ISM 2008: a highly effective business platform

Cologne. (km) During the four days of the trade fair, confectionery products and snack items were the focus of interest of the around 34.000 buyers from 143 countries who came to Cologne for the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) from 27th to 30th January. A total of 1.675 suppliers from 70 countries presented a comprehensive spectrum of products – from chocolate and sugar confectionery to sweet baked goods and hearty snack items. In all, 63 percent of the visitors came from abroad, as did 81 percent of the exhibiting companies. The consensus among suppliers was that they engaged in intensive discussions and negotiations with trade visitors who were well-informed and influential decision-makers. In addition to the decision-makers from German trading companies and the new channels, the top buyers, importers and distributors of confectionery products also journeyed to Cologne for the fair. That explains the optimistic expectations for the post-fair business in Germany and abroad – despite rising costs of raw ingredients and materials and the resulting concerns regarding price disputes. With new products in all categories, the suppliers succeeded in generating significant momentum for the confectionery sector in 2008. «The number of visitors at the fair and their impressive credentials show that ISM plays a key role as a highly effective business platform for the international confectionery trade», confirmed Wolfgang Kranz, Executive Vice President of Koelnmesse (press release).