Le Forum-EVEX held in Cannes as new EVA Board memb …

From 16-18 October, Le Forum-EVEX took place in Cannes, France with more than 500 participants – among them 170 operators and 83 exhibitors/sponsors – for a packed 3- day programme.

The record number of participants for an industry event like this came from 26 different countries, giving the event a truly international flavour. The prestigious Carlton Hotel on the French Riviera played a fitting host for the 3 days, with lunches & the first gala dinner in the historic ballroom of the hotel– and coffee breaks directly inside the commercial exhibition.

The venue was the perfect location to mark the 30 year anniversary of the EVA. During the Annual General Assembly meeting (AGM) on 17 October, President Sergio Barbarisi and Director General Erwin Wetzel, outlined not only the successes of the Association over the last year, but also the key milestones of the EVA since its foundation in 1994. Numerous important accomplishments and highlights were mentioned, including the changes the EVA achieved at the time to the 50 cent Euro coin,  the publications of valuable industry standards, and the first iterations of the market report, among many others. On the evening of 16 October, the anniversary of the EVA was appropriately marked and celebrated during a gala dinner.

During the EVA AGM, Aslak de Silva (Selfly Store) was elected as a new EVA Executive Committee member. This marks the first time that a smart vending solutions provider is directly represented on the Board and can be seen as a strong signal from EVA Members to reflect a changing reality of the industry as newer segments and sales channels become ever more interesting for machine operators.

In addition to key business networking opportunities throughout Le Forum-EVEX, attendees were able to take advantage of a packed programme of conferences and workshops led by FCM magazine (Food&Coffee Markets), NAVSA (The French Vending Association) and the EVA (The European Vending & Coffee Service Association), as well as a multi-day exhibition directly in the hotel itself.

On the evening of 17 October, attendees enjoyed a ‘white evening’ at a nearby location, where the Innovation Awards 2024 were also be presented, with the following entries picking up the awards:

• Best product (awarded by the jury): Purity c IQ by Brita
• Best concept (awarded by the jury): Masterpiece by Televend
• Best innovation (awarded by the attendees): Purity c IQ by Brita

Many congratulations to the winners, and also to all the entries that were submitted – there is a true wealth of exciting technologies and developments right now in the industry. And with industry revenue across Europe now fully recovered from the pandemic, it could be great moment for machine operators to consider implementing some of these new innovations that can push their business to the next level.

As one event ends, the next is already being planned.

The EVA is pleased to officially announce that EVEX 2025 will be held from 9-12 September in the beautiful Croatian city of Split, located directly on the Damatian coastline.

As in previous years, EVEX 2025 will once again be fully organised by the EVA and we are excited to head to a new location and help members and participants discover the Croatian vending market – and indeed that of the wider Balkan region. Stayed tuned for further information!