More halls, more exhibitors and lots of appreciation: InterTabac & InterSupply reach record levels in 2024
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International trade fair duo with a high level of satisfaction among exhibitors and visitors.
The diverse range of exhibitors and the top-class supporting program once again ensured that Dortmund was the “place to be” for the entire tobacco industry in 2024. What’s more, interest in the trade fair duo InterTabac and InterSupply was so high that several records were broken. For example, more than 800 exhibitors from almost 70 countries were on site for the first time. They presented themselves in a total of eleven halls. International trade visitors were able to experience products, innovations and services from all industry segments in the Dortmund exhibition halls. As a result, around 94 percent intend to return next year.
Dortmund, 23.09.2024 – Sabine Loos, Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen Group, is correspondingly positive: “The enormous turnout and the lively interest once again make it clear that the trade fair duo is the world’s leading forum for innovation, professional dialog and business deals.”
Many decision-makers from the specialist tobacco trade, wholesale, food retail and retail trade as well as the service sector took advantage of the many opportunities to maintain and further develop their networks, discover new products or find out about current topics and trends. The top-class supporting program offered the best basis for the latter: specialist presentations and discussion panels designed and conducted by industry experts from all segments provided participants with an in-depth insight into the most important topics, trends and challenges in the tobacco industry. Unique events and exciting awards, including premieres and world firsts, rounded off the trade fair program.
Sabine Loos sums up: “The trade fair was once again a magnet for buyers, retailers and trade visitors looking for fresh ideas to optimize their product portfolio. The strong presence of international exhibitors, who were able to present their products and services to a wide audience, was particularly pleasing. This lays the foundations for new, fruitful trade relationships and cultivates existing ones.”
Finest tobacco varieties and fine cigars
InterTabac and InterSupply recorded rising exhibitor numbers in all areas. The main focus was traditionally on the classic segment – from cigars, pipes, cigarettes, cigarillos and pipe tobacco to Roll Your Own/Make Your Own (RYO/MYO) and fine cuts. This is also shown by the number of areas occupied by the corresponding exhibitors from all over the world: their offerings were located in Halls 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and thus accounted for a large part of the exhibitor area. In total, more than 100 exhibitors from the cigar sector alone were represented in Dortmund. Bodo Mehrlein, Managing Director of the Bundesverband der Zigarrenindustrie e.V. (BdZ), concluded: “For cigar manufacturers, InterTabac was an ideal platform for presenting their products and making contact with national and international customers.”
Anyone interested in smoking accessories was not far away: these were strategically placed in Halls 6 and 8.
Michael von Foerster, Managing Director of the Verband der deutschen Rauchtabakindustrie e.V. (VdR), said on the last day of the trade fair: “This year’s InterTabac was a complete success from the point of view of the German tobacco industry. Both the commercial contacts and the numerous discussions within the industry are the compelling arguments for our members to be part of the trade fair every year.”
Unbroken interest in Next Generation Products
In addition to traditional smoking products, innovative alternatives – Next Generation Products (NGPs) – have been popular for several years. This growing market was to be found in the Westfalenhalle, Halls 1, 1b, 2 and the adjacent passages and parts of Hall 3, together with the vaping industry and everything to do with e-cigarettes and e-liquids. Heat-not-burn products, potentially risk-reduced products (PRRP), products containing cannabidiol and products for oral intake such as nicotine pouches and snus were located in Halls 5 and 6.
“The variety of products and exhibitors demonstrates the unique innovative capacity of our industry,” summarized Jan Mücke, Managing Director of the German Tobacco and Novel Products Association.
Innovative solutions for retailers
The design and comfort of the sales and presentation areas also played an important role for the trade visitors to the trade fair duo. In the foyer area of the North Entrance, everything revolved around the modern point of sale (POS) and solutions for tobacco, food and retail outlets, petrol stations, kiosks and vape stores. Comprehensive options for optimizing retail space were on display. The range of products impressively illustrated how crucial a well thought-out and appealing store design is for success and increased sales.
Steffen Kahnt, Managing Director of the Bundesverband des Tabakwaren-Einzelhandels e.V. (BTWE), summarized after three days at the trade fair: “Anyone who wants to expand their know-how and loves inspiration for their business must come to InterTabac in Dortmund. It is extremely important for specialist retailers to always be up to date with innovations, especially in the area of new generation products, and thus offer customers the best possible shopping experience.”
InterSupply: From raw tobacco to high-tech machines
The exhibitors at InterSupply in Hall 3 gave visitors the usual deep dive into the entire production chain of the tobacco industry. From raw tobacco, flavours and additives to the latest machines for production and packaging, all processing steps were presented that advance, optimize and make the production of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and water pipes more efficient. The number of exhibitors at InterSupply increased by 15 percent to 150 companies. The trade fair left a lasting impression: so much so that 100 percent of exhibitors said they would participate again next year!
“These figures prove us right. After receiving a lot of feedback from our exhibitors from all over the world, we launched InterSupply in 2015 to complement InterTabac. This ‘one-stop store’, which we now offer our trade visitors, has closed a gap in the market. Decision-makers and companies thank us for this with their high level of commitment to this trade fair,” commented Sabine Loos on this good news.
World of shisha and cannabis trends
The shisha theme world in Hall 8 gave interested visitors an insight into the current status of traditional water pipes, tobacco varieties with a wide variety of flavors, as well as disposable e-shishas and accessories such as charcoal, mouthpieces, hoses, seals and much more.
New this year was the closer spatial connection of the CB EXPOwhich took place in the immediate vicinity of the North Entrance. At last year’s premiere in Dortmund, it was located in the Congress Center. Numerous exhibitors and visitors as well as 100 speakers met on the InterTabac grounds over the three days, exchanged ideas with each other and with the tobacco and vape industry, discussed the currently relevant topics of the cannabis industry on three stages and offered products and services. Interest in the topic of cannabis has grown noticeably again since April 1, 2024, including around the CB Expo in Dortmund.
Ben Arn, Managing Director of CB Company and organizer of CB Expo, was satisfied with the initial conclusion: “The merger of CB Expo with InterTabac makes perfect sense, especially as the legalization of cannabis for recreational use continues in Europe, as the tobacco, vape and cannabis industries have extremely many points of contact as well as common challenges.”
Satisfied exhibitors and visitors from all over the world
In total, around 56 percent of visitors to InterTabac and InterSupply this year had an international background, with many of them coming from the USA and Canada, Ecuador, Brazil and Argentina, for example. Those responsible for the trade fair duo registered a high number of participants from the Asian region, particularly from China, Indonesia, India and South Korea. Numerous interested visitors also came from the United Arab Emirates and countries such as South Africa and Egypt. InterTabac and InterSupply also once again recorded a high number of European visitors, for example from the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Austria and the Benelux countries. The response from Germany was also strong: around 44 percent of visitors came from Germany to exchange ideas and obtain information on site.
As in 2023, retail accounted for the largest share of visitors with more than 30% – followed by wholesale and foreign trade (around 29%) and manufacturing/industry (around 19%). Among them all, decision-makers from the respective companies were primarily represented with a constant 88%.
The verdict of the international audience at the end of the three days of the trade fair was clear: Around 94 percent – two percent more than last year – want to return in 2025. No wonder: almost 89 percent of trade visitors stated that they were completely satisfied with their visit to the trade fairs. The majority of exhibitors at InterTabac – around 88% – were also in favor of returning to the trade fair in 2025.
Support from international partners and delegations
The sister trade fairs InterTabac and InterSupply were not only characterized by an impressive international presence in terms of exhibitors and trade visitors. Strong support came not only from members of international delegations, but also from a large number of industry partners and associations from all over the world. Sabine Loos is delighted with the broad range of partners and supporters: “The strong commitment of our partners and associations once again underlines the outstanding importance of InterTabac and InterSupply as the industry’s leading international trade fair. The presence of high-caliber representatives from business and politics and the global exchange that we facilitate together create a platform that is unique in the world. This not only meets the current needs of the industry. It offers the opportunity to provide unique impetus for its future development. The diversity and expertise of our partners contribute significantly to the success of the trade fairs and strengthen their position as the world’s leading trade fair.”
New launches and popular classics in the supporting program
The team behind InterTabac and InterSupply is always on the lookout for innovative concepts that further increase the added value and information content of the supporting program and thus the trade fairs. Once again this year, exciting new formats have been added to the program: No fewer than three premieres enriched the trade fair duo’s supporting program. Firstly, there was the debut of the InterTabac World Alternative Awardswhich were launched in cooperation with “The Vaping Group”.
This award, which took place on the opening day, was the first to explicitly recognize alternative nicotine products – a novelty that closes a clear gap in this segment. The awards went to the following products: Bar Juice from
There were also many good discussions at the newly introduced networking event PouchXchange on Friday evening in Hall PA4. No wonder, as this was an exclusive platform that enabled representatives of the nicotine pouch and snus industry to exchange ideas and network in a relaxed atmosphere. An opportunity that many of them took advantage of and appreciated.
The finale of the Mission Mixologist on Saturday afternoon on the stage in the North Entrance. Six talented finalists, who had competed at the
On the one hand, the Cigar Trophy Awards, which were presented on Thursday evening by Cigar Journal and have been considered one of the most important awards in the cigar industry since their introduction in 1998. Finally, the
Important topics such as sustainability and regulations were in demand
In addition, the trade fair duo’s supporting program was once again defined by in-depth specialist presentations, lively discussion panels and practice-oriented workshops. This enabled participants from all segments to take an in-depth look at important trends and issues from different perspectives. In the conference program of the trade fair duo, the topics of sustainability, regulations in the industry, track & trace and tobacco alternatives scored particularly well. For example, the most popular events included the discussions “Lessons Learned? – Discussion on the implementation of track and trace systems in the cigar industry to increase transparency and efficiency” and “Future of Nicotine Technologies: Innovations and Advances in NGP products” as well as the presentation “Tobacco-Free Nicotine Pouches and Their Potential Contribution to Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Scoping Review”.
Interactive formats were also very popular. Some events such as the “Cigar Pairings” for combining cigars and fine spirits and the “Blending Tutorial” were therefore fully booked in advance.
“Year after year, it has become clear that the opportunity for personal interaction makes the trade fair duo a must-attend industry event,” concludes trade fair director Sabine Loos. “Coupled with an enormous range of products from all relevant segments and a high level of information, the complete package was once again on offer in 2024. That proves it: The course for a successful business is set here in Dortmund and the future is shaped.”
New date is already known
There is therefore great anticipation for next year’s trade fair duo. The date has already been set: InterTabac and InterSupply will open their doors again from September 18 to 20, 2025.
The latest information, trade fair highlights and news can be found on the trade fair website, on LinkedIn or directly via the newsletter. You can also see videos from the trade fair days on our Instagram account.
>>> You will find detailed exhibitor testimonials on InterTabac and InterSupply in the appendix.
Voices of associations and partners
Steffen Kahnt, Managing Director of the Bundesverband des Tabakwaren-Einzelhandels e.V. (BTWE):
“Personal contact makes all the difference, which is why our leading trade fair InterTabac is more important than ever. Anyone who wants to expand their know-how and loves inspiration for their business must come to InterTabac in Dortmund. 800 exhibitors from all segments of the industry promise plenty of input. It is extremely important for the specialist trade to always be up to date with innovations, especially in the area of new generation products, and thus offer customers the best possible shopping experience. With an exciting supporting program and numerous events, InterTabac was not only the heart of the industry, but also the perfect platform for networking and maintaining contacts. The addition of product categories such as spirits and store fittings made a visit to the trade fair even more attractive. The trade is proud of this industry event in an extremely dynamic market and would like to thank the Dortmund trade fair team for their great commitment.”
Bodo Mehrlein, Managing Director of the Federal Association of the Cigar Industry (BdZ):
“InterTabac 2024 was once again a great event and a reflection of the diversity of the tobacco industry, where the uniqueness of cigars and cigarillos as a pleasure and cultural asset was once again proven. For the cigar manufacturers, it was an ideal platform for presenting their products and making contact with national and international customers.”
Jan Mücke, Managing Director of the German Association of the Tobacco and Novel Products Industry (BVTE) and Managing Director of the German Cigarette Association (DZV):
“InterTabac 2024 was once again a complete success. We look back on this year’s leading global trade fair for tobacco and nicotine products with great satisfaction. Dortmund once again proved to be a great host. The variety of products and exhibitors demonstrates the unique innovative capacity of our industry.”
Michael von Foerster, Managing Director of the Verband der deutschen Rauchtabakindustrie e.V. (VdR): “This year’s InterTabac was a complete success from the point of view of the German tobacco industry. Both the commercial contacts and the numerous discussions within the industry are the compelling arguments for our members to be part of the trade fair every year. We are already looking forward to InterTabac 2025.”
Philip Drögemüller, Managing Director of the Bündnis für Tabakfreien Genuss e.V. (BfTG):
“InterTabac in Dortmund was a complete success for the BfTG and remains the most important platform for the e-cigarette industry. We were able to hold numerous very good discussions that provided valuable impetus for our work. We were particularly pleased with the many exciting suggestions for our political work. The trade fair once again confirmed its central importance for the exchange and further development of our industry. The InterTabac program once again offered participants valuable insights from experts.”
Oliver Pohland, Managing Director of the Verband des eZigarettenhandels e.V. (VdeH):
“InterTabac is one of the most important events of the year for us. This year, we were once again able to welcome numerous representatives from politics, the media and – particularly important for us – many of our members to our stand. We were able to exchange views on numerous current topics in intensive and personal discussions. This year’s focus was on the protection of minors and the black market, on which we presented a new factual report as part of our current campaign to protect minors. We were also able to discuss this topic in depth in many discussions and provide important impetus. We are already looking forward to InterTabac 2025.”
Ciprian Boboi, Board member Independent European Vape Alliance (IEVA):
“We are very satisfied with the results of this year’s InterTabac. Our international members were represented in large numbers in Dortmund. By signing the updated declaration of the Global Vape Alliance, the international associations have taken another important step towards global co-operation.”
Thomas SchäferManaging Director of the North Rhine-Westphalia Westphalia-Münsterland Trade Association: “The trade fair duo InterTabac & InterSupply has once again proven to be the crowning event of the tobacco world in 2024. What was hardly imaginable has nevertheless come true: The trade fair is getting bigger and more interesting from year to year. The variety and diversity of the trade fair stands, the internationality and diversity of the exhibitors and visitors, the varied supporting program and the daily rush of visitors from near and far delighted the trade fair audience and put a smile on their faces. No wonder, as the range of exhibitors, stands, areas and products was greater than ever before. Thanks and respect for the planning, preparation and realization of the trade fair to the great team of the professional trade fair company. We are already looking forward to InterTabac 2025 with excitement and great anticipation.”
Folke Rega, Managing Director of the Bundesverband Wasserpfeifentabak e.V.:
“There was also good news to report in the water pipe tobacco sector. Although the number of exhibitors fell due to the volume restrictions on packaging in the German market, which were in place until June, there was a clear signal of a new beginning. Next year, significantly more product innovations and exhibitors are expected again.”
