The outlook for fresh-cut sales in key consumer markets such as France, Spain, Portugal and Italy will be examined at this year's Freshconex Congress.

The one-day conference event, which takes place on 3 February 2009 at Berlin’s Exhibition Grounds, precedes Freshconex, the new fresh-cut convenience trade fair being held on 4-6 February 2009 alongside Fruit Logistica.

Jean-Michel Caulier, operations director of Florette, one of Europe's leading fresh-cut produce manufacturers and marketers, will open the congress with an overview of market trends in Southern Europe.

José Luis Bernal of the Spanish fresh-cut convenience supplier Primaflor and Yves Clément, president of France’s fresh-cut association, SFPAE, will then join Caulier in a panel discussion about some of these trends.

Europe's second largest fresh-cut market, Italy, will be the subject of the 90-minute session moderated by Professor Roberto Della Casa of Bologna University. He is joined by Italy's leading fresh-cut manufacturers, marketers and retailers to assess some of the major trends in the Italian market today.

This year's Freshconex Congress concludes with a focus on technology, looking first at the vital opportunities for improved research and development and analysis of the role that the world's leading seed manufacturers are playing to deliver better fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.

Some 200 decision-makers in the international fresh-cut sector are set to attend this year's event.

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