interpack alliance develops MEA Region with new trade fair
The interpack alliance of Messe Düsseldorf expands into the Middle East Africa (MEA) region – its “pacprocess MEA” will be held annually at the Egypt International Exhibition Center in Cairo starting in December 2019. The trade fair can count on broad-based support from numerous partners from business and Egyptian government organisations and/or associations. The debut event is scheduled for December 9-11, 2019 and will run concurrently with FoodAfrica, the leading food trade fair in the region.
pacprocess MEA will be held in cooperation with the organisers IFP Egypt and Konzept that also organise FoodAfrica. The fair addresses the eight core target groups of the interpack alliance: food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, confectionery and bakery, non-food and industrial goods – and all of these across the entire value chain. It also targets the suppliers of packaging means, packaging materials and the associated manufacturing technology. Recycling and environmental technology also play a role here.
Entry market for a whole region
The MEA region and the Egyptian market, in particular, are rated as dynamic and highly attractive not least by international groups. This still young democracy provides a gateway to the African world because it maintains extensive free-trade agreements with other states in the region and is a focus of German development policy. It is open to foreign investors, which is why large corporations such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Mondelez have invested hundreds of millions over the past few years. Even the Egyptian domestic market is attractive: spending on food and beverage in Egypt is expected to rise by 60% in the period 2013 to 2020. In the pharmaceuticals segment Egypt ranks among the biggest producers and most important sales markets in the MEA region. Here growth is estimated to reach 8% by 2020. The packaging sector is predicted to expand by as much as 35% between 2015 and 2019. The driver of this development is a young, growing and spend-happy population with rising education levels and growing disposable incomes.
