On 18 September 2024, Fresh Market 2024, the largest B2B meeting in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe dedicated to the fresh fruit, vegetable and flower industry, took place at the Mazurkas Conference Centre in Ozarow Mazowiecki. The event brought together key producers, suppliers, and buyers from major retail chains in Poland and neighbouring countries.

Formula of Fresh Market

The event was marked by a unique formula, combining B2B meetings, exhibition stands and face-to-face discussions with buyers. This formula is tailored to the needs of both suppliers and buyers, making Fresh Market more effective than traditional trade fairs. In one day, participants had the opportunity to meet representatives of the largest retail chains, establish direct contacts with importers and distributors and exchange experiences as well as information on the latest trends.

B2B meetings

The key feature of Fresh Market 2024 was the B2B meetings, which formed a core part of the event. These were short, pre-scheduled, 10-15 minute conversations between suppliers and retailer representatives. This format allowed suppliers to present their offers to key decision-makers in a short period of time. Participants were able to register in advance and select the retail chains they wanted to meet with, and the organisers helped to arrange these meetings, making the process much easier.

For suppliers, this was a huge time and cost saver, as they were able to meet with representatives of several key retail chains deciding on fruit, vegetable and flower purchases in one day.

Exhibition stands and presentations

In addition to B2B meetings, Fresh Market 2024 offered a wide range of exhibition stands, which were a central part of the event. Exhibitors had the opportunity to showcase their products, services and technological innovations related to the fresh fruit, vegetable and flower industry. The stands were visited by many buyers, distributors and other participants, enabling direct contacts to be made and trade agreements to be negotiated.

It was often emphasised that it was possible to meet more customers in one day at Fresh Market than in several days at Fruit Logistica.

Among the exhibitors there were 3 sponsors and many renowned companies that are leaders in their industries like:

• 🇵🇱 Fresh-Point / Uçak Kardeşler (Poland/Turkey) – Fresh-Point is a direct importer of fruit and vegetables from Turkey, with its own sources and sorting facilities, allowing it to supply products without intermediaries. Uçak Kardeşler, founded in 1970, is one of Turkey’s largest brands in the fruit and vegetable sector, exporting its products worldwide.
• 🇬🇧 Sinclair International (UK) – Leader in fruit and vegetable labelling since 1982. Sinclair offers innovative, compostable labels and rapid labelling machines that are widely used in the fresh produce industry.
• 🇬🇧 Redpack Packaging Machinery (UK) – A flow-pack machinery company. Redpack supplies machines worldwide, customising them to meet individual customer needs.

The stands provided an excellent opportunity to showcase products and services, make contacts and negotiate contracts, while interactive multimedia presentations further supported the promotion of the solutions offered.

Hybrid formula

Fresh Market 2024 was held in a hybrid formula, combining face-to-face meetings with online talks. As a result, both Polish and foreign buyers who could not attend in person had the opportunity to hold virtual meetings with suppliers and business partners. This formula allows companies to establish business relationships regardless of location.

Distributors hub

The Distributor Hub at Fresh Market 2024 was another essential element of the event, offering participants a unique opportunity to network with importers, distributors and traders. B2B meetings were held throughout the day, enabling direct discussions with decision-makers. For suppliers, it was an excellent opportunity to gain new business partners and expand their presence on the Polish market.

Among those 11 companies present in the hub were:

• 🇱🇹 AUGMA (Lithuania) – One of the largest importers and exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables in the Baltics,
• 🇳🇴 BAMA (Norway) – Leader in the Norwegian fresh fruit, vegetable and potato market,
• 🇵🇱 CONSORFRUT (Poland) – Leading importer of fruit and vegetables from all over the world, with 8 warehouses in Poland,
• 🇵🇱 GREENYARD LOGISTICS POLAND (Poland) – Specialist in logistics and services for perishable products.

Fresh Market Award

One of the highlights of the event was the announcement of the Fresh Market Award 2024. This year’s award went to a unique product – the Flamansun tomato from Hazera Poland / HM.Clause. Flamansun F1 is a tomato with a unique heart shape and pineapple flavour. The fruit of this variety is yellow in colour with red-orange stripes, which blend together over time to create an extremely attractive appearance. The juicy flesh full of flavour makes it an ideal delicatessen product.

The Flamansun tomato brings an exotic touch to Polish cuisines, and its unique taste and appearance have earned Hazera a well-deserved award. This innovative product is sure to find its place on the shelves of major retailers. Traditionally, the winning products in the Fresh Market Award gain a permanent presence on the shelves of Polish retail chains, which is certainly the case for Flamansun too.

Retail chains present on Fresh Market 2024

This year event attracted many retail chains looking for new suppliers of fruit, vegetables and flowers. Among the participants of Fresh Market 2024 were 26 retail chains from different countries:

• Delikatesy Centrum (Poland)
• Auchan (Poland)
• Dino (fruit) (Poland)
• Dino (vegetables) (Poland)
• Carrefour (Poland)
• Stokrotka (Poland)
• Topaz (Poland)
• Chata Polska (Poland)
• Arhelan (Poland)
• Profi (Romania)
• Rohlik (Czech Republic)
• Nasz Sklep (Poland)
• Makro (Poland)
• Maxima (Lithuania)
• Fantastico (Bulgaria)
• Biedronka (Poland)
• E.Leclerc (Poland)
• Bingo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• Mega Image (Romania)
• Evroopt (Belarus)
• Foozy Group (Ukraine)
• Intermarché (Poland)
• ATB (Ukraine)
• Selgros (Poland)
• Dobronom (Belarus)
• Varus (Ukraine)
• Żabka (Poland)

These retail chains were mainly interested in fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers, but many of them were also looking for modern solutions in terms of packaging, logistics and sustainability. This gave suppliers ample opportunity to showcase their innovative products.

Summary of 18th edition

Fresh Market 2024, held on 18 September 2024, has confirmed its position as the key event in the fresh fruit, vegetable and flower industry in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. Thanks to its unique B2B formula, as well as the participation of major retail chains, the event has become an indispensable venue for networking and winning new contracts in the industry.