A perfect atmosphere at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre: Between 12 and 14 November 2019, BrauBeviale once again became the focal point of the international beverage industry. About 40,000 trade visitors (2018: 40,882), including around 18,000 from outside Germany, travelled to the most important international capital goods exhibition for the beverage industry this year. With 1,088 exhibitors, 54 percent from outside Germany, the exhibition provided an opportunity to learn all about the beverage manufacture process chain: high-quality raw materials, innovative technologies and components, efficient and sustainable packaging, and creative marketing ideas. Once again this year, the exhibition had the key theme of “Future viability of the beverage sector”.
“As a barometer of sentiment in the sector, BrauBeviale is defying the prophecies of doom from the Council of Economic Experts,” said a pleased Andrea Kalrait, Exhibition Director BrauBeviale. “The large numbers of new contacts, both local and international, and the number of new business deals prepared and concluded, all confirm that eating and drinking are not going out of fashion.” Exhibitors, visitors and partner entities expressed complete satisfaction: for them, the exhibition is unmissable and firmly established on their calendars. The exhibition provided a platform to discuss current and key future topics and take them forward.
The highly international make-up of the exhibitors and visitors was confirmed again this year, with exhibitors representing a total of 45 countries, mainly from Germany (504), Italy, China, the UK, the Czech Republic, Austria and Belgium.
The approximately 40,000 trade visitors attended from 138 countries, with the majority, after Germany, coming from Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria, Russia, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France and Poland.
Highly qualified, satisfied trade visitors
The exhibitors were happy with the discussions at their booths, as confirmed by the results of an independent survey. About 90 percent of the trade visitors are involved in the decision-making processes in their companies. They came from various parts of the beverage industry: from breweries, malthouses, businesses engaged in the manufacture or bottling of water, soft drinks, juices and spirits, from wineries and sparkling wine factories, dairies, and from the fields of marketing, retail and catering. According to the survey, about 98 percent were happy with the products and services at the exhibition, and as many as 97 percent of visitors intend to visit BrauBeviale again next year.
Top score for supporting programme once again
The themes in the supporting programme relating to the future of the sector were well received, and without exception the exhibition visitors rated them highly. Two symposia held the day before the exhibition led the way: the Export Forum German Beverages provided an opportunity for German beverage manufacturers to share views with export specialists and obtain specific market analyses and insights. The European MicroBrew Symposium, organized by VLB (Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei), the Berlin-based teaching and training institute for brewing, is well established and was well received once again by the international craft brewers and brewpub operators.
Discussions at the BrauBeviale Forum ranged from open exchanges of opinion to highly contentious debate – not least in the two Hot Topics on Stage: the issue of “Tap Water vs. Mineral Water” and the pledge question got the participants fired up, and vigorous discussion continued outside the forum. The event was rounded out with presentations on further topics of interest to the sector and top-level award presentations.
Visitors had the opportunity to experience the variety offered by the world of beverages in the Craft Drinks Area, where eight bars once again offered independent tasting sessions covering all aspects of beer, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks. There was also strong interest in “Kaminfeuer”, a smoky Kellerbier (“cellar beer”), the winner of the second hobby brewer competition organized by Maisel & Friends and BrauBeviale.
Following a successful start last year, the “meeting place of the industry” once again offered a welcome to microbreweries and craft breweries, and home and hobby brewers, who found plenty of new inspiration and enjoyed a lively exchange in the brau@home themed pavilion and the demonstration brewing area, in addition to the interesting, focused power presentations in the Speakers’ Corner.
European Beer Star 2019: Consumers’ Favourite
Competing for the 2019 European Beer Star were 2,483 beers from 47 countries submitted in 67 categories. A 145-member international jury earlier deliberated for two days to select the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in this competition, one of the most important in the international beer industry. In addition, more than 5,000 exhibition visitors seized the opportunity on the first day of the event to play jury, picking the 2019 Consumers’ Favourite from among the gold medal winners. The gold medal went to the dark wheat bock (Weizenbock Dunkel) “Augustus 8” from Germany’s Riegele brewery. Silver was awarded to the Birra dell’Eremo brewery in Italy for its Traditional Belgian-Style Lambic, Geuze, and Fruit Geuze “Selva Sour”. And in third place was the Belgian-Style Strong Blond Ale “Averbode Abdijbier” from Belgium’s Brouwerij L Huyghe.
The list of all the winners of the 2019 European Beer Star, contact details for the breweries, photos and graphics can be found at www.european-beer-star.com
Not to be missed: BrauBeviale 2020: 10 – 12 November
Be sure to note the date for BrauBeviale 2020 in your calendar right away. We are looking forward to seeing you.