IBakTech 2024: Tradefair Broke Its Own Success Record

Istanbul / TR. (mstgt) One of the world’s larger fairs in the category of bakery, chocolate and ice cream technologies, IBakTech 2024 broke its own success record and hosted one of the most important meetings of the sector in the last edition held at Istanbul Expo Center between April 24 to 27.

Organized by Messe Stuttgart Ares Fuarcılık and supported by the Ministry of Trade, Kosgeb, Gidabi̇l, Ekmader, and Turkish Bakers Federation, IBakTech also hosted Thomas Lesaffre, President of Fedima – Federation of European Manufacturers and Suppliers of Ingredients to the Bakery, Confectionery and Patisseries Industries and Dominique Anract, President of the UIBC International Union of Bakers and Confectioners.

IBakTech 2024 was organized in 6 halls on an area of 30 thousand square meters. The trade fair featured 332 exhibitors and over 500 brands from Germany, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Iran, France, Italy, Lebanon, Slovenia and Ukraine, as well as Turkey. In addition, Germany participated in the fair for the fourth time with the support of the Food Products Machinery and Packaging Machinery Association affiliated to VDMA.

(Photo: Screenshot g2m foodservice at IBakTech 2024)

In terms of visitor numbers, the show once again proved that it is one of the most important commercial platforms in the sector. Over the four days, IBakTech welcomed 92,482 visitors from 118 countries, mainly from Europe, Africa, the Middle East. Bulgaria, Iraq, Iran, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Kosovo, Germany, Russia, Serbia and Macedonia were among the top 10 international visitor countries at the show, where the increase in international visitors drew attention. In addition to individual visitors, buyer delegations from 14 different countries were at the tradefair to plan their investment processes. Important steps and signatures were signed for strong collaborations.

Ufuk Altıntop, General Manager of Messe Stuttgart Ares Fuarcılık, emphasised the importance of IBakTech in the sector: «IBakTech broke its own record this year, reaching 92,482 visitors. The number of international visitors increased by 46 percent to 10,566. We are also very pleased to have exceeded our previously announced export target of EUR 4 billion. IBakTech not only offered its exhibitors the opportunity to reach new markets, but also once again proved its importance as an international business platform in the investment decisions of industry professionals.»

The success of the show was reflected in the satisfaction of both exhibitors and visitors. Almost all visitors (99 percent) said that the show had met their expectations and that they would attend the next IBakTech (97 percent). 59 percent gave IBakTech the highest rating of «very good». 90 percent of visitors confirmed that all relevant products and services were represented. Artisan bakeries and the baked goods industry, cafés and patisseries as well as dessert and chocolate manufacturers were among the largest visitor groups at the trade fair.

The importance of the new business leads generated by the show was also reflected in the statistics. While 71 percent of international visitors said they were attending IBakTech for the first time this year, 93 percent of international visitors said they were at the show for investment purposes. A fifth of them plan to invest more than 100,000 euros.

The show met the expectations of both visitors and exhibitors. Providing a fertile ground for strong collaborations for the benefit of the sector, 98 percent of the exhibitors at IBakTech stated that the show had met their objectives. Four-fifths of exhibitors (81 percent) rated IBakTech as «very good» or «good». 98 percent said they would recommend IBakTech to others, underlining the importance of the show to the industry. The next edition of IBakTech will take place in 2026.