The 25th edition of the Iba, which was scheduled for next October in Munich, has been postponed. The organizer of the fair, GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen at mbH, has announced the new dates: October 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26, 2023. A decision that has been made due to not being certain that the event will be able to hold its international character, as well as the need to provide the industry with a global offering and long-term safety planning.

As Dieter Dohr, Chairman of the Board of Management of GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH explains: ‘We are sensing growing uncertainty in the industry over the question of whether to hold the trade fair in the autumn of 2021. We take our customers’ concerns very seriously, especially when it comes to their need to plan ahead. The continuing lack of a global opening perspective and the travel restrictions that will remain in place leave us no other option but to postpone iba 2021. The goal is to be able to present iba 2023 in its usual dimension with the same strength and quality. We are aware of our responsibility as a leading trade fair and, with today’s decision, we are ensuring that the industry will be able to plan both at an early stage and in the long term.”

Despite this postponement, after the success of the digital event iba.CONNECTING EXPERTS, the organizers and the German Confederation of Bakers wish to bring the industry together virtually for the second time in 2021, from October 25 to 28.

Focusing on the first iba CONNECTING EXPERTS, the figures show that it has been a success: 6,031 participants from 131 countries, 5,340 direct interactions in the form of personal conversations and product information, and 11,860 online conference registrations. Cathleen Kabashi, head of iba, assures that “iba.CONNECTING EXPERTS proved that the need for exchange, networking, and the ability to meet in a high-level place,  like iba can offer as the world’s leading trade fair, is great in the national and international industry. Our aspiration is to offer a place for personal exchange and a platform for business and knowledge exchange in times like these. We are all the more pleased that everyone experienced the new format so well!