Seafood Expo Global bringing the industry back together again in Barcelona

Seafood industry professionals from around the world are arriving in Barcelona, Spain this week for the 28th edition of Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global, ready to reconnect face-to-face after more than two years apart.

Formerly hosted in Brussels, Belgium, the expo comes to its new home in Barcelona with the same mission it’s always had: to provide “unparalleled access to the most expansive offering of every type of seafood product as well as equipment and services for the seafood industry from all parts of the world,” Liz Plizga, the vice president of seafood expositions for Diversified Communications, which organizes Seafood Expo Global, told SeafoodSource.

The event continues to be a truly international experience, Plizga said, with seafood suppliers from 76 countries set to exhibit at the expo’s inaugural edition at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via venue. [Editor’s note: Diversified Communications also owns and operates SeafoodSource.]

With its diverse guest list of attendees, exhibitors, and conference speakers, Seafood Expo Global and Seafood Processing Global exists as a “place where seafood professionals can efficiently maximize business opportunities, collaborate with other key stakeholders to discuss solutions to their most pressing challenges, uncover the newest innovations and trends in the industry, and find community,” according to Plizga.

“The pandemic and its ensuing logistical challenges highlighted the importance of trust and developing solid business relationships to get through difficult times, particularly in an industry with such an extensive global supply chain. Meeting face-to-face helps to strengthen relationships in a way that cannot be replicated online. Our customers are missing the human aspects of business. They have really appreciated seeing old friends and finally doing business face-to-face at our previous seafood events,” Plizga added.

The 2022 expo brings with it a lot of novelty, including the return of a three-day conference program featuring 20 educational sessions and 65 international experts, as well as new halls to explore at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via venue. The move to Spain has been generating a great deal of excitement since Diversified’s 2019 announcement, Plizga noted.

“The announcement of the move to Barcelona fueled excitement, which generated anticipation and growth for the event. It was clear Seafood Expo Global and Seafood Processing Global was outgrowing the city of Brussels. Barcelona, already home to major global events in varying industries, provides a modern venue with room to grow, a great selection of hotels, and a very pleasant environment to build relationships and conduct business,” she said.

Plizga said Fira de Barcelona Gran Via is “an updated venue providing a practical layout.”

“Our partners in the city have extensive experience working with complex international events of all sizes, which really helps the planning process. The venue also has ample space to add more educational content and we are bringing back a conference component this year with more than 20 sessions featuring a global economic outlook for 2022, topics focused on seafood business and leadership, and seafood sustainability, among other subjects,” Plizga said.

Plizga said she hopes exhibitors, speakers, and attendees at SEG will come away from this year’s expo with “a sense of community and connection within the global seafood industry, new ideas and inspiration to fuel creativity over the next year and, of course, an abundance of business opportunities due to unparalleled global visibility, connections made, and relationships strengthened at Seafood Expo Global.”

“We would like to thank our customers who have supported us through the past three years. It is with their support that we can be back with such a robust offering for the global seafood community. We are really looking forward to seeing the industry together again,” Plizga said.

Photo courtesy of Liz Plizga