The preparations for iba 2021 are underway and there are plenty of novelties: The next iba trade fair will take place over 5 days from October 24-28, 2021, in its usual venue at Fairground Munich. "The results from the exhibitor and visitor surveys conducted during the trade fair showed that the majority of people wanted iba to be held over five days instead of six days as before," says Dieter Dohr, CEO of GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH, which organizes the iba trade fair on behalf of the German Bakers' Federation.

German Bakers' Federation and GHM lay the foundations for the future

"Our goal is to further develop iba to meet the needs of the market and in doing so make it the perfect platform for global exchange, the stage for product premieres, and the trade fair where innovations can be experienced live," Dohr continues. "The idea of reducing the length of the trade fair came up in many conversations with market players and was highlighted in discussions and surveys," adds Michael Wippler, president of the German Bakers' Federation. "By changing the duration of the exhibition, we are adapting to the needs of the industry, which today demands an efficient and compact trade fair program."

Higher efficiency with digital iba tools

With its new duration, iba is mirroring the trend in the entire trade fair industry. As travel budgets become tighter and tighter, digital tools such as the iba marketplace on the website offer a wide range of options to prepare for the trade fair and at the same time increase the efficiency of the actual visit to the trade fair. Regardless of the change in times, visitors in Munich can always rely on the comprehensive offering and uniqueness of iba. "Here, visitors can experience the entire process chain live, see machines for all production steps and company sizes in action and, of course, test the products themselves," emphasises iba project manager Cathleen Kabashi.

A packed program on all five days of iba

As for the international competitions and speaker program, for example the iba forum, visitors can look forward to numerous highlights on every single day of iba 2021. By expanding the competition area—in 2021 there will be an additional transparent exhibit bakery—visitors will be able to watch first hand as the best bakers and confectioners from all over the world compete against one another in highly acclaimed competitions like the "iba-UIBC Cup of bakers."

FKM certifies the final figures for iba 2018

Now officially audited and certified by the FKM Association for the Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics (Gesellschaft zur Freiwilligen Kontrolle von Messe- und Ausstellungszahlen (FKM)), the final figures from iba 2018 are that 77,020 visitors to the 132,000 square meter exhibition area discovered the latest developments in the industry from 1,358 exhibitors representing 57 countries. "For years now, GHM has had its figures audited and certified independently after the trade fair," explains Dohr. "That is because iba wants to provide exhibitors and trade fair visitors with reliable data, as opposed to other trade fairs in the industry, both in Germany and abroad."

Records provide motivation for the future

And so it becomes clear: the last iba set new records. The number of exhibiting companies (1,358) has never been so high, and never have guests from so many countries (173) come to Munich to attend the industry's most important international event. "We are very pleased with the result", says Dohr. "At the same time, it's an incentive for us to make the next iba even better. Not just to set new records, but to continue offering all market players the best platform in the world."

Further information about iba is available at www.iba.de/en.