On Wednesday, February 6, 2022, it was once again time for a long time, the FRUIT-LOGISTICA had opened its doors the day before and I had the time to drop by – even if only briefly. Noticeably more streamlined than in 2018, it was clearly to note that many exhibitors of recent years had not yet taken the courage to be on site.

Thus, there were generous open spaces in many of the exhibition halls and everything seemed much airier than before. Also, fewer parts of the buildings were involved this time – so strolling through the different halls was naturally more relaxed, even if a bit misleading in parts.

Especially in the staircases near halls 6 and 7, many visitors were in scavenger hunt mode – apparently this time the signage and perhaps several switched off escalators – had their share in a certain disorientation. I think it would be a good idea if Messe-Berlin would decide to place more experienced guides here, who could save you the back & forth in case of doubt – as seen at BIOFACH 2020, for example.

The presentation of this year’s Innovation Award participants took place in a different place this time, namely in Hall 20. In recent years, the area in front of Hall 21 had been used for this purpose, but this seemed unfavourable, especially due to the always poor acoustics there and proximity to the catering trade. This time, visitors were able to devote themselves to the innovators’ presentations in a much more relaxed manner.

Once again tomatoes were present – one increasingly gets the impression that in times when people tend to eat less meat, the tomato with its umami taste seems to take over.

In addition, some competitors had dedicated themselves to the colouring of salads & cabbage, because as we know “a feast for the eyes” is always an issue. So, it seems that the desire to change shape, colour and taste has not really been slowed down by the pandemic situation.

There was also a lot of activity this year in the “machine halls”, i.e., where sowing, harvesting, sorting and packaging take place. Many trade visitors marvelled at the latest innovations in the industry. The possibilities of being able to take into account not only size and condition but also characteristics such as density and sweetness during grading are remarkable.

Thus, the industry is also increasingly dedicated to the topic of sustainability, with the TOMRA company leading the proverbial way here for me. The smart slogan “Every Resource Counts” is not just lip service here, but a lived approach in the planning & development of new machines.

So, this year I also took the time to ask TOMRA a few more questions in the form of an interview.

I am already looking forward to FRUIT LOGISTICA 2023, which I hope will be back in full glory. Let’s see if there will be a new tomato to admire at the Innovation Award – until then, we’ll wait and see