia-Thrace), Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, the CEO of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Neofytos Papadopoulos, the Vice-President of the Hellenic Federation of Bakers, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, the deputy general director of TIF-Helexpo, Mrs Sevi Kaffa, the project manager of Detrop Boutique and Mrs Araxia Ganapetian, the project manager of Artozyma.