The SIRHA Budapest 2024 fair ended with a great success. The most important international food industry and HoReCa exhibition in East-Central Europe brought a record number of visitors and serious business. At the HUNGEXPO Budapest Congress and Exhibition Center, in Budapest, Hungary, more than 300 exhibitors, including packaging technology companies, presented their novelties.
For the sixth time this year, HUNGEXPO hosted the most important players in the gastronomy of Hungary and the region. Nearly 26,000 professional visitors met more than 300 exhibitors from 16 countries on 30,000 square meters. This is almost 10 percent more than two years ago. Based on the first evaluations after the closing, the participants called the event “surprisingly successful” despite the difficult market conditions (increasing raw material and energy prices).
„The food industry is one of the most innovative sectors that reacts to changes the fastest, and together with agriculture, it is a strategic sector.” Minister of Agriculture Mr. István Nagy said at the opening ceremony of the fair. SIRHA Budapest 2024 confirmed the head of ministry’s statement in every respect. All major segments of the industry – bakery and confectionary, food industry, hotel industry, restaurant and catering, coffee and beverages. As well as packaging technology and kitchen technology – also brought their latest developments and products.
Get some impressions of the fair in our short video below
SIRHA Budapest Innovation Award
The SIRHA Budapest Innovation Award has presented to the most outstanding of them at the opening. In this period, between the two exhibitions, Hungarian and foreign innovative products and services introduced to the market compete in the joint organization of Hungexpo and Trade Magazin.
This year’s winners are:
In the packaging industry category, ARTMATCH Hungária Kft.’s Fasterdisplay entry, which has a plastic-free cardboard display manufactured exclusively under a license. The Nestlé Hungária Kft.’s Garden Gourmet Vuna vegan tuna preparation in food industry category. In the drinks category, the oat, coconut and almond variants of the METRO Kft. Chef Veggie organic barista vegetable drink family. The winner of the bakery and confectionary category this year was the lyophilized spices and fruit powders of I&P 2005 Kft. The hotel industry category has won by BIBO Franchise Kft.’s composting machine. The winner of the technology category is also BIBO Franchise Kft.’s Bio industrial floor cleaner.
Start-up Island
Many companies have registered for the latest program of Trade magazine and its partners, START-UP ISLAND. At this booth, ten start-ups have presented, which have selected by a professional jury from among the applicants. And which have started their career as the most promising companies in the FMCG market in the last 3 years.
Accompanying events
SIRHA Budapest 2024 hosted numerous professional conferences and round tables. Among them, the LANDRA AI round table stood out, at which the role of artificial intelligence in hospitality and the food industry has discussed. Pannon Gastronomy Academy (PGA) conference. Joint professional program of the Hungarian Association of Packaging and Materials Handling (CSAOSZ) and EUROFINS Food and Feed Testing Budapest, Gyula Laboratories. About changes in the new EU food safety and environmental protection regulations for packaging.
As well as the Packademy International Roadshow conference organized by Pack-Market, at which domestic and foreign organizations and the region’s professional and economic associations shared with the participants, first-hand, the current state of the Central and Eastern European printing, packaging and logistics industry. After the pandemic situation and due the current effects of terrible situations in Russia – Ukraine war, and also in Israel. Other topics of the event were: The power of cooperation. Development perspectives, sustainability, cooperation opportunities. Based on the presentations of the professional organizations of the participating countries. As well as Outlook 2030 – how the packaging industry has expected to be in 2030. Including environmental protection aspects and circular economy criteria.
The Trade Magazin opened its almost 800 m2 Future Store Innovations stand this year again, where visitors could see the market’s latest product developments, innovative device solutions, and services that introduced.
Competitions
Several competitions have organized at SIRHA Budapest this time, including the 9th Public Catering Chef competition. This has won by Hungast Bakony’s team from Veszprém.
The first domestic Gelato World Masters festival has held here, the winners of which will represent Hungary in Bologna, Italy. The competition has won by Mr. Balázs Damniczki, with the imaginatively named “Burrata alla Frutta” ice cream from Damniczki Cukrászda in Székesfehérvár.
The Hungarian qualifying round of the World Pizza Championship has also held at SIRHA Budapest for the first time. Giving enthusiastic pizza chefs from Hungary and neighboring countries the opportunity to compete. The winner, Mr. Zoltán Bednár, can certainly be at the 2025 World Championship in Parma, Italy.
This time also, the programs of the Hungarian Bakers’ Association featured prominently at the fair. In the delicious baked goods product competition related to the Easter holiday, the participants could start with a bread dough-based pastry and a puff pastry-based pastry typical of a Hungarian region. At the János Pataki Memorial Competition, pastry students and already graduated pastry chefs measured their skills.
Bocuse d’Or press conference
In 2024, the European selection of the Bocuse d’Or will be held in Trondheim, Norway. Teams from twenty countries will come to the competition, and ten teams will advance to the finals in Lyon. The organizers talked about this at the press conference held at SIRHA Budapest, in the METRO Bistro. Mr. Zoltán Hamvas, the president of the Hungarian Bocuse d’Or Academy, thanked METRO Hungary and Hungexpo, who have supported the Hungarian team at the Bocuse d’Or competitions since the beginning.
Exhibitor’s testimonials
Exhibitors, domestic and foreign companies and organizations interviewed during the trade fair almost without exception reported serious interest and promising contacts. A significant part of them also plans to participate in the next Sirha Budapest fair to be held in 2026.
Take a look to the fair through our on-site photos below
