SÜFFA 2023: 100 percent awesome
After three exciting, inspiring and, above all, successful trade fair days, the 26th SÜFFA in Stuttgart closed its doors today with a positive overall result: "We managed to optimise a tried and tested concept once more", said Stefan Lohnert, President of Messe Stuttgart. "Feedback from all sectors clearly showed us once again that SÜFFA is more than just a marketplace and a product show for the meat industry. It is an important future platform where not only the entire range of the butcher's trade is represented, but challenges are analysed and potential solutions are shown".
7,543 trade visitors came to the Stuttgart Trade Fair Center from 21 to 23 October to find out about current trends and the latest market developments from the 209 exhibitors. The trade visitors, 85 percent of whom were decision-makers, sounded out new business ideas and planned upcoming investments during discussions with colleagues and experts from the meat industry. This proved that the appeal of SÜFFA now extends far beyond the borders of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More than half of the visitors travelled a distance of over 100 kilometres. This year's edition of the popular trade fair welcomed guests from more than 50 countries, including several international delegations and teams. Indian, Polish and Austrian trainees competed, for example, with colleagues from Germany in the junior competition and demonstrated their skills.
"Positive mood" and broad interest
All in all, there was "an absolutely positive atmosphere", enthused Joachim Lederer, Master of the Baden-Württemberg Regional Association of Butchers’ Guilds. "Thanks to the wide range and high quality of the products and services on offer, SÜFFA was able to reaffirm its importance as a top address for the meat industry. You felt that there was a good investment climate in general. Especially now, it is important to make the right decisions because courageous solutions often hold great opportunities. Anyone who understood this came to SÜFFA. It was a fantastic trade fair with first-class visitors!"
In addition to raw materials, machines, digital technology and services, the wide-ranging interests of the trade visitors focused on future issues such as raw material security, 24/7 sales or vegetarian options. Current special topics such as delicatessen or game and hunting were presented in a vivid way. They formed attractive focal points of the well-attended trade fair. The BBQ area took account of the continuing BBQ trend with the BBQ shows which acted as a magnet for visitors. With the special sections "The Wishing Table 2.0" and "Buffet Reloaded", which were developed in cooperation with the Intergastra team and the IKA/Culinary Olympics, SÜFFA once again looked outside the box in order to present new requirements and interdisciplinary overlaps in a contemporary way. This was expressly welcomed by the visitors. There was plenty to look at again in the transparent sausage kitchen where a vegan product was also made for the first time.
"SÜFFA perennial favourites" and new formats
The extensive accompanying programme included a large number of information events and panel discussions. The core of the event was once again the stage for trends and innovations with first-class talks and discussions which were gladly embraced by an inquisitive audience. Other SÜFFA classics such as the eagerly awaited SÜFFA competitions or the Day of Women in Butchery were just as well received as new programme elements - primarily the networking meeting on Saturday and Sunday, which celebrated its première at this year's SÜFFA. "The great response shows us that we are still on the right track with this trade fair", concluded Stefan Lohnert.
Specific inquiries, good contacts and satisfied exhibitors
The exhibitors' verdict was similarly positive: "SÜFFA exceeded our expectations", said Steffen Cyris, Managing Director of Schrutka-Peukert GmbH, and confirmed: "We were literally overrun by good trade visitors. The hard times after the energy crisis are definitely over - the mood is noticeably better again and we received some specific inquiries". This was also underlined by Thomas Pfeiffer, Area Sales Manager Retail South of BIZERBA SE & Co. KG, who also praised the high expertise of the visitors: "Overall, there was a superb atmosphere at SÜFFA! We met interested trade visitors from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, who showed great interest in innovations and new products". Martin Fuchs, Sales Manager South at Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik, noted a continuing willingness to invest within the industry: "Due to the forced break caused by the corona pandemic, visitors obviously had SÜFFA withdrawal symptoms - there was a great deal going on. We met the right customers here, are totally satisfied and will definitely come back to the next SÜFFA!" Andreas Seydelmann, Managing Partner of Maschinenfabrik Seydelmann KG, added: "As a Stuttgart-based company, SÜFFA is a home game for us and is regarded as one of the most important trade fairs for the meat industry. In addition to the contacts and discussions with existing, long-standing customers, we welcomed new contacts on our stand from Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, France and South Tyrol, but also from Spain and Poland. The three days of the trade fair were a complete success for us and we are already looking forward to the sequel in 2024".
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