FRUIT LOGISTICA 2014 looks ahead with the new "Future Lab" series of events

Berlin, 23 January 2014 – FRUIT LOGISTICA once again underlines its status as the launch-pad for innovation in the international fresh produce business. "Future Lab", a new series of informal workshops, will present products, projects and solutions aimed at enhancing the fruit and vegetable sector with innovations in the coming years, or contributing significantly to optimisation along the value chain. Future Lab topics in detail: Topic Fighting Black Sigatoka - the end for Cavendish? Date/Time 5 February 2014, 11 a.m. Speaker Gianluca Gondolini, Head of the World Banana Forum's Secretariat, FAO, Italien The banana is one of the most popular fruits worldwide as well as a valuable source of nutrition. Although different varieties are grown, it is the Cavendish variety which dominates exports to Europe. The problem is that Cavendish bananas are threatened by diseases such as Black Sigatoka and TR4. Can these diseases be controlled? If so, how? And what alternative solutions are there? Topic PIQA® pears – a whole new fruit category Date/Time 5 February 2014, 12 a.m. Speaker Roger Bourne, Strategic Marketing Manager, Plant & Food Research, New Zealand PIQA® pears are an entirely new range of fresh fruits with unique and striking skin colours and shapes. They are crisp, juicy and tasty and have the same ready-to-eat convenience as apples, with exceptional storage qualities and shelf-life. PIQA® pears are conventional interspecific hybrids of European, Japanese and Chinese pear cultivars, bred by Plant & Food Research, New Zealand and licensed through PREVAR™ Limited. Topic Mystery shopping - the POS fitness programme Date/Time 5 February 2014, 2 p.m. Speaker Prof. Dr. Kai Sparke, Hochschule Geisenheim, Germany The retail sector is in a state of rapid change. Shopping habits are being revolutionised by the internet. The traditional retail sector can meet these challenges by maximising the potential of the live shopping experience and developing personal customer relationships. The Hochschule Geisenheim has developed a concept through which the potential of Mystery Shopping can be effectively exploited. Knowledge of customers’ expectations and the factors behind customer satisfaction can be converted into specific sales strategies. A whole range of specific recommendations can be made as a result which lead directly to improved sales performance. Topic Quantum leap in lettuce breeding Date/Time 6 February 2014, 11 a.m. Speaker Chris Groot, Enza Zaden, Netherlands Enza Zaden presents a new lettuce breeding tool which has been developed to predict shelf-life. This will lead to new lettuce varieties in 2016/2017 that will reduce wastage in bagged fresh-cut salad products at POS. The industry can thus make a valid response in terms of social responsibility and the issue of food waste in the framework of a steadily growing world population. Topic Customised fruit – to your health! Date/Time 6 February 2014, 12 a.m. Speaker Andrew MacKenzie, Business Development Manager, Plant & Food Research, New Zealand Different fruit varieties for different health benefits. Consumers will in future be prepared to pay significant premiums for fruit that offers specific health benefits beyond their basic nutritional value. Science is already responding by looking in detail at the health benefits which each fruit can deliver. By matching the science to breeding programmes, new fruits can be naturally bred which will excite the interest of consumers. This presentation focuses on recent discoveries in the area of health benefits from fruit and looks at how these may be brought to consumers in the form of new fruit cultivars. Topic Biologica - a nice, clean world Date/Time 6 February 2014, 2 p.m. Speaker Ashish Malik, Vice President of Global Marketing, Bayer CropScience, USA Food safety and environmental responsibility, as longstanding matters of public concern, have been on the agenda of the fresh produce sector for a considerable time. Significant advances have already been made in these areas, but research continues and new strategies are constantly being developed. Integrated solutions represent one new approach which is already making rapid progress. Biologica are gaining rapidly in importance in the fight against plant disease and pests. Topic Optimising the intensive greenhouse production of vegetables Date/Time 7 February 2014, 11 a.m. Speaker Tsu-Wie Chen, PhD Candidate, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Horticultural Production Systems, Germany Optimising the management of production methods and improving cost efficiency are playing an increasingly important role at grower level. This presentation shows the results of research into environmental influences on greenhouse production: At what level of light intensity is an increase in CO2 levels recommended to encourage photosynthesis? What ambient temperature is necessary to achieve the best results? Topic Information superhighway for fresh produce Date/Time 7 February 2014, 12.00 a.m. Speaker Mark Zwingmann, GS1 Germany, Germany Inventory management systems are not the only data intensive aspect of modern trading. Food safety and traceability also demand a high level of digital information and transparency. This presentation looks at technology which can fulfil the demands of global information exchange, decentralised data storage, data exchange along the entire supply chain, efficient sourcing, and improved transparency for both consumer and trade. For further information: www.fruitlogistica.com