Together these events form the world's largest seafood exposition and this year's event was busy with attendees conducting business throughout the three days.
25,168 buyers and sellers from around the globe descended on Brussels for the annual event which drew visitors from more than 147 countries.
The 2011 event featured the stands of 1,678 exhibiting companies from 81 countries around the globe. 70 countries were represented in national pavilions. The exhibits covered 33,890 square meters of combined exhibit space.
"This years event reflected improving economic conditions and discussions of new business opportunities, said Mary Larkin, Vice President of Seafood Expositions.
A strong focus was on sourcing product with a high value being placed on new suppliers.
The success of the 2011 exposition is a reminder of the importance of trade fairs for business, and particularly the importance of the European Seafood Exposition/Seafood Processing Europe the worlds largest seafood trade event. The exposition brought buyers and sellers together face-to-face, and provided the opportunity to see and taste products from around the globe all under one roof.
Innovation and new product development were of great importance at this years event.
This was especially emphasised at the prestigious Seafood Prix DElite New Product Competition that rewarded the best new foodservice and best new retail products.
Vinh Hoan Corporation took the award for Best Retail Product with its entry, Provocake. This innovative product featured a fish cake of Pangasius, shrimp and mushrooms encircled with asparagus.
In the foodservice category, the top prize was given to Halieutis for its product, Tambaqui Ribs.
A new species to the European market, tambaqui is a cousin of the famous Amazonian piranha and is now farmed in Brazil. The structure of the fish allows for a rib portion that is similar in shape and presentation to pork ribs.
Halieutis tops these portions with a tasty barbeque marinade. 2011 marked the 11th anniversary of the prestigious Seafood Prix dElite New Product Competition and had 37 finalist entries, with seven total prizes.
Diversified Business Communications, the organising company of the exposition, is pleased with another successful exposition and looking forward to the 2012 event scheduled for 24-26 April, 2012 once again at the Parc des Expositions in Brussels, Belgium.
Organisers have already begun planning for the 2012 exposition. For more information on the 2012 European Seafood Exposition and Seafood Processing Europe, please visit www.euroseafood.com or www.europrocessing.com.
