After a COVID related break, Luxembourg is back at the FRUIT LOGISTICA Trade Fair in Berlin

For the fourth time and after a short COVID related break, the Luxembourgish joint stand at the Fruit Logistica Berlin, initiated by the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Economy, drew to a close last Thursday.

The pavilion allowed Grosbusch Fruits & Vegetables, Cargolux, Quatrei and CFL multimodal to showcase Luxembourgish know-how as well as their products and services at the specialized Trade Fair FRUIT LOGISTICA in Berlin from April 5^th to 7^th, 2022.

This event is an important reference point for the industry with its focus on perishables and fresh produce businesses. It provides a complete picture of the latest innovations, products and services on every level of the international supply chain.

The fair was a perfect networking ground with key decision-makers and hosted around 2,000 exhibitors from 87 countries this year.

The past two years have seen important changes as well as difficulties in supply chain management and the increasing role of globalisation – particularly concerning the export and import business of perishable products which require special care.

With its pavilion, Luxembourg has shown that it is more than capable of offering the required full high-quality services. The Luxembourgish stand regrouped companies that complement each other throughout the supply chain: Grosbusch is a renowned fruits and vegetables distributor in Luxembourg and the Greater Region, Quatrei (4i), offering traceability software solutions and hardware infrastructures for the logistics sector , the integrated air cargo handling service provider Cargolux, Europe’s leading all-cargo airline, and finally CFL multimodal, the global service provider covering the entire logistics chain offering a diverse range of high-quality services from combined and conventional rail freight, wagon maintenance and repairs, customs clearance, to freight forwarding, warehousing and other logistics services.

Despite two years of COVID related postponements, the fair was a success and the Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Economy were very pleased to assemble these important actors to showcase their “made in Luxembourg” solutions.

The Fruit Logistica ended with an important statement around the issue of sustainability: 46 tonnes of rescued fruit and vegetables were collected by the Berliner Tafel food bank on the Messe Berlin exhibition grounds at the end of the fair, which includes large contributions by the Luxembourg stand.

Luxembourg is on the map in a growing business

With its high value adding services, Luxembourg certainly has a role to play in the specialised fruits and vegetables sector. Dedicated companies offer professional cargo handling of sensitive produce and cool zones. Moreover, 70% of the EU market can be served within one day and fast lane solutions are readily available as time- and cost-efficiency play a crucial role.
Luxembourg offers specialized players with modern warehouses like Grosbusch and dedicated hubs like the Cargocenter at the airport, the new CFL multimodal rail platform in Bettembourg, and services such as traceability solutions offered by Quatrei.

Grosbusch Fruits & Vegetables was pleased with the joint presence at the Fruit Logistica and their increased visibility thanks to the joint Luxembourgish stand: “We confirmed the international potential for our business here in Berlin and found interesting opportunities and international connections through the visibility of the Luxembourg national pavilion”. The well-known company based in Ellange is well prepared for future growth with its new warehouse, offering 18,000 m2 of space for fruit and vegetables. The company has been successfully exporting over the past years and is constantly trying to supply new customers and markets.

The demand for fast and reliable air transport is steadily increasing according to Cargolux. With the rise of the Covid 19 pandemic, the importance of ensuring the continuation of the timely and fresh delivery of perishables became even more important. With its expertise, Cargolux offers a special product tailored to the extensive requirements of these perishable goods. This is due to the airline’s excellent, long-standing experience in this area, which is built on expertise, innovation and close personal attention.

Quatrei highlighted their satisfaction in being able to showcase their product alongside other Luxembourg partners, reinforcing their place in the market and adding important value to the fruit and logistics systems which comprises everything from shipping, packaging, transport and logistics. Having an increased visibility in the perishables sector with the stand at the Fruit Logistica, allowed the company to highlight its know-how - from the identification of products to their transport to their final destination, or their implementation in an industrial process.

Thanks to their internationally connected railway system, CFL multimodal was ideally placed to showcase their services at the fair. “Luxembourg as a major European logistics hub is an important player in the provision of logistics services, developing new ideas to boost the fresh produce sector. We are pleased to have participated in the Fruit Logistica at the Luxembourg stand this year, to be able to network and promote our service offering for sustainable transport solutions across Europe”, explains Barbara Chevalier - Director Strategy & Business Development.

The national presence on this fair supports the role of Luxembourg as a diversified logistics hub.

The visit of H.E. Mr Jean Graff, Ambassador of Luxembourg in Germany, at the fair reinforced the country’s unique position and standing in this area and highlighted the importance of the Luxembourgish presence in an international environment.

The Fruit Logistica is scheduled to take place again in 2023, this time as usual in February (08^th-10^th February 2023).