drinktec 2017

11-15 September 2017, Munich, Germany

For the world’s biggest international beverage and liquid foods industry summit, Messe München is getting ready to welcome the largest number of exhibitors yet in its 60 year history (over 70,000 registered exhibitors. The merger with SIMEI, a “show within the show” dedicated to wine and bottling technologies, has proven strategic. With it, the total surface area of drinktec will surpass 150,000 square meters.

From family concerns to global giants, drinktec 2017 is getting ready to host the leaders of the beverage & liquid food sectors: approximately 1,600 exhibitor concerns, representing the entire supply chain (from manufacturing to filling and from packaging to marketing for all types of beverages and liquid foods, as well as raw materials, ingredients and logistical solutions).
The fair thus offers a single, large-scale integrated show for all sectors that make up the industry: in addition to beverage industry operators specializing in fruit juices, beer and mineral water, there will also be wineries and winemakers, producers of spirits and dairy products, as well as beverage retailers and resellers.
Alongside the selected themes of the 2017 edition, which will serve as threads connecting all the pavilions and exhibition areas (energy and resource efficiency, water and energy management, product health & safety, process optimization/flexibility), there will also be an extensive program of special side events to consolidate sector knowledge: the Special Area New Beverage Concepts (dedicated to producers of sweeteners, coloring, flavor enhancers, fortifiers and additives), the Innovation Flow Lounge, drinktec-Forum, place2beer, as well as contests and prizes.
 
SIMEI@drinktec
In accordance with an agreement signed with München Messe, drinktec 2017 will for the first time host SIMEI, the international showcase of wine and bottling machinery organized by the Italian Wines Union (UIV).
The SIMEI@drinktec area, which will occupy pavilions C2 and C3, covering a surface area of 20,000 sq.m., will host major sector producers offering a complete review of machines and equipment for the production, processing, bottling and packaging of wine.
And so is born a unique international platform for the wine industry, a classic win-win for all operators. SIMEI exhibitors will be able to take a peek “over the hedge” to discover the latest creations and offers of other beverage sectors, from beer to spirits, and take the opportunity to present themselves before an international public hailing from 180 countries in order to reach cross-sector buyers.
What’s more, for drinktec the integration of SIMEI is a strategic move in response to a growing number of wine, sparkling wine and spirits sector visitors in recent years. In 2013, these visitors represented 16% of the total, with over 10,000 operators in attendance (that’s +83% over the 2009 edition).
In support of the merger, the organizers are offering a variety of collateral initiatives: the SIMEI Knowledge & Innovation Area and the SIMEI Sensory Bar, workshops and opportunities for discussion between representatives of industry, academia and international organizations on the most important issues for the sector, and in particular on one of the priority themes of this year’s edition: sustainability.

New trends for packaging
There will be no lack of novelty for the world of packaging. The trend toward more targeted uses has also affected wine packaging (an example is the growing popularity of bag-in-box solutions). Space will also be dedicated to alternative uses for materials, especially PET (airline companies are evaluating the use of PET bottles, which offer conspicuous advantages thanks to their being more lightweight than glass).
As for closures, the choice is no longer limited to cork, plastic, glass, corona or screw: the optimal choice is rather more likely a combination of different closure types.
SIMEI will be held biennially, alternating between Italy and Munich.