Anticipation for this year’s FRUIT LOGISTICA was high – perhaps a little too high, because expectations need to be met, and this time Friday was certainly not our best choice of day to attend. But more on that later.
First, let’s talk about the many positives the trade fair naturally had to offer. To begin with, the event was not overcrowded, yet the halls were by no means empty – at least as far as visitors were concerned.
The app felt twice as reliable as last year, making it genuinely enjoyable to spontaneously identify new destinations between halls.
What stood out to us was that the wide variety of fruits and vegetables displayed at the stands – already “two trade fair days old” – appeared noticeably fresher compared to previous years.
The halls also seemed tidier overall, even if some stand numbers were missing, obscured, or arranged in ways that did not quite follow the expected pattern. The stands themselves were consistently presented with great care, yet without excessive staging.
I’m not sure whether it was intentional across the board, but the berries we tasted were all significantly more aromatic than in 2023/24. Even producers often said to focus primarily on volume had very flavorful fruit in their portfolios. Naturally, Chiquita was present again with its characteristically expansive, though from a culinary perspective rather one-dimensional, stand.
At the HLB stand, we briefly felt as if we had landed at the Thailand pavilion – with the key difference that here, free tastings for interested trade visitors and press were welcome and did not turn into a sales-driven activation as seen elsewhere.
Being able to step out of the trade fair hustle and take the time to enjoy the diverse aromas of exceptionally delicious organic papayas, mangosteen, and rambutan is always “a journey” worth taking.
In what we might call the Asia Hall, we encountered the first competitors to POOK Chips. My wife and child were particularly taken – from my personal perspective somewhat inexplicably – by the durian chips on offer. For durian enthusiasts among you, however, this may well be an interesting format.
As in the previous year, we were especially fond of the so-called SugarLoaf pineapple – this time not from Côte d’Ivoire, but from Ghana, which is also the origin of the legendary Miracle Berry (see FRUIT LOGISTICA 2024).
Pineapple qualifies as a health food: its concentration of bromelain – an enzyme that aids digestion and has anti-inflammatory properties – is significantly higher in the core than in the rest of the flesh. As an ingredient in shakes and smoothies, the core can, for example, help reduce swelling associated with osteoarthritis and counteract joint pain. Give it a try – especially if you are already seasoned “smoothie pros.”
The SugarLoaf pineapple is characterized by a very mild flavor profile. The sweetness is fully present but not undermined by aggressive acidity, making it noticeably easier to digest.
The flesh is consistently firm, almost white in color, and the fruit does not require the classic ripening phase with its typical color transition from green to yellow/orange. It is extremely juicy and, when chilled, an ideal snack between meals.
Among the exhibitors we unfortunately did not manage to meet was this year’s Innovation Award winner – and this just as I had recently immersed myself deeply in the world of citrus through pieces such as “Blood Oranges.”
That simply won’t do. Over the coming weeks, I will attempt to get in touch with ONIX to find out what exactly we missed.
Now, a few words about the circumstance mentioned at the beginning – that we only attended the fair on Friday. As a rule, we try to visit at the opening, or at least during the multi-day run of FRUIT LOGISTICA in Berlin. This time, unfortunately, it was the final day.
Generally speaking, arriving early on the last day has not been an issue in previous years. However, we observed that this year a considerable number of exhibitors had already dismantled their stands and, in many cases, left the trade fair grounds by late morning. As a result, we were occasionally unable to find the relevant contacts.
We sincerely hope this does not become a trend, as a Friday closing might otherwise offer exhibitors a far more relaxed conclusion – after all, Berlin remains an attractive weekend destination.
So much for some of our stops at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2025 in Berlin.
Following your positive feedback on our use of AI for analyzing industry trends and researching data and facts in our FRUIT LOGISTICA 2024 coverage, we have decided to maintain this format.
Accordingly, as in 2024, we will now take a closer look at the topics and figures that shaped FRUIT LOGISTICA 2025.
Global Marketplace, Innovation Engine and Strategic Pace-Setter of the Fresh Produce Industry
From 5 to 7 February 2025, the Berlin exhibition grounds once again became the global hub of the fruit and vegetable sector. Under the guiding theme Innovation, Connectivity and Sustainable Growth, Fruit Logistica 2025 reaffirmed its position as the world’s leading trade fair for the fresh produce industry. Across the entire value chain – from growers and packers to logistics providers and retail decision-makers – international stakeholders gathered to conclude business deals, present technological solutions and strengthen strategic partnerships.
Global Benchmark Figures 2025 – Reach, Quality and International Scope
The 2025 edition demonstrated its economic relevance through impressive metrics:
- Total attendance: More than 91,000 trade visitors from the global fruit and vegetable sector.
- Qualified buyers: Around 67,500 decision-makers with direct procurement responsibility.
- Exhibitors: Over 2,600 companies from more than 90 countries.
- International diversity: Visitors from over 150 nations.
- Satisfaction rate: Well above 90% overall positive evaluation according to official organiser surveys.
These figures highlight not only quantitative scale but also the high quality of the visitor structure. Three out of four trade visitors are directly involved in purchasing or sourcing decisions, confirming the event’s operational business character.
Messe Berlin as an International Industry Platform
Messe Berlin is one of Europe’s most established trade fair venues, hosting leading international industry events for over 200 years. Fruit Logistica plays a pivotal role by integrating the global fresh produce economy into a single platform – from agricultural production and technological innovation to international trade flows.
Modern exhibition halls, conference facilities, themed areas and dedicated networking zones provide the structural framework for efficient business development and innovation showcase.
Key Highlights and Thematic Focus 2025
Expert Forums and Trend Topics
Fruit Logistica 2025 was characterised by strong thematic diversity. In addition to product presentations, strategic future topics dominated the programme:
- Sustainable agriculture and innovative packaging solutions
- Digitalisation and automation in logistics chains
- New market access strategies and international trade development
- Technologies for efficiency and quality enhancement
The Startup World once again provided a dedicated innovation space for emerging companies presenting robotics, sensor technologies, data-driven analytics and intelligent systems for the fresh produce sector.
Innovation Award 2025 – Competitive Platform for Future Solutions
The Fruit Logistica Innovation Award (FLIA) is widely regarded as a benchmark for substantial industry innovation. Entries are assessed based on innovation level, sustainability, market relevance and value chain impact.
FLIA 2025 – “Fresh Produce” Finalists
- “ALDIna”, Frutania GmbH, Germany
- “Halloweena™”, Genesis Fresh S.L., Spain
- “ONIX™”, AMFRESH Group S.L., Spain
- “Organic Raingrown Avocado”, Eosta B.V., Netherlands
- “Samantha — savoy pointed headed cabbage”, Bejo Zaden B.V., Netherlands
FLIA Technology 2025 – Finalists
- ABZ Innovation Lidar based sensing system for a spraying drone, ABZ Innovation Kft., Hungary
- CATsystem®, Productos Citrosol S.A., Spain
- Croptimus™, Fermata Technology Limited, Israel
- FarmRoad Irrigation Module, WayBeyond, New Zealand
- RYPEN Case liner, It’s Fresh, United Kingdom
Winners 2025
In the main category, ONIX™ by AMFRESH Group S.L. received the award, impressing trade visitors with its sensory differentiation and market potential.
In the Technology category, Croptimus™ by Fermata Technology prevailed. The AI-driven image analysis platform optimises harvesting and sorting processes, contributing to measurable efficiency gains across the supply chain.
The strong international participation in the award underlines the high level of innovation pressure in the global fresh produce sector – from advanced sensing technologies to sustainable product concepts.
Networking and Concrete Business Development
Beyond innovation, Fruit Logistica remains a global business marketplace. More than 80% of trade visitors established new business contacts, and over one third concluded initial agreements directly during the event.
For example, UK exhibitor RYPEN reported strong market feedback and growing international demand following its finalist nomination.
Strategic Outlook Toward 2026
Fruit Logistica 2025 once again confirmed its function as a global pace-setter. It integrates production, technology, logistics and trade within a unified innovation ecosystem.
With the next edition scheduled for February 2026, exhibitor registration has already commenced. Messe Berlin plans to further strengthen digital formats, deepen sustainability integration and intensify the intersection between technology and product innovation.
For stakeholders across the global fresh produce economy, Fruit Logistica remains a strategic must-attend event – a place where markets evolve, innovation becomes visible and business is actively initiated.
Sources
- Fruit Logistica / Messe Berlin – Official Press Information 2025 (fruitlogistica.com, Press & Media)
- Fruit Logistica Factsheet 2025 – Messe Berlin
- Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2025 – Finalists and Winners
- Exhibitor Reports, including cha-hort.com (UK Exhibitor Reports)
AI-supported systems were used during the research for this article, including OpenAI ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic Claude. AI was used exclusively as an aid. The selection, evaluation, editorial classification, structuring, and formulation, as well as the review of content and compliance with journalistic due diligence and copyright requirements, were and remain the responsibility of the publisher.