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EVENTS
südback makes strong comeback südback confirms its support for in-person events as preparations are in full swing for this year’s edition, which will be held once again from October 22 to 25. The return of one of Europe’s main industry trade fairs is highly anticipated.
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While organizers and industry representatives agree on the value of digital tools in an industry burdened by staff shortages, the in-person meetings traditionally held in Stuttgart for südback cannot be replaced. The upcoming event is anticipated to mark the restart of industry events after a two-year pause. For the first time, a gelato area powered by GELATISSIMO will be held, focusing on artisan ice cream. Relevant materials and technology will be presented in October; the Grand Prix GELATISSIMO competition will also debut. The Trend Award also returns, with 60 submissions this year. The rules for this competition have been slightly adapted, to include innovations launched during the pandemic, to give them exposure. While the rule initially asked for submissions to be for products not older than one year, all products launched after January 2021 can participate. The jury meeting took place in July 2022, and the official award ceremony will be held at südback. The Carlo Wildt Cup will also be presented at südback – the apprentice competition for trainee confectioners. Stefan Körber, Managing Director of the Baden-Württemberg, Hessen and Southwest German Regional Associations of Bakers' Guilds, provided an overview of the industry at the press conference held in July: “südback was established in 1978 to create a trade fair for craft bakeries where they could obtain information about new machines, tools, raw materials, services and trends in their industry. Futureoriented technical programs and technical talks have
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always been associated with these trade fairs and still are today. For the last two years, the bakery trade at home and abroad has been unable to meet at a national industry trade fair. It was shown during this period that a great deal is possible both digitally and virtually. However, it was also clearly revealed that many people regard real encounters and personal communication as irreplaceable. We are therefore delighted that the 29th südback will open its doors in October 2022.” Current challenges were analyzed during the press event, particularly those related to the lack of new skilled workers to join the industry, competition, and supply chain issues. Klaus Vollmer, Guild Master, State Association of Guild of Baden-Württemberg Confectioners also brought good news from his field – there is an increase of women joining the sector: 40% of the new Masters are women. Looking into trends, the preference for vegan and regional products is on the rise, Körber stated. He does not anticipate flour supply issues for Germany if there is a good harvest. Analyzing the current volatile market environment, he sees information as critical – regarding changing developments as well as innovations and trends. “By visiting südback, companies in the bakery trade acquire up-to-date information firsthand that they can use to optimize and increase the quality and efficiency of their daily work,” he said. The exhibits in the five exhibition halls reflect industry
