Venture Formed to Launch Produce Show in Thailand

Messe Berlin has set up a subsidiary called Global Produce Events to organize its new Asian tradeshow for the international fruit and vegetable industry.

Designed to be an annual three-day trade fair and conference, Asia Fruit Logistica is planned to debut Sept. 5–7, 2007, in the Queen Sirikit Natl. Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand.

The new company is a joint venture between majority shareholder Messe Berlin and London-based media company Fruitnet. Gerald Lamusse is managing director of the new company, but will also continue as project manager of Fruit Logistica in Berlin.

According to Lamusse, the new show is the first event for the Asian region to focus exclusively on fresh produce marketing and its related value chain.

"We are confident that this show, which is combining forces with the Asiafruit Congress, the leading fresh produce congress in Asia, will prove a unique and very valuable platform for the fruit and vegetable trade in Asia by bringing together both buyers and sellers in what is a dynamic, rapidly changing and growing market," he said.

Lamusse expects 2,500 top-level fresh produce professionals from more than 50 countries, and 150 exhibitors from more than 25 countries to participate in the inaugural event.

Thailand is a significant Asian producer and exporter of fresh produce, as well as an important regional consumer market, Lamusse noted. That and Bangkok's importance as a regional hub were "just some of the reasons for selecting this city as the location for the inaugural event," he added.