Strategic alliance reinforces Iberian food market: Koelnmesse and IFEMA launch Anuga Select Ibérica

Madrid, 3 September 2025 - Koelnmesse, organiser of the world's biggest trade fair for food and beverages, Anuga, and IFEMA MADRID, one of the biggest exhibition centres in Europe, have formed a strategic alliance to strengthen the Spanish and entire Iberian food market. The cooperation unites the strengths of both partners and leads to the premiere of a new trade fair format: Anuga Select Ibérica, which will celebrate its first edition in Madrid from 16 to 18 February 2027. The aim is to bring together local and international industry players, boost trade and further develop Spain as an important hub of the international food industry.

Anuga Select Ibérica is the result of the integration and further development of two established trade fair formats of IFEMA MADRID:

• Meat Attraction is an international trade fair that covers the entire value chain of the meat industry, focusing on production, export and technologies.

• Under its new brand Bake & Ice Attraction, InterSICOP targets the bakery and sweets, ice cream and coffee industries, bringing together manufacturers, suppliers and experts. It presents the current market trends, machinery, ingredients and an extensive supporting programme comprising of seminars, competitions, presentations and networking opportunities.

Both formats are merging under the umbrella of the Anuga brand, the biggest international trading and market place of the global F&B industry. The new format aims to create a central industry platform in Spain, that optimally serves the constantly growing market on the Iberian Peninsula by combining local needs with international reach. In addition, the existing offer of products and services is to be extended in line with Anuga's established trade fair concept to include further segments of the food and beverage industry in order to attract new target groups.

With its focus on Spain and Portugal as key growth drivers, Anuga Select Ibérica is sending a strong signal for the region. Thanks to its geographical location, the Iberian Peninsula plays a key role in the trade between Europe, Latin America and North Africa. Anuga Select Ibérica aims to optimally exploit the potential of the Iberian market while at the same time building bridges to the Latin American export markets.

Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH, and Daniel Martínez, Executive Vice President of IFEMA MADRID, signed the agreement for this strategic partnership in Madrid on 29 July 2025.

"With Anuga Select Ibérica we are creating a strategic platform that will revitalise the food trade between Europe, Latin America and North Africa. For us Spain and Portugal are not just markets among many - they are the core of a region that sets trends worldwide. Together with IFEMA, we will bundle our international reach and local expertise to help companies from the food industry tap into this growth potential that didn't exist in this form before. This project is a clear commitment to long-term, sustainable success on the Iberian Peninsula," emphasised Gerald Böse.

Daniel Martínez said about the significance of the project: "With Anuga Select Ibérica we are making a clear statement to the food industry in Spain. By bring together two established trade fair formats under the renowned umbrella of Anuga, we want to promote sustainable growth, attract more international exhibitors and visitors and strengthen Madrid's role in the food industry. This sector is one of the most important driving forces for the trade fairs of IFEMA MADRID, which has many years of experience in organising Meat Attraction and InterSICOP as well as Fruit Attraction, one of the most important global trade fairs for the agricultural and food sector."

With Anuga Select Ibérica Koelnmesse and IFEMA MADRID are sending out a strong signal for the future of the food industry in Spain and Portugal: regionally rooted, internationally networked and future-oriented.

Caption: Contract signing in Madrid on 29 July 2025. Daniel Martínez, Executive Vice President of IFEMA MADRID, (left) and Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH, (right)

Further Details: www.anuga-iberica.com

Koelnmesse – worldwide trade fairs for the food industry and food production:

Koelnmesse is an international leader in organizing global trade fairs for the food and beverage industry as well as for food production. With events such as Anuga, Anuga FoodTec, ISM, and ProSweets Cologne, Koelnmesse covers a wide spectrum – from ingredients to production, packaging, finished products, and the latest technologies and innovations. These globally renowned trade fairs, held in Cologne, Germany, set benchmarks in their respective sectors. In addition, Koelnmesse organizes numerous industry-specific trade fairs in key markets worldwide, including Brazil, China, India, Italy, Japan, Colombia, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. Through these global activities, Koelnmesse offers its clients tailored events and leading regional trade fairs across various markets, providing a foundation for sustainable international business. Koelnmesse is thus ideally positioned to drive innovation and development in both the food industry and food production.

Further information: https://www.anuga.com/trade-fair/anuga/industry-sectors

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