ISM 2009 Review
ISM 2009 generated positive signals across the board for the coming business year. In spite of the financial crisis and negative economic forecasts, the confectionery sector has generated powerful momentum at the beginning of the year through new products and innovative marketing strategies. 1593 exhibitors from 65 countries used almost 110.000 square metres of space during the International Sweets and Buiscuits Fair,(ISM) in Cologne, Germany (1-4 February 2009), to present the latest trends in the confectionery industry. According to the organisers, approximately 32.500 guests associated with the confectionery industry from 150 countries visited the ISM trade fair. 62% of the visitors came to Cologne from abroad. 47 Polish companies were also present at ISM and actively promoted their home products. As usual, we accompanied them during this event.
During our presence at the trade fair, we visited many exhibition stalls of Polish manufacturers, but we also had the pleasure of hosting representatives of native companies at our stall.
Walking around the exhibition halls, we noticed a huge interest in Polish products. Polish stalls were crowded practically constantly by foreign guests. At the stall of the company Solidarność [Solidarity], it was impossible to talk peacefully with the representatives of that company, because queues of people were forming to meet with the tradesmen. Despite the fact, that Solidarność prepared a very big and elegantly arranged exhibition stall, the traffic was unbelievable. It could be seen from the nationalities of the guests, that the products of Solidarność attracted contractors from practically all over the world.
There was a similar situation at the stall of the company Mieszko, which was also presented in a very interesting way, emphasising the high quality of the brand. At the stall of this company, for a moment, we were able to “catch” the President - Marek Moczulski, who summed up the fair especially of the readers of Food from Poland, saying: “ISM Trade Fair is an event, which is above all, of a social character, and not commerce. It happens very rarely here, that trade contracts are signed, but they constitute a very good platform for meeting with recipients and suppliers from all over the world. This year, there are significantly fewer exhibitors than there were in previous years; I have also noticed the absence of very big and important international concerns. A smaller number of visitors is also visible. It is very puzzling. In our case, already before the fair we had meetings scheduled, which took place at ISM; here we also established over a dozen very interesting contacts, which we hope will develop to be concrete order in the future. It is a good sign, that despite the insecure situation in the world, even a crisis, were are still able to conquer new markets for our products”.
We took further steps to the stall of Terravita. Big area and chocolate colours attracted already from afar. We also met Paweł Brzeziński there – the Marketing Manager of the company, who, among other things, said that “this trade fair event is a fantastic forum, on which sweets are presented, but also is a mine of ideas and inspiration. Terravita, as a significant Polish manufacturer of chocolate products, has its exhibition at ISM for the seventh time; before that we visited Cologne observing the trends on the European and world sweet market. The primary aim of our presence is of course the presentation of our standard offer, therefore, Terravita chocolate bars, Cocoacara and Alpinella, as well as occasional offers. Participation in ISM is also meeting with regular recipients, strengthening good relations and establishing many interesting business contacts. Although this year we have established a lot, and our offer was interesting to others, I have to say, that in the few years that I have been representing Terravita at trade fairs, I have noticed that in previous years there were significantly more people”.
Next, we had a meeting at the Wawel stall, where Marcin Madeja, Vice-Director of Export said, “We take part in ISM every year. According to us, it the only “must-be-event” in this line of trade; remaining trade fair events are only optional. Here, we have presented a new sugar-free chocolate bar (filled chocolate), as well as a refreshed line of chocolates from the premium line. Another product has also been received very well: Truffle in chocolate, which is just entering our offer. From the technological point of view, it is the best quality of truffle currently produced in Poland. We are hoping that the very positive reactions of our trade fair guests will soon translate into sales results of this product. I estimate that this year’s fair was definitely “slower” than last year’s. We have noted about 1/3 fewer visitors. However, all the meetings with contractors planned before the fair – and there were significantly more than a year ago – came off, and we are very pleased with their effects. Generally, this year, we are not aggressively set out to conquer new markets; we will concentrate more on developing our presence on markets on which we already function, especially including our neighbouring countries”.
A stall full of crackers, this is the representation of the company Rarytas, the largest Polish manufacturer of these articles. Here, it was also busy, but after some time we were able to talk to Tomasz Sinkiewicz, General Director, for a moment. In reply to summing up the fair, he said: “We take part in international trade fairs twice, three times a year. This is our sixth time at ISM. We have presented three new assortments at our stall and a few packaging forms of the products, which we have not used until now. We are pleased, because we have already received a few inquiries about the presented novelties in Cologne. When it comes to our expectations, we are hoping to begin cooperation with a few new foreign contractors. However, I think that it is still too early to talk about specific effects. At the moment, we are pleased with meeting our hitherto contractors, however, in terms of talks begun with potential contractors, the effects should be visible in the next few weeks. When it comes to the fair itself, then this year, there were significantly fewer visitors, but the inquiries as to the products were more specific. I think that the number of exhibitors has also decreased. According to us, it is unfavourable to spread Polish stall out in different parts of the exhibition hall, which we were able to observe at this year’s fair. We think that creating one Polish zone would significantly improve the general perception of our country’s products”.
The company Vobro – manufacturer of superb chocolate products, was our next meeting aim. The great interest in their offer and constant meeting caused, that despite the fact, that the Vobro stall neighboured our editorial stall, Grzegorz Kaleciński – Sales Director, could dedicate some time for us only on the last day of the fair. In summing up the fair, he said: “This was our sixth time at ISM and of course we’ll be here next year. We are very pleased with the current edition of the fair, because we have achieved our aims. At the moment, our company does not feel the so-called global crisis, and the achieved results are the best example. When it comes to the presented offer here, we try to prepare new attractive products for clients and layouts for each edition of the Cologne fair. That’s what we did this year too; we prepared a few new propositions, both standard, as well as occasional”.
In the course of the Cologne fair we visited all Polish and many foreign exhibition stalls. We became acquainted with the presented products, talked about trends on the sweets market, and the influence of the world crisis. Manufacturers are aware, that the financial crisis can have its effect also on their sales results, but they try to look towards the future with optimism. Their presence at ISM, continual expansion of their offer, as well as ensuring their participation at the next event, confirm this optimism.
The next – 40th edition of ISM in Cologne – is next year, from 31 January to 03 March.
See you at the fair.