Portugal has Europe's highest seafood consumption rate, and France and Spain have per capita seafood consumption of 35 kilograms and 39 kilograms, respectively. These are just a few of the reasons that make a seafood trade show dedicated to Southern Europe and the Maghreb a huge business opportunity.
I attended the second Seafood Expo Southern Europe, formerly Seafood Barcelona, in Barcelona last week. The hustle and bustle of the interactions on the floor of a seafood trade show never ceases to amaze me.
For people who are familiar with show producer and publisher of SeafoodSource and SeaFood Business Diversified Business Communication's other seafood trade shows, the Barcelona event can be a change of pace.
Less than half the size of both the events that take place in Boston and Brussels, that's not to say it doesn't have its benefits — or that it wasn't a success.
The show has already grown in its second year — the number of companies exhibiting increased 9 percent from 2012 to 2013 — and is set to build on that expansion in 2014.
"I've talked to many companies that are quite happy, I've heard some interesting stories. I'm convinced this show will be a success," Juan Bergas Negre of Innovation Norway told me. "Brussels can be too big, but here we are able to talk to more...I already have had some companies tell me they want to participate in our stand next year — at least three or four more want to join."
President and CEO of East Coast Seafood, Michael Tourkistas, told me he remembers attending the inaugural Seafood Expo North America event in Boston and "it was smaller than this."
So, exhibitors should enjoy the opportunity for more intimate feel of the smaller show because I have no doubt that one day I'll say the same thing about Seafood Expo Southern Europe.
