drinktec and BrauBeviale join forces

Germany | Two of the most important international trade fairs for the beverage and liquid food industry, drinktec from Munich and Nuremberg's BrauBeviale, have joined forces to form the joint venture "Yontex", effective as of 1 July 2023, in order to strengthen their positions in the world market.

The company is based in Nuremberg, and CEO will be Rolf M. Keller, previously divisional director at NürnbergMesse, who has decades of experience working in the field of beverage industry trade fairs. Both trade fairs will continue to operate as independent brands, retain their names, and keep their events at the respective locations in Munich and Nuremberg, but under the shared umbrella of Yontex.

The merger of drinktec and BrauBeviale into one company is the largest merger of two trade fair flagships in Germany to date. Both trade fairs will be able to continue their individual growth unimpeded, widen their national and international reach in terms of customer contacts, and bundle their resources to the benefit of their exhibitors and visitors.

The German Federal Cartel Office has already approved this cooperation venture in the sector of beverage technology trade fairs.

Using the synergies

The new company Yontex will present itself for the first time with the BrauBeviale to be held in Nuremberg from 28–30 November 2023. Both events will be held as before at their accustomed venues, both will retain their prestigious brand names and their well-known contact persons. Moreover, they will be held in the same cycles as before: drinktec will be held at the Munich Exhibition Centre every four years, the next event being in 2025, and BrauBeviale will still be held annually at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre, as before, except for the “drinktec years”.

In addition to Munich, drinktec is also held at two additional venues: an annual event in India (drink technology India) and a biennial event in China (China Brew China Beverage).

A 19-person team of experienced trade fair professionals from drinktec and BrauBeviale, as well as some new trade fair professionals, will be the foundation of Yontex in the future. This new team includes CEO Rolf M. Keller and Executive Vice President Petra Westphal, who had previously been a project manager for drinktec and its international exhibitions, Executive Director BrauBeviale Andrea Kalrait, Executive Director drinktec Cluster Markus Kosak, and Executive Director Operations Moritz Müller.

The new joint venture will create genuine added value for its exhibitors and visitors, offering a wider reach, shorter paths, and greater business potential. In the future, each customer will have a single, central contact for all matters related to the beverage technology trade fairs, regardless of where they are held.

Both the trade associations serving as honorary sponsors and the exhibitors largely support the combination of the two trade fairs as a joint event for the global beverage technology market.

Further information and a Q and A page with questions concerning existing contracts or what happens with the data can be found at www.yontex.com.