ProSweets Cologne sets new record attendance and number of exhibitors

Organizers of this year’s ProSweets/ISM said over 21,000 trade visitors (up 5% on 2018 and a record) from over 100 countries attended the event, held at Koelnmesse, Cologne’s giant exhibition center.

"For the suppliers of the sweets industry, ProSweets Cologne is the central, international business platform. With new customising technologies, innovative and sustainable packing solutions as well as new developments regarding digital networking in the production sector, the industry demonstrated that it is on the pulse of time​," said Anne Schumacher, nutrition and nutrition technology vice president at Koelnmesse.

"The trade's interest has also significantly increased. The value chain is growing more closely together as a result. The interplay between the world's leading sweets trade fair ISM and ProSweets Cologne is a unique constellation and offers incomparable synergies​."

New solutions

Overall, 343 providers (up 5% compared to 2018) from 34 countries presented new solutions and further developments for recipes, production and packing of sweets and snacks..

Koelnmesse said 343 companies from 34 countries participated this year, 66% of which were from abroad. Overall, the trade fair covered a gross exhibition space of 21,000 m². These included 116 exhibitors from Germany and 227 exhibitors from abroad. Trade visitors came from over 100 countries.

The fact that ISM was held simultaneously again this year led to a beneficial environment for both the sweets industry and the suppliers with themes including innovations and future-looking solutions explored.

Feedback from ProSweets exhibitors has been excellent, said the organizers, who report that not only the contacts were high-quality, but for some contracts were signed on spot. Eight of the top 10 sweets manufacturers attended the trade fair.

The winner of this year's ISM Packaging Award powered by ProSweets Cologne at this special event was: Chocal Aluminiumverpackungen GmbH from Germany for Chocal paper packaging.

Next year’s event is scheduled to take place from February 2 to 5 2020 and will be the 50th edition of ISM, the world's largest trade fair for sweets and snacks.