Exhibitors at this year’s Green Week and visitors from outside Berlin spent around 150 million euros in the city during the fair.

“Our hall is again one of the most popular. Visitors and exhibitors alike enjoy the welcoming atmosphere, the mood and the excellent quality of the presentation.“
Till Backhaus, Minister for Agriculture and the Environment, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania
Hungary: pálinka – a Hungarian speciality
Pálinka is a ‘Hungaricum’ – an original product from Hungary. This is a fruit brandy, made from a wide range of fruits such as sour cherries, apricots, blackcurrants, pears, plums or quinces. The name Pálinka may only be used for fruit brandies made from Hungarian fruit or pomace (the residues after pressing) and produced in Hungary in accordance with a strict purity law. Added sugar, alcohol or aromatics are not permitted. As well as the traditional varieties there are also some rather unusual liqueurs such as pálinka made with pumpkins or rowan berries. These fine brandies can be served either as an aperitif or as a digestive. To taste pálinka properly one should use an appropriate glass: This should be spherical and narrower at the top, in order to savour the full aroma of the brandy.
KEY-GATE intends to provide added value in producing countries
“KEY-GATE is a privately owned company devoted to economic development and collaboration“, explained its CEO Frank E. W. Fromme. ”Our focus is on Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and on small to medium-sized businesses.“ The basis is provided by a special online platform and the objective is to develop added value in the producer countries, Fromme stated. “This involves working together to develop brands and to consolidate these partnerships through joint ventures. In this way we work together to become exporters and importers.“ The  end result is an extremely high degree of identification among out partners, the CEO added.
Sweden: Elk sausage, mooseshot and liquorice chocolate
Some 20 typically Swedish products are being exhibited by Marina Bakonyi at the Green Week, all of which visitors can sample and purchase. She reported that among the very popular items with visitors are the elk liver sausage, bratwurst sausage with a 60 per cent elk content and salami with 80 per cent. Mooseshot, a bitter liqueur with 25 different herbs and spices, is also a popular choice. A new item this year is the liquorice liqueur with chilli and with raspberries, with an alcohol content of 25 per cent. Three new types of vodka have been added to the range, with blackcurrants, vanilla and grapefruit. Swedish liquorice is already well known and enjoyed by many people, and there is also liquorice chocolate, for example with strawberries or raspberries.
Organic cheese from Austrian Jersey cows
The Fürstenhof organic farm has been keeping Jerseys for the past six years. Not only are they an attractive breed, but they also produce a very special milk. It has been preferred by the British royal family for centuries, and its advantages are being increasingly recognised by gourmets and health-conscious people too. For example, it is rich in A2 milk with a special form of beta casein and is also high in omega-3 fatty acids and beta carotin. The beneficial combination of proteins in Jersey milk is ideal for making cheese and in its full fat stage it contains 45 to 50 per cent fat.
Birch water from Finland is a natural energy drink
Birch sap has been extracted in Finland since the 16th century. At the end of the frost period a tree “drinks” between 500 and 1000 litres of ground water daily, which in Arctic regions is particularly pure. Enriched with vital minerals it flows through the roots to the trunk. Birches can only be tapped for about four weeks in April, according to Kim Finne, a partner in Arctic Birch, which operates in a wood covering more than 800 hectares on an island on the west coast. Once the leaves emerge the sap tastes bitter A small hole is bored in the trunk in order to “milk“ the tree. A small tube is then inserted and up to 30 litres per day can be extracted. A wooden plug is then used to seal the hole and subsequently grows over, without harming the birch. The sap that is extracted in this way is slightly sweet and, due to its high content of antioxidants and vitamins, it is regarded as a natural energy drink. It is then bottled, and can be seen for the first time at the Green Week. In its pure form or with the addition of blueberries or cloudberries it is all set to capture a share of the German market.
Original recipes from Ukraine
Beer, wareniki (pastry pockets) and schaschlik are the items for which the most orders are received on the Ukrainian stand at the Green Week. “We have many regular customers“, said Tanja Kastek from Germol GmbH, which is running the stand. Kastek also sees the stand as a German-Ukrainian exchange programme. “We have many students here who are learning German and see this work as providing them with practical experience. All of our cooks are from Ukraine too“ This ensures that they can also prepare food in accordance with original recipes.
Armenia: brandy from the Caucasus mountains
Brandy production in Armenia is a centuries-old tradition. Armenian Brandy owes its smooth, warm aroma and its perfect, rich bouquet to a number of factors. One is the warm, dry climate and the nutrient-rich soils of the Ararat valley. The other is the Armenians’ many years of experience of distilling. Combined with soft spring water from Armenia’s mountains, they create the very finest products. A wide and distinctive range of brandy creations is available from Aniland GmbH in Berlin.
Traditional specialities from Russia
Vodka with salted gherkins, red caviar and pelmeni pastry pockets are the top sellers at the Russian gastronomic experience at the Green Week. Alexander Dell is in charge of the stand and is delighted that the people who visit him are in such a good mood. “We have been coming here for seven years and think it is a pity that Russia itself if not attending. That is what visitors tell me too“, he reported. Nevertheless the mood on the stand is good. We could not wish for better sales“, Dell said.
Belarus: caviar from herring roes
Tasty, tempting caviar creations made from herring roes are being displayed by Santa Bremor from Belarus at the Green Week. As a protein-rich spread, caviar is an important part of the diet in Belarus, helping to strengthen the immune system and improving general wellbeing. Caviar is also rich in vitamins  A, B, C and D, as well as potassium, calcium, phosphor and iron. The joint Belarusian-German company was established in 1998.
Morocco: Enjoying life with haute cuisine delicacies
The Moroccan national stand features products from agricultural cooperatives, including argan oil, citrus fruits and dates from this strategically important sector, which accounts for 16.5 per cent of GDP. Agriculture employs 40 per cent of the kingdom’s workforce. Since the Plan Maroc Vert was launched in 2008 this sector has grown by seven per cent annually, according to the Moroccan Food Exports and Coordination Organisation. Amidst all the items on display the haute cuisine chef Moha Fedal is preparing typical local dishes in a tajine. Berbers from the Tata region in southern Morocco are on hand to welcome visitors with folklore performances.
Lebanon: where oriental specialities can be enjoyed
Beef and chicken shawarma, falafel, taboulé: this year Shukry Omairat and his team are again preparing a multitude of fresh Lebanese delicacies on the stand El Salam. The counters are full of oriental delights from the Lebanese master baker, including namura, shamiat and mamoul. His pastries are bought by the German retail food sector all over the country, according to the proprietor, who has made his home in Berlin since 1995, and runs a bakery there. Following a successful pilot project last year he intends to include Lebanese-German pastries in his range soon, with items such as vanilla croissants filled with dates, and stollen baklava.

Press releases: Green Week Messe Berlin

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