drinktec and BrauBeviale join forces to form Yontex
The two most important international trade fairs for the beverage and liquid food have come together form a new joint venture, called Yontex.
The formation of Yontex, drinktec from Munich, and Nuremberg’s BrauBeviale, will see a company based Nuremberg, led by Rolf M. Keller, previously divisional director at NürnbergMesse, who has decades of experience working in the field of beverage industry trade
fairs.
Both trade fairs will continue to operate as independent brands, retain their names, and keep their events at the respective locations in Munich and Nuremberg, but under the shared umbrella of Yontex. As a result of this step, Bavaria will become the preferred meeting place.
While the merger of drinktec and BrauBeviale into one company is the largest merger of two trade fair flagships in Germany to date, the two stressed both trade fairs will be able to “continue their individual growth unimpeded, widen their national and international reach in
terms of customer contacts, and bundle their resources to the benefit of their exhibitors and visitors”.
The CEOs of Messe München and NürnbergMesse said the new joint venture is a “unique opportunity” for both exhibition companies to position ourselves jointly and join our forces in the world market, even though they will continue to compete with each as two different trade fair venues in Bavaria.
Peter Ottmann, CEO NürnbergMesse Group said: “We are united by a common goal.”
The two Messe München CEOs Dr Reinhard Pfeiffer and Stefan Rummel added: “This combination will ensure the future of drinktec in Munich and BrauBeviale in Nuremberg. After all, both trade fairs want to successfully defend and extend their strong positions in the highly competitive worldwide environment.”
The new company Yontex will present itself for the first time at BrauBeviale (Nuremberg, 28-30 November 2023). Both events will be held as before at their accustomed venues, and held in the same cycles as before: drinktec will be held at the Munich Exhibition Centre every four years, the next event being in 2025, and BrauBeviale will still be held annually at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre, as before, except for the drinktec years.
A 19-person team of experienced trade fair professionals from drinktec and BrauBeviale, as well as some new trade fair professionals, will lead Yontex. This new team includes CEO Rolf M. Keller and executive vice president Petra Westphal, who had previously been a project manager for drinktec and its international exhibitions, executive director BrauBeviale Andrea Kalrait, executive director drinktec
Cluster Markus Kosak, and executive director operations Moritz Müller.
