12 Dec 2007


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Europain exhibition to go biennial

Europain, the French bakery exhibition, will become a biennial event next year, taking place every two years rather than every three.

The show, which is held at Paris Nord Villepinte from 29 March to 2 April, is targeting 600 exhibitors across eight product sectors including craft bakery, industrial baking, pastry-making, chocolate and confectionery and ice cream making.
According to Europain’s general manager, Jean-Paul Broutin, 380 exhibitors are booked to date and the event is looking to match exhibitor figures achieved in 2005, the last time the exhibition took place.
Three years ago the show hosted 598 exhibitors with 37% from outside France. It attracted 78,537 visitors with 40% from outside France and the majority from Europe.
Spain was the largest visiting nation but there were 1,129 visitors from the UK.
Of the French contingent, the majority of visitors to the show (60%) are craft bakers, reflecting the French bread market.
Craft bakers account for 67.5% of the bakery market in France versus 47% in the rest of Europe. Broutin said this structure was very different to the UK where craft bakers have dwindled to fewer than 3,000.
In France the baguette still accounts for 85% of bread consumption, split across three types: white (62%), rustic (17.5%), a traditional recipe (15.5%) and other (5%).
Broutin said that despite the strength of the craft bakery sector, bake-off systems and franchise retail chains were growing in importance and there are now 5,600 of these registered specialist shops in France, which are not bakeries. “Craft bakers are declining but the number of bake-offs is on the increase,” he said.
Key chains include Paul, Brioche Doree, Pomme de Pain and La MieCaline.
Other highlights at Europain 2008 include the Bakery World Cup, where three international teams will be competing in the bakery cup final during the show.
There is also a new competition for pastry, an innovation area and two paying conferences.

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