The food and beverage industry is a dynamic sector that is rapidly evolving. Trade shows and conferences in this industry bring together a large number of global professionals from around the world to network and explore the latest advancements in technology, products, and packaging.
The food and beverage events play a crucial role in addressing the growing consumer demand for healthier food options and sustainable packaging, reflecting the changing lifestyles and urbanization. They provide a platform for the industry to come together and find solutions to meet the changing needs of consumers.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the food and beverage industry, resulting in the postponement or cancellation of various events in early 2020. However, virtual platforms allowed event organizers to continue offering businessand networking opportunities for attendees, enabling them to maintain engagement and interaction with industry stakeholders.
As the pandemic progressed, the food and beverage event industry adapted to the new reality by incorporating a mix of virtual, in-person, and hybrid events. This shift made events more accessible and allowed for greater collaboration between experts in the food and beverage sector.
By 2022, the industry was able to resume a more normal schedule of events, with a mix of physical and virtual options available. The “post-COVID” period of 2022 has seen a shift towards more accessible and collaborative events in the food and beverage sector.
The two-year span between early 2020 and the end of 2021 can be regarded as the Covid period for this report. By comparing the pre-2020 and post-2021 eras, we can gauge our current situation and what lies ahead.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE EVENTS OVERVIEW
The food and beverage events sector has seen considerable expansion in recent years, resulting in new opportunities for collaboration, networking, and innovation. A growing emphasis on enhancing food quality, globalization of food supply, rising regulatory standards, and advancements in processing equipment and technology all point to continued growth in this industry for the foreseeable future.
Food and beverage events provide an ideal setting for industry professionals to gather, network, exchange information, and form partnerships. Additionally, these events offer access to a wealth of global expertise, experience, and support networking.
The events industry faced significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as it heavily relied on in-person product launches, displays, and relationship building. The sudden cancellation or transition to virtual formats required significant adaptation. However, in 2022, events returned to in-person formats in full force, while some leveraged hybrid formats.
This report will give a comprehensive overview of the number of events in the industry as a benchmark to evaluate the return to normalcy post-COVID-19 and analyze them across several key regions and other relevant trends. This report’s primary aim is to compare the pre covid and post covid status and examine the future outlook.
(Note: This report will use data on the number of events captured on the 10Times platform across different regions as a metric to assess the state of the industry. While this data is not 100% accurate, we expect it to be close to reality with less than a 10% standard deviation).
FOOD AND BEVERAGE EVENTS TRENDS
As shown in Figure 1, there has been a notable increase in food and beverage events over the past five years, providing opportunities for attendees to network and conduct business with industry leaders, companies, and experts.
As the data in Figure 1 shows, post-COVID events outnumbered pre-pandemic ones. The trend can be attributed to virtual events – smaller in size but more frequent – which event organizers opted for due to cost-effectiveness and wider reach during the pandemic.
While in-person gatherings abruptly stopped in 2020 due to the pandemic, the importance of these events did not diminish for food and beverage companies that had already incorporated them into their marketing strategies. Many food and beverage companies pivoted to virtual and hybrid events to continue engaging with their target audiences.
The following charts depict trends in food and beverage events within various countries, according to 10times data. The United States typically hosts a significantly larger number of B2B events than other regions.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE TRADE SHOWS
As shown in Figure 3, a large number of food and beverage trade shows have been held in the past five years. According to the data in Figure 3, there were more trade shows organized in 2022 compared to 2019.
Post-pandemic, the number of trade shows has increased due to the rise of virtual event platforms. These platforms offer a convenient, budget-friendly, and accessible option for organizers to host events.
The charts below show the trend of food and beverage trade shows held in five major regions over the past five years (chosen based on the number of events and audience size for this report). The data indicates that the USA has consistently had the most food and beverage trade shows among the five regions over the past five years.
Figure 4 illustrates the number of food and beverage trade shows held in the United States over the past five years. The data shows that the number of trade shows organized in the US post-pandemic is lower than pre-covid numbers.
Still, with the rising consumer demand and widespread use of virtual and hybrid formats, it is expected that the number of trade shows organized in 2023 will show steady growth and surpass the level of 2019.
Figure 5 illustrates the number of Food and Beverage trade shows held in the UK over the past five years. Unlike pre-covid events, which were primarily in-person, post- covid events incorporated in-person and virtual elements.
The data indicates that the number of trade shows held in the UK post-pandemic is yet to surpass the amount from 2019.
Figure 6 illustrates the number of Food and Beverage trade shows held in Denmark for the past five years. After COVID, Denmark has hosted comparatively fewer food & beverage trade shows as of 2022 than before the pandemic.
The growing demand for events is expected to increase as the country catches up with other regions in terms of industry/economy size and the number of large events.
Figure 7 illustrates the number of food and beverage trade shows held in Canada for the past five years. While the base is a lot lower compared to other countries like US and UK, Canada seems to be growing compared to the covid period and is expected to reach 2019 numbers in 2023.
FOOD & BEVERAGE CONFERENCES
The figures below show food and beverage conferences held in five major geographical regions over the past five years. Following the pandemic, the number of industry conferences has significantly grown and is estimated to surpass prior levels in all countries. This likely comes from the ease of hosting virtual conferences, which has been well-received by industry professionals.
Figure 8 shows the number of food and beverage conferences held during the past five years. Overall post-covid numbers have shown a steady growth trajectory.
According to Figure 9, thousands of food and beverage conferences have been held in the United States over the past five years. It’s important to note that many events scheduled for 2020 were postponed or canceled due to COVID-19. As illustrated in Figure 9, the USA has already surpassed 2019 regarding the number of conferences held post- covid.
Figure 10 below illustrates the number of food and beverage conferences held in the UK over the past five years. Compared to the pre-pandemic era, the number of conferences hosted in the UK post-pandemic is still less. With the growing demand for industry conferences, the number is expected to reach the 2019 count in 2023.
Figure 11 shows the number of food and beverage conferences held in Denmark over the past five years. The number of conferences hosted in Denmark is increasing steadily post-covid.
Figure 12 shows that Canada has hosted hundreds of food and beverage conferences over the past five years. The country’s base is lower than that of the US and UK, but it has shown significant growth when comparing 2019 with 2022, and the trend is expected to continue through 2023.
NEW EVENTS HOSTED PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID
The findings from Figure 13 indicate that the global food and beverage event industry experienced a significant increase in the number of events hosted in 2019.
However, the growth in events in the year 2022 has been consistent but not enough to reach the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. This slow growth can be attributed to the revival of previously established events rather than the creation of new event IPs.
The decrease in new events caused by the pandemic is not surprising, as many events were canceled or delayed. However, it appears that the number of Food and Beverage events (old events getting rehosted and new events launched) in 2023 will rise, in line with the rapid development in this industry.
EVENTS REHOSTED PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID
It’s important to note that event hosting trends are affected by bi-annual events. Event rehosting refers to an event held in the same city for its next edition. In contrast, moving and hosting an event in a different city is considered a part of the event series, but a different event on 10Times platform.
As shown in Figure 14, before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 74% of events were rehosted annually. However, in the year 2022, there was a noticeable increase in this trend, with the percentage of events being rehosted rising to 76.3%.
This increase in rehosted events in 2022 can be attributed to various reasons. Such as:
- Some event organizers delayed their in-person events until after the pandemic, leading to increased rehosted events in 2022. (If a previous in-person event is rehosted as a hybrid, it is considered the same event with a new edition on the platform.
- Due to the cost benefits of virtual events, many organizers who previously did not rehost their events instead chose to host them online post-pandemic.
Overall, the increase in the percentage of rehosted events in 2022 indicates that event organizers are becoming more resourceful and innovative in their approach to hosting or rehosting events.
REGION WISE SEARCH TRENDS FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE EVENTS
Food and beverage events attract visitors from different regions to network, exchange ideas, learn about market opportunities, and meet potential clients.
According to the data in Figure 16, before the COVID-19 pandemic, most Food and Beverage events were searched for in the Americas, followed by Asia, Europe, and Africa.
However, no significant shift in this pattern has been observed on the 10Times platform except for a small decrease of 1.6% in the Americas and 3% in Europe post-pandemic, as illustrated in Figure 17.
COUNTRY WISE SEARCH TRENDS FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE EVENTS
Figure 18 provides information on the regional distribution of searches for Food and Beverage events by professionals before the COVID-19 pandemic. The data reveals that the United States had the highest number of searches, accounting for 56.6% of the total. India and other countries followed, with a combined percentage of searches.
Figure 19 illustrates search percentage across major countries post pandemic. The comparison shows that there has been a significant increase in individual participant searches in the United States and India after the pandemic, while the number of searches from the United Kingdom has decreased. This suggests that the pandemic has affected the interest and participation of professionals in Food and Beverage events differently across different countries.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID TRENDS – USERS LOOKING FOR EVENTS WITHIN THE SAME GEOGRAPHY (USA)
Figure 20 shows that a significant percentage of individuals searching for Food and Beverage events from the United States are within the United States.
The data in Figure 20 also indicates that the number of users searching for such events in 2022 is 0.3% greater than in 2019. But, what should be noted here is the local demand for events happening within the US instead of exploring external markets.
We expect this percentage to change in coming years, as shown in other countries grow, and user sellers explore new markets.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID USERS FROM THE USA LOOKING FOR EVENTS OUTSIDE
Figure 21 shows the pre and post-covid users from the US looking at events outside the USA.
The pandemic has altered global search trends from the US.
With high COVID-19 case numbers and travel restrictions, many countries, including Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have seen the lowest search percentages since the pandemic began.
This could signal new investment opportunities or import/export prospects that US audiences are exploring. The disruption caused by the pandemic is reflected in these figures.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID TRENDS – USERS LOOKING FOR EVENTS WITHIN THE SAME GEOGRAPHY IN (INDIA)
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 79.3% of users, searched for Food and Beverage events held within India.
As per Figure 22, the number of users looking for Food and Beverage events within India in 2022 is comparatively lower than the pre-covid level. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues. We can attribute this to a higher percentage of Indian companies exploring international markets to sell or source from.
Will big pharma events get rehosted in India in 2023? This trend might reverse. But it would be interesting to keep a close eye on it.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID USERS FROM INDIA LOOKING FOR EVENTS OUTSIDE
Food and Beverage events outside India were attracting an increasing number of visitors from India before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Figure 23 shows the pre and post-covid users from India looking for events outside India. The events industry in the food and beverage sector has undergone significant changes in recent times, with two major trends standing out.
Firstly, demand for events in China has drastically decreased, possibly due to COVID-19 restrictions and policies. This trend may be temporary, but it could take some time for demand to recover.
Secondly, the UAE has experienced a significant increase in its share of events in the sector. In 2023, it will be interesting to see how these percent distributions evolve, particularly with the push to host large format events in the UAE (Dubai) and visa issues in the USA.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID USERS TRENDS – USERS LOOKING FOR EVENTS WITHIN THE SAME GEOGRAPHY IN THE (UK)
Figure 24 shows that 80% of users were looking for Food and Beverage events in the UK before covid-19.
In 2022, food and beverage event searches within the UK were slightly lower than pre-covid levels, as shown in Figure 24. This might be attributed to a variety of causes, including the preference of users for international events over those happening within the UK.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID USERS FROM THE UK LOOKING FOR EVENTS OUTSIDE
Users from the UK actively search for Food and Beverage events in countries outside the UK. Figure 25 shows the pre and post-covid users from the UK looking at events outside the UK.
Countries such as the US, France, UAE, and the Netherlands have reached or are almost at pre-pandemic levels.
Regarding search percentage for Food and Beverage events, the United States was the top choice for users in the United Kingdom both pre- and post-covid. Besides the USA, user search from the UK seems to be well spread across regions, and there is no major percent change in demand besides Germany, China, & Belgium.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID USERS TRENDS – USERS LOOKING FOR EVENTS WITHIN THE SAME GEOGRAPHY IN (CANADA)
In 2022, Food and Beverage searches within Canada were greater than the pre- pandemic percentage, as shown in Figure 26.
The food and beverage industry is becoming a significant player in the events industry in Canada, with increasing recognition among professionals. In 2022, Canada saw a rise in the number of food and beverage events being hosted and users searching for events locally, showcasing the growing interest and importance of the sector.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID USERS FROM CANADA LOOKING FOR EVENTS OUTSIDE
Figure 27 shows pre and post covid users from Canada searching for Food & Beverage events outside the country. Countries such as the France, India, Japan, and Italy have reached or are almost at pre-pandemic levels.
In terms of search percentage for food and beverage events, the United States was the top choice for users in the Canada both pre- and post-covid. Besides the USA, user search from the UK seems to be well spread across regions, and no major percent change in demand, besides Germany & Hong Kong.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID USERS TRENDS – USERS LOOKING FOR EVENTS WITHIN THE SAME GEOGRAPHY IN (GERMANY)
Before the outbreak of COVID-19, approximately 32.7% of professionals in the food and beverage industry from Germany were searching for events within the country. As depicted in Figure 28, there has been a modest increase in the percentage of users searching for food and beverage events post-covid.
As the industry and market conditions change, it will be interesting to monitor this trend to understand the current and future preferences of industry professionals in Germany.
PRE-COVID VS. POST-COVID USERS FROM GERMANY LOOKING FOR EVENTS OUTSIDE
As per the data shown in Figure 29, a significant number of Food and Beverage professionals from Germany have been searching for events outside Germay to meet global suppliers, and distributors.
If we look closely, there seem to be some interesting changes in user demand in Germany. Putting aside numbers from the US, only France has gained market share last year while other countries like the China, UK, Netherlands, Belgium, India, etc. have lost market share.
SEARCH QUERIES USED BY USERS TO FIND FOOD & BEVERAGE EVENTS
During the past year, various search queries were used by users to find Food and Beverage events. Our research found that the most frequently searched terms were “food expo”, “food expo 2022”, “food exhibition in india 2022”, “food exhibition 2022”, and “food exhibition”.
Users looking for events in the food and beverage sector were particularly searching for food exhibitions. The data suggests that users utilized different queries to discover events pertinent to their specific interests and requirements within the industry.
(Note: Interesting trends can emerge if we look closely at sub-sectors and remove the obvious keywords mentioned above.)
FOOD AND BEVERAGE EXHIBITORS
Food and Beverage industry professionals, including primary producers, global manufacturers, and established suppliers, actively seek out industry events to showcase their latest products and services.
These events cover the entire supply chain and provide exhibitors with the opportunity to connect with key industry stakeholders, investors, and other important figures from all areas of the Food and Beverage industry.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant drop in demand for exhibitor inquiries for Food and Beverage events over the past three years. However, there has been a gradual increase in demand in 2022 and it is expected to rise significantly in 2023. Some possible explanations for this trend include:
- Some exhibitors had already paid for events in 2020 which were later rescheduled due to the pandemic.
- Not enough new companies are still looking at events as a viable marketing channel.
The decline in Food and Beverage event exhibitors in 2022 is not surprising given the impact of the pandemic. Although this decrease may be temporary, it’s important to note that the Food and Beverage events industry is adaptable and continues to evolve and find ways to innovate.
Though the numbers may not have reached pre-pandemic levels yet, it is expected that the Food and Beverage events will recover and reach the same numbers as in 2019 by 2023.
Disclaimer: All data, statistics, and metrics used in the report are collected and obtained from 10times.
CONCLUSION
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the food and beverage event industry has shown its ability to adapt. Thanks to the widespread use of virtual and hybrid formats, the number of events held in 2022 has surpassed pre- pandemic levels in most regions.
According to our research, the top five countries that hosted the most Food and Beverage events were the United States, India, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany.
Search trends also reveal that post-pandemic, users are mostly searching for Food and Beverage events within their own countries due to health and safety concerns, uncertainty about COVID-19, and travel restrictions. The United States stands out as a popular destination for events outside of a user’s home country, with the highest number of searches for Food and Beverage events from other countries.
As the event landscape continues to change, attendees’ demands remain the same or have even increased. Therefore, event organizers must be proficient in various formats and tools to deliver events that meet these expectations.
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