FRUIT LOGISTICA, the leading global fruit and vegetable exhibition and the heartbeat of the global fresh produce business, returns to Berlin for another record-breaking edition. From February 7 to 9, 2024, buyers and professional visitors from more than 140 countries will meet, in the 26 pavilions of the fair, with more than 2,770 exhibitors from 94 countries from all continents, compared to 2,610 exhibitors in 2023 .

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2024 will be held in Berlin from tomorrow until Friday.

This includes a further increase in the number of Italian exhibitors and another strong high-level Spanish participation. Of the 47 countries that reserved the most space at this year's fair, China has grown the most, occupying almost three times more exhibition space than last year and surpassing what it had before the pandemic.

There has also been strong interest from the Middle East and North Africa, as well as a ten percent annual increase in the number of exhibitors for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Ecological Route, increasing the number to 211 participants.

“Nowhere else in the world can you really feel the pulse of the industry like here in Berlin,” says Kai Mangelberger, Director of FRUIT LOGISTICA. “The fresh produce business is facing numerous challenges in terms of disruptions and cost increases that are now jeopardizing its profitability. In times like these, companies need more partners than ever before. And for this reason they turn to FRUIT LOGISTICA.”, said Kai Mangelberger, Director of FRUIT LOGISTICA

FRUIT LOGISTICA maintains its position as a center of innovation for fresh products, with a complete program of events spread over six stages. For the first time this year, a new stage of Farming Forward will present innovative events with international and renowned partners, such as CEA Alliance and Wageningen University & Research, on the topics of smart agriculture, advanced greenhouse technology and controlled environment agriculture (CEA, for its acronym in English). All of this is accompanied by a program full of talks, interviews and debates that covers all the content stages of the event: Fresh Produce Forum, Future Lab, Logistics Hub, Tech Stage and Friday's Startup Stage.

FRUIT LOGISTICA's innovation award, the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA), has also been expanded for the first time with a FLIA technology prize, the FLIA Technology Prize. These two industry-leading global awards will be awarded in special exhibition areas, located between Halls 20/21 and Halls 1.1/2.1.

Professional visitors to FRUIT LOGISTICA 2024 will be able to benefit from expanded services and even greater networking opportunities. For example, they can upgrade to the Gold option, which grants them access to a special lounge and other amenities. Or they can take advantage of the popular Welcome Coffee each morning, or the After Work wind-down event, newly introduced this year. In addition, the event's traditional welcome party has been moved for the first time outside the fairgrounds, to the Metropol Theater.

“We want everyone who attends to really feel 'the heartbeat of the fresh produce business,'” adds Mangelberger. “Here in Berlin you will find the best of the global fresh produce trade. You will acquire the best ideas, learn about the best innovations and benefit from the best networking opportunities.”

In addition to its annual European Statistics Handbook, the essential guide to production and trade in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector in Europe, FRUIT LOGISTICA has also published its latest annual trend report, Trend Report, under the title Arrested development– As towers topple and investor interest cools, what is the future for vertical farming? (Brake development: When the towers come down and investor interest cools, what is the future of vertical farming?)

Produced by Fruitnet, the report delves into the world of vertical farming and controlled environment farming. Previously heralded as the future of fresh fruit and vegetable production in an increasingly urban world, recent failures in vertical farming have raised questions about its future.