The Allgemeine Nahrungs- und Genussmittel-Ausstellung (Anuga) (“''General Food and Drink Trade Fair''") is described by promoters as the world’s largest and most important food and beverage fair.
Anuga website
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“Anuga” takes place every second year in Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
, and is sub-divided into ten separate fairs, each covering a different category. The event is held in the Koelnmesse
Koelnmesse GmbH (''Cologne Trade Fair'') is an international trade fair and exhibition center located in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With around 80 trade fairs and over 2,000 conferences annually, Koelnmesse is one of the country's ...
, adjacent to the city centre.
History
The first "Anuga" took place in 1919 in Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
as part of a national gathering organised by Germany's specialist food retailers, and was a relatively small scale affair, involving approximately 200 exhibitors, and without any participation from foreign businesses. It was sufficiently successful to persuade the organisers to make the food fair an annual event, to be linked with the annual meeting of the nation's Specialist Foods Retailers' Association (''Reichsverband deutscher Feinkostkaufleute'').
Initially a different location was selected each year, with the event being held in Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
(1920), Hannover
Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German States of Germany, state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germa ...
(1921), Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
(1922) and Magdeburg
Magdeburg (; nds, label=Low Saxon, Meideborg ) is the capital and second-largest city of the German state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is situated at the Elbe river.
Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archdiocese of Magdebur ...
(1923).
The first Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
Anuga was held between 17 and 24 August 1924, attracting 340 exhibitors and around 40,000 visitors. It was probably the largest Anuga during the inter-war period, already divided into eight sub-categories, covering Food and Drink, Cooking and Bakery equipment, Food Processing machinery, Packaging Material and equipment, Retail, Materials Handling, Chemical and Cosmetic preparations and Advertising. The success of the 1924 event was partly the result of the professionalism with which it was conducted, but there was also a political dimension, with Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
economically cut off from the rest of the country by foreign military occupation. The success of the 1924 Anuga could be presented as a demonstration against the British occupation
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
, and the fair was described in the programme as a patriotic gesture (''eine "gute deutsche Tat"'').
Dates and recent participation statistics
*In 2011 ”Anuga” was open over five days ending on 12 October, during which 154,516 trade visitors were welcomed to 6,409 trade stands representing 97 countries.
*In 2013 ”Anuga” ended on 9 October after welcoming approximately 155,000 visitors to 6,777 trade stands.
*The 2015 fair took place between 10 and 14 October.
*The 2017 fair took place between 7 and 11 October.
References
External links
* {{Official website, http://www.anuga.de/
Economy of Cologne
Festivals in Cologne
Trade fairs in Germany
Autumn events in Germany