The 25th edition of the Iba, which was scheduled for October in Munich, has been postponed. The organizer of the event, GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH, made this decision based on the uncertainty of the fair being able to maintain its international character (a decisive success factor for the event) as a result of the Corona Virus.
The next trade fair is set to take place in Munich from October 22nd – October 26th, 2023. Due to the unpredictable development of the pandemic with continuing global travel restrictions, as well as a busy international trade fair schedule for the coming year, a staging of iba in 2022 was not advisable.
Despite the postponement of the live trade fair, the organisers and German Confederation of Bakers wish to bring the industry together virtually for the second time from October 25th – October 28th via iba.CONNECTING EXPERTS. This follows the success of iba.CONNECTING EXPERTS’ launch in February this year, which proved successful in facilitating commercial opportunities at a global level.
As the representative of the entire community of exhibitors, the Advisory Board explicitly welcomes the decision to postpone the live event, even though it has been a difficult one to make. Dr Krüger, Chairman of the iba Advisory Board, said: “We fully support this early, well-considered decision even though we very much regret that the industry will not be able to meet live at iba 2021 as planned this year.”
Michael Wippler, President of the German Bakers’ Confederation added: “It is very regrettable that iba, as we love and know it, cannot take place this autumn. There is no substitute for being able to attend trade fairs in person and we all long for a face-to-face get-together, especially since there is a great need for exchange and an industry get-together. As bakers, we are optimists by nature and we are already looking forward to catching up with each other in person at the iba 2023!”
Dieter Dohr, Chairman of the Board of Management of GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH explains: ‘We are sensing growing uncertainty in the industry over the question of whether to hold the trade fair in the autumn of 2021. We take our customers’ concerns very seriously, especially when it comes to their need to plan ahead. The continuing lack of a global opening perspective and the travel restrictions that will remain in place leave us no other option but to postpone iba 2021. The goal is to be able to present iba 2023 in its usual dimension with the same strength and quality. We are aware of our responsibility as a leading trade fair and, with today’s decision, we are ensuring that the industry will be able to plan both at an early stage and in the long term.”
Here at Vanrooy we are hoping to host some of our own live events later this year, provided that we continue to remain Covid-safe. At the very least, we look forward to seeing everyone at Fine Foods in September.
