Over 550 Bulgarian and international companies offering food, beverages and equipment related to the food industry are participating at the international exhibition Meatmania, World of Milk, Bulpek, Salon de Vin, Interfood and Drink and Retail Show. The exhibition is among the most prestigious trade forums in Southeast Europe. Between November 6 and 9 the forum provides opportunities for direct business contacts, demonstration of innovative technologies and direct contact with traders and manufacturers of over 1,200 trade-marks across the globe. The embassies of the USA, Italy, Russia, Serbia and Lebanon participate jointly at the forum. Companies from Austria, Turkey, Greece, the Netherlands, Finland, Poland, Romania, Armenia and Hungary are among the individual participants.

Special attention is paid to the wine producers. Nearly 50 wine cellars from Bulgaria, Italy, North Macedonia, Great Britain, Germany and Armenia are presented at a separate Salon de Vin. The forum provokes visitors with a special programme held in the degustation zone. It includes participation in master classes and tastings of various vintages and wine sorts.

The exhibition was opened by Bulgaria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Desislava Taneva. The Ambassador of the USA to Sofia Mrs. Herro Mustafa, as well as representatives of the biggest branch organizations were among the guests of the forum. Bulgaria has a lot to show, because despite the difficulties, the manufacture of meat, eggs, milk and dairy products has increased in the recent years.

According to statistics, in 2018 the production of meat and meat products rose 6.7% as compared to 2017 and the production of milk and dairy products increased slightly over 3%, Minister Taneva specified. The upward trend continues in the first nine months of 2019. Highest increase was registered in the production of buffalo and goat products, which is due to the striving for healthy nutrition among consumers. Production and exports of eggs also saw an increase. Practically, in all food subsectors production has increased or at least remained on the same level. Trade with agricultural produce and items contributes with EUR 600 million to this country’s positive trade balance. The EU remains the main trade partner of Bulgaria – nearly 75% of the commodity exchange. In 2007, we chose to be part of the huge European market with over 500 million consumers. This market knows no national boundaries and Bulgaria has one of the best and most modern factories in Europe. The market is free and is subject to competition between manufacturers. I am happy that in times of difficult and even severe competition our producers maintain good quality and the volume of the production sold on the market have gradually increased.

Magdalena Donkova is a representative of a company for production of legume and canned food under traditional Bulgarian recipes – tomato and pepper chutney (lyutenitsa), various types of canned or dried chilies, etc. Production takes place in Bulgaria, but the food ingredients come from North Macedonia. Magdalena contends that the Bulgarian consumers are now more interested in the origin of the food they buy and eat.

The price is slightly higher, but we chose to import ingredients and raw materials from North Macedonia, because no Bulgarian producer could offer us fresh, not frozen products. All people in our team are young. In the recent years, we have been dealing very seriously with the selection of the vegetables and the ingredients we use in our products, because our consumers are mainly interested in the clean food. We wanted to make our products taste like the ones made by our grandmothers and remind us of the homemade food and the village. We feel great when people are happy with our produce.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov