Alimentaria trade fair congregates 140,000 visitors and 3,800 agri-food companies in Barcelona

Barcelona (ACN).- More than 300 innovations from the agri-food industry are presented between the 31^st of March and the 3^rd of April in Alimentaria, one of the main trade fairs for this sector in Europe. The 20^th edition of Alimentaria, which takes place in the Catalan capital every two years, focuses on innovation, restaurants and internationalisation. In fact, 40,000 visitors, 30% of the total 140,000 visitors, are foreigners. The President of the event, Josep Lluís Bonet, particularly highlighted "the obsession" with internationalising the trade fair and therefore the sector, in order to win new markets. The Spanish agri-food sector exported goods worth €36 billion in 2013, mostly to EU countries, but emergent markets are increasing their share. In addition, as explained by the Director General of Alimentaria, Antoni Valls, this year the organisers have managed to assemble 600 of the world's main international buyers, which is double the number at the previous fair in 2012. These top buyers have already arrived for 8,000 pre-scheduled business meetings with the 3,800 exhibiting companies at the fair, which occupies 94,500 square metres of Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue. Alimentaria was officially unveiled on Monday by the Crown Prince of Spain, Felipe, as well as by the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, and the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Miguel Arias Cañete.

This year's Alimentaria is showcasing more than 300 new products. The trade fair occupies the entire Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue, in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, located between Barcelona's downtown and El Prat Airport. The event is divided into 12 different sectors for different types of products, such as meat, wine, olive oil, dairy, frozen food, fish, etc. In addition it has an international pavilion and another one showcasing products from the 17 Spanish Autonomous Communities. Intercarn (for meat), Intervin (for wine) and Olivaria (for olive oil) are the event's main sub-fairs. Furthermore, the Catalan Government has organised its own stand, facilitating the presence of 162 small and medium size Catalan companies at the fair.

Among some Alimentaria's novelties there is a Mediterranean yogurt made out of olive oil. There is also pasta with proteins, the world's first beer made out of sea water or a Cocoa milk shake with 0% fat and sugar, the first one in the Spanish market. This product has been presented by Catalan company Cacaolat, which explains that the product comes after 8 months of research and development. "We have kept all the pleasure and taste but adjusting it to the consumer's new needs", stated Maria José Torres from the Greater Barcelona-based company.

Ferran Adrià presents his Bullipedia

Regarding the gastronomic aspect, the trade fair will offer showcases of top chefs, who between them boast a sum of 50 Michelin stars. One of these chefs is Catalan Joan Roca, whose restaurant in Girona El Celler de Can Roca was named the world's best restaurant in 2013 by the prestigious UK magazine ‘Restaurant’. Furthermore, Catalan chef Ferran Adrià, considered the world's best chef on 5 occasions and the person who revolutionised cuisine, also presented his new encyclopaedic project: the Bullipedia Lab, named after his former restaurant el Bulli. This encyclopaedia aims to become a world digital archive "to structure cuisine's DNA" and an innovation and pedagogical tool, using "cooking as a language" but reflecting on how human-powered search engines should be structured, he explained.