Premieres, innovative stand concepts, and strong industry signals

With an influx of new contacts, concrete business leads, and palpable momentum, fish international concluded on Tuesday, 24 February. First-time exhibitors, in particular, reported a strong response, while long-standing participants once again confirmed the trade fair’s status as a vital industry hub.

MESSE BREMEN aimed to provide an authentic reflection of the market – and according to many participants, they succeeded: Representatives from traditional fisheries, aquaculture, processing, and retail met with manufacturers of alternative products to exchange ideas and explore new opportunities.

High-Impact Premieres
For many exhibitors, Sunday was the busiest and most commercially successful day of the fair – a sentiment shared by Thierry Stauffenegger, Managing Director of Transgourmet Seafood. His stand drew significant attention with the debut of a new fiber box made from renewable raw materials, designed for the refrigerated transport of fish and seafood. The box was developed in partnership with packaging manufacturer Papacks. The response was “very positive,” according to the team.

Manuel Leibrock, CMO at Papacks, confirmed the high level of interest: “Attendees were thrilled that there is now a new option for transporting chilled goods that is as effective as it is eco-friendly. We are shipping out samples after the fair – many have already announced they will test the box and likely put it into service.”

Deutsche See reported a similarly positive experience: “Overall, we viewed the fair as a great success,” says Trade Fair and Event Manager Julia Schneider. The new stand concept featuring a show kitchen was a complete hit. “We had many high-quality discussions and introduced newly developed products for the first time – some of which are not even available for order yet.”

First-time exhibitors establish connections and achieve first deals
The investment in a trade fair presence paid off specifically for companies participating for the first time. “Our goal was to sell our product, build brand awareness, and get the product into the market – and we achieved that,” says Pia Hillrichs of first-time exhibitor Aquapurna, which recently hit the market with its brand Gamba Zamba. “Not only were we able to reach new customers, but we also establish excellent contacts. Among others, partners who can support us with packaging and technology and who we can fall back on when needed. A network like this is incredibly valuable.”

Peter Zwarthoed, Commercial Manager at Zeelandia Garnalen and Aqua-Triton Mossel, also reported intensive discussions: “fish international connects people, and the audience here is highly engaged.”

The premiere was particularly impressive for first-time exhibitor Seaman Chips from Denmark, representing at a German trade fair for the first time: “We came with no expectations. By 11:00 AM on Sunday, our stand was already fully surrounded – and it went like that until evening,” says founder Heine Max Olesen. “We have already got some orders. To be honest: Even if we had to leave immediately after the first day, the fair would have been a success for us.” The company was also pleasantly surprised by how other exhibitors utilized their product: „Our seaweed chips were spontaneously used as a base for appetizers at several other stands. We actually intended to explain how they can be used – but here, it happened all on its own.“

New dynamics in the exhibition hall
Beyond concrete business success, many participants once again viewed fish international as a premier industry meeting point. The focus was on targeted discussions, a strong turnout of buyers and decision-makers, and the opportunity to showcase innovation in a professional environment. “The industry takes fish international seriously – as an efficient business hub that brings companies, topics, and people together,” says Franziska Kinski, who served as Project Manager for the first time. At the same time, the atmosphere was frequently described as open and friendly – a place for professional exchange as well as catching up with familiar faces.

In total, 12,761 industry professionals visited the trade fair duo of fish international and GASTRO IVENT. The latter once again relied on a practical concept: short walking distances, clear themes, and a high density of relevant contacts. “In combination with GASTRO IVENT, a constellation is created that is particularly valuable for many businesses – because the topics and target groups complement each other perfectly,” says Claudia Nötzelmann, Division Director of Trade Fairs at MESSE BREMEN.

For more information: https://fishinternational.de/en/ and www.gastro-ivent.de

Photos of fish international and GASTRO IVENT can be found in our digital press kit.    

Password: fish_GASTRO_2026

A featured image representing both trade fairs can be found here. © M3B GmbH/ Sascha Wellenberg

Caption: Parallel worlds of culinary excellence: While the focus at fish international is on seafood, the GASTRO IVENT supporting program features four national coffee championships.

Additional Information for Media Outlets:
MESSE BREMEN · M3B GmbH
Vanessa Ranft, P: +49 421 3505 – 323
vanessa.ranft@m3b-bremen.de
www.messe-bremen.de