Upcoming events called off due to coronavirus pandemic
CFIA Rennes, which was due to open on September 29 at the Parc des Expo Rennes Aéroport, France, has been cancelled.
Organizers said following the most recent statement from the Minister of Health Olivier Veran and the lowering of the visiting number to 1,000 people, meant the food show, which had an expanded line up of exhibitors this year, had to be cancelled.
Sébastien Gillet, exhibition director, said, “For you and for us, this announcement is a real heartbreak. The whole team was passionate about hosting the event that the food industry expected and deserved, to sustain the momentum of a sector that has never stopped and that was also important to thank.”
However, he added, the event has been rescheduled for June 8 to 10, 2021.
Fi Europe and Hi Europe transitions to virtual event
Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe has also announced the postponement of its live event in Frankfurt, Germany, in December, to 2021, and are transitioning to virtual for the 2020 event.
Organizers of the event said that while it was set to take place with Informa’s AllSecure guidelines incorporating the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness, the decision to postpone the live event and transition to virtual was taken as a result of the global nature of the event.
Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe brings together industry players from all over the world. Given international travel is only returning gradually, stakeholders and partners felt it was difficult to ensure the same level of participation typically expected at the live event, and thus the Fi Europe team made the decision to transition to a virtual format in 2020, with the expectation it will return to Frankfurt as a physical event from November 30 to December 2, 2021.
The virtual event, Fi Europe CONNECT 2020, which will take place from November 23 to December 4, is designed to give the F&B community access to the global F&B ingredients industry, tools and collaboration opportunities they require to meet their business objectives.
The hosts hope to attract more than 8,000 attendees to the virtual event, which will include more than 100 on-demand and more than 16 sessions, and to use Fi Europe’s data-driven matchmaking service to find buyers for customers’ products and solutions.
Julien Bonvallet, brand director for Fi Europe, said, "The year 2020 has changed the world and the food industry: issues such as food safety and secure supply chains, along with the health aspects of nutrition, have become even more important. At our virtual experience, experts from all segments exchange views on these highly relevant topics and buyers and suppliers can connect with their peers in the F&B industry. That's why it was important for us to create a virtual experience that, even in these difficult times, will be successful for all participants."
