New formats and proven elements

It is important to put people first - even at an equipment and technology trade fair - and so the IFFA organisers are doing everything in their power to ensure that the six days of serious exhibition business is interspersed with opportunities for discussions and exchanges of view in a more relaxed setting.

On the evening of the IFFA opening day - Saturday, 7 May - there will be a high-calibre panel discussion devoted to the question: "How was the first day of the fair?". This informal discussion with prominent trade fair visitors and exhibitors will focus on the personal impressions of the participants, who will use these as a springboard for discussing the current issues and challenges facing the industry. "IFFA Talk" is aimed at all exhibitors and visitors and is free. Er wird im Portalhaus (Eingang West/ Halle 11) im Raum „Frequenz“ stattfinden. (Date: 7 May 2016; Place: "Frequenz" room in Portalhaus (West Entrance (Eingang West) / Hall 11))

This will be followed directly by another highlight of the IFFA supporting programme: the "Spirit of Meat" gala in the Portalhaus, South Foyer (Foyer Süd). The social event celebrated its grand premiere three years ago. This year, the specialist meat business media - FleischWirtschaft and afz – allgemeine fleischer zeitung - of the dfv media group together with the IFFA, the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) and the German Butchers' Association (DFV) will once again be staging the gala event. The presentation of the "Meat Industry Sponsorship Awards" to young talents in the industry will be a special highlight. (Date: 7 May 2016; Place: Portalhaus, South Foyer (Foyer Süd))

A new feature is the "IFFA Forum" which will be held in the foyer of Hall 11.1 from 8 to 11 May. The event combines talks given by experts in the morning with practical demonstrations by exhibitors in the afternoon. Each day it focuses on a key industry trend. The talks are given in German or English and simultaneous interpreting will be offered. The Forum is free of charge and is aimed at all visitors. (Date: 8 to 11 May 2016; Time: 11:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 16:00; Place: Foyer of Hall 11.1; Organiser: dfv Mediengruppe and its specialist publications FleischWirtschaft and afz - allgemeine fleischer zeitung in cooperation with Messe Frankfurt)

Finding, Developing and Retaining Talent

(Sunday, 8 May)

Sunday will be all about career opportunities in the meat industry. Following a keynote speech on "What companies are now expecting from young professionals and what young employees want from an employer", the current and former winners of the "Meat Industry Sponsorship Awards" will be reporting on their experiences. In the afternoon Forum the spotlight will be on the ingredients and product innovations that are driving the current trends.

Food Safety and Traceability

(Monday, 9 May)

Monday is dedicated to "Food safety and traceability". Safe meat products are the result of a range of technical, technological and operational processes in the value chain. The potential benefits and limits of cross-level traceability in industrial meat processing environments will be explored.

Automation and Performance Optimisation

(Tuesday, 10 May)

On Tuesday, experts and exhibitors will be exploring the current status of "Automation and Performance Optimisation". Time is of the essence in the meat processing industry. Greater automation accelerates processes and helps to reduce the cost pressure in the highly competitive market. High machine and system availability is the key to profitable production.

Resource Efficiency and Sustainability

(Wednesday, 11 May)

On Wednesday, the last "IFFA Forum" is dedicated to the future topic of "Resource efficiency and sustainability". Sustainable production is set to become a question of survival in the meat industry. To ensure social acceptance, economic growth must be decoupled from the consumption of energy, water, etc.