Trade shows - must the show go on?

In little more than two months SIAL will be upon us.  Second only in size to Cologne's ANUGA, this is a show we try not to miss. We have even exhibited in our time under our Vanillaworks banner.  And in truth only handful of exhibitions around the world, SIAL included, have sufficient 'critical mass' to attract the number and calibre of international producers which, in turn, ensure sufficient visitor numbers to encourage these exhibitors to book space again, . . and so it goes.  Sadly, shows such as SIAL are the exception.  In this context, the UK's two principal food and catering exhibitions, IFE and Food & Drink, are in danger of becoming largely irrelevant. Both events appear to be falling foul of a combination of 'show fatigue' - not helped by the plethora of trade shows here in Britain -  and the adoption by prospective visitors of a more European, indeed global outlook to their product sourcing. Already adversely affected by the changing trends affecting this industry, it is arguable that a number of the UK's trade show organizers have compounded the problem through their own long term complacency.  As a past exhibitor at both the aforementioned shows our overriding perception was of organizers far too interested in maximizing revenues from their exhibitors, while doing far too little to promote the event to prospective relevant visitors.    

For what it is worth, it is our opinion that the only way to create a viable UK food trade show, capable of holding its own in the future, is to amalgamate the two principal events into one exhibition staged every second year.  Ideally, this show would also incorporate what is now the Speciality Food Show, which seems to be the only one offering the visitor the chance to see something new and different, as opposed to the collection of large corporate 'shmoozing' stands which appears increasingly to be the staple of the more established UK shows. Oh, and move it away from Excel which has got to be the most appallingly designed exhibition centre since appallingly designed exhibition centres were invented.

Added on: 03/08/2010