Along the way

Europain 2016 – ran out of steam

Paris is always worth a visit, but anyone who combined a trip to the French capital with an excursion to Europain would have been well advised not to expect a bakery technology trade fair. The range of technical solutions on offer for chain store operators and industrial bakeries was concentrated at the back of Hall 4, where the hall space was considerably decreased by extensive downsizing. Most of the well over 30 companies exhibiting there had drastically reduced their stand areas, for example Mecatherm by two thirds to only 250 square meters. Scarcely any of them showed any great desire to be there again next time.
The ambition to become an alternative to the iba has fallen flat. Europain is an artisan trade fair for France, and if it attracts an international public, it does so because of the city in which it takes place. Even someone looking for product or concept ideas would do better in the streets of Montmartre or St. Germain.
The extensive and varied presentation by the wholesaler Metro, which specifically targets small artisans, occupied scarcely less area than the machine builders in Hall 4. Perhaps a good idea for small square retail premises is shown by the shopfitting display (see photos), which succeeds well due to the steelwork design while nevertheless offering a large presentation area. Focaccia with various additions such as thyme, olives and tomatoes is sometimes also seen here; the variant with peach and rosemary is well worth trying. Menissez, now one of the country’s biggest and most innovative dough piece producers, showed new baguette variants from a stone oven, while Bridor rang the changes with a number of variants of torsades, which are filled puff pastry twists, and Coup de Pate lived up to its reputation as a supplier of frozen delicatessen for restaurants. Something else worth a glance is a new fashion in France, Pain des Amis, a kind of friendship bread baked on large trays and then sold in pieces whose size the customer can decide. But please just simply look at my photo gallery yourself.

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