New category | Entries for the renowned Fi Europe Innovation awards are now open, and applications can be submitted online until 7 October. The majority of the awards are only open to Fi Europe exhibitors but, this year, a brand new category “Food Training & Education” has been added, which is open to non-exhibitors.

Open for entries | Journalists, writers, bloggers, broadcasters and photographers who communicate about beer or pubs are invited to enter the Guild of Beer Writers’ annual awards before the deadline of 2 September. This year’s competition offers entrants a choice of 16 categories – its highest-ever – and the chance to share in a GBP 17,500 prize fund.

The long dry spell we have lived through has only intensified the industry’s thirst for the upcoming drinktec, the world’s largest trade fair focused on beverages and liquid foods. The trade fair will finally be able to open its doors to attendees and exhibitors from September 12 to 16, 2022.

Positive energy from the industry | A long dry spell is behind us, which has created great anticipation for what awaits us. And at last, the time has come: from September 12 to 16, 2022, the drinktec will open its doors to attendees and exhibitors from the entire beverage and liquid food industries. We talked to Petra Westphal, Exhibition Director of drinktec, and Markus Kosak, Exhibition Manager of drinktec, about the topics and solutions we can look forward to in Munich this September.

The European regional conference BevTech Europe 2022, organized by the International Society of Beverage Technologists, will take place during drinktec on 15 september 2022. As always, the planning committee is working hard to provide an exciting and stimulating program for its valuable members.

New date, new venue | To ensure the safety and interests of exhibitors and professional visitors as well as to obtain better exhibition effect and visiting experience, after comprehensive study and deliberation, NürnbergMesse China and Beer Link have decided that the Craft Beer China Conference and Exhibition 2022 (CBCE 2022), originally scheduled for July 27–29, 2022 at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, will be postponed to Sept. 7–9, 2022. The exhibition venue will be changed to Nanjing International Expo Center (No. 300, Jiangdong Road (Middle), Jianye District, Nanjing).

Beer competition | The registration deadline for the European Beer Star 2022 is approaching: Breweries can still submit their beers until 1 July 2022.

Focusing on current topics | The Bangkok Brewing Conference 2022, again jointly organized by the Thailand Beer Industry Guild (TBIG) and the VLB Berlin, will take place from 12–14 June 2022 at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) Bangkok, Thailand.

Latest research | The 3rd VLB Symposium on Acidic Fermented Non-Alcoholic Beverages (SAFB) will take place at the VLB Berlin from 24th to 25th May 2022. Through a program of selected experts and representatives from science & industry, the participants are to be brought up to date with the latest research and relevant aspects of acidic fermented non-alcoholic beverages.

Health and environment | Healthy ingredients are good for well-being and for the environment – that’s how you could describe the mood among consumers in the food and beverage sector. The fact is that, partly due to the pandemic, consumers are increasingly on the lookout for healthy products and changing their consumption habits in favor of “free-from” and “clean-label” products. The question of personal well-being is becoming more and more of an everyday topic. These changes in consumers’ desires can also be seen by the beverage and liquid food industry, which will meet from September 12 to 16 at the world’s leading trade fair drinktec in Munich.