Fructinale 2010: 400 guests from the international fruit trade

On the evening of the 4th February 2010 it was comedy time at the Marheineke Market Hall in Berlin Kreuzberg: star comedian Ingo Oschmann’s performance earned an enthusiastic reception from the 400 representatives of the fruit and vegetable industry who had gathered, as they did last year, for this unusual meeting in one of Berlin’s last surviving market halls. Members of parliament for the SPD and CDU and FDP were among the guests of honour.

Ingo Oschmann was finely attuned to his audience and the topic of fruit and vegetables and, to great applause, he performed part of his current stage show “Wonderful – that’s the way it is” plus conjuring tricks and improvised sketches tailored to the evening and his guests.

The caterers and traders in Marheineke Markthalle served exclusive delicacies to the guests, just like the ones Berlin residents can buy there fresh every day.

The evening was hosted by the association of German wholesale markets, GFI. Once again, the event was held during the Fruit Logistics, the key trade fair for the international fruit and vegetable business, held from Wednesday to Friday at Messe Berlin exhibition centre.

Uwe Kluge, chairman of the GFI board, was delighted at the huge response: “The presence of more than 400 guests from the business, media and political communities sends a clear signal that wholesale markets play an important role in the economy. The film industry has its own event, the Berlinale. And the who’s who of the fresh food trade gathers for our event. The Fructinale is our newer, fresher sign of appreciation for life’s true stars: fruit and vegetables.”

Sponsors of Fructinale 2010
Fruchthandel Magazin, Düsseldorf
Weihe Früchte & Salate KG, Berlin
Godeland Vermarktungsgesellschaft mbH, Glückstadt
Chiquita Deutschland GmbH, Duisburg
Fruchtimport vanWylick GmbH, Düsseldorf
Zespri International Germany GmbH, Hamminkeln
Consorzio Melinda, Cles, Italien
Wirsol Solar AG, Waghäusel
Veolia Umweltservice Nord-West GmbH

About GFI German Wholesale Markets. GFI German Wholesale Markets was founded in 2000 and represents the interests of Germany’s 16 major wholesale markets. GFI is the central point of contact for national and international growers seeking to market their produce through quality, independent food retail channels. GFI offers its members a forum for the structured exchange of information and insights on ways to market wholesale markets; it also offers public platforms such as a joint stand at the Fruit Logistica and its own website, www.grossmaerkte.org

About German Wholesale Markets. These fresh produce centres guarantee a wide variety of top quality fresh produce, especially fruit and vegetables. At these central, urban trading platforms around 2,600 small and medium sized wholesalers, importers and growers supply fresh produce from the region and all over the world to more than 53,000 customers in the specialist, independent food retail business such as greengrocer shops and street markets and to large-scale caterers and top restaurant chefs. Annual turnover of goods is around 7.4 million tonnes with a total value of roughly 9.8 billion euros. Germany’s wholesale markets thus ensure the availability of good, nutritious food for around 100 million consumers in Germany and neighbouring European countries.

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