Building a Fruit Attraction stand means competing for the attention of fresh produce buyers from all over the world in a few intense days at IFEMA Madrid. At Fruit Attraction 2024 we designed and built a 68 m² stand for the organic producer Haciendas Bio. This recap looks back at that edition and walks through how we created the stand, step by step: audience, concept, layout, materials, graphics and build-up.
If you are planning to exhibit at the next edition, our Fruit Attraction stand design page covers the service, venue and dates. This post is the story of one real project and the method behind it.
Fruit Attraction 2024 in brief
Fruit Attraction is one of the world’s leading trade fairs for the fruit and vegetable industry. The 2024 edition was held on 8, 9 and 10 October at IFEMA Madrid, bringing together producers, exporters, distributors, retailers and suppliers of technology, packaging and logistics.
It is not only a Spanish event. More than 130 countries are represented at the show, so a stand has to speak to a very diverse audience: buyers from European supermarket chains, importers from outside the EU and local distributors, often on the same day.
Innovation and sustainability at the centre
Innovation and sustainability were among the main themes of the 2024 edition. For exhibitors that means a stand should reflect those values convincingly, whether by showing organic products, presenting technology that reduces environmental impact, or simply building the stand with responsible materials. For an organic brand like Haciendas Bio, this was essential.
Step 1: understand who will visit the stand
The first step in creating an effective stand is understanding who you are talking to. At Fruit Attraction, visitors can be distributors, wholesalers, retailers or, in fewer cases, end consumers, and each group needs something different.
- Distributors and wholesalers want to know about production volumes, logistics, continuity of supply and price.
- Retail and supermarket buyers look at quality, presentation, packaging and flavour.
- Partners and suppliers come to discuss technology, packaging or services.
Knowing the mix of visitors you expect lets you decide what to show, how much space to give to tastings or meetings, and what information the team needs to have ready.
Step 2: the concept
Every stand starts with a central idea that must be aligned with the brand and the message. Throughout the process we work closely with the client so the design reflects the brand accurately. For a Fruit Attraction stand, three elements matter in particular:
- Brand colours: a palette that represents the brand and stands out in a busy hall.
- Logos and graphics: clear and visible from a distance, so buyers can find you from the aisle.
- Theme: a concept linked to the product or the company’s story. For an organic producer, a natural aesthetic with recyclable materials and plants is a logical choice.
Step 3: layout and functionality
A stand must be attractive, but above all it must work. The design should make it easy for visitors to interact with the brand. The main points we considered for Haciendas Bio were:
- Use of space: visitors must be able to move freely without feeling trapped, while every metre of the allocated space is put to use. For Haciendas Bio we designed a stand of 8 m x 8.5 m (68 m²).
- Interactive areas: how will visitors engage with the product? Tastings, live demonstrations or touchscreens all work at a produce show.
- Lighting: the right lighting makes fresh produce look its best and creates a welcoming atmosphere.
3D design before production
Once the concept is clear, we create a 3D design of the stand. It lets both the client and our team see exactly how the space will look at the show and make adjustments before anything is built. It also helps our production and build-up teams share the same picture of the final result.
Step 4: production and materials
With the design approved, the stand moves into production in our workshop. This is the step that turns the drawings into reality, and two decisions are critical.
Material selection
Materials must last through several days of intensive use, transport and build-up, and they must also be consistent with the brand’s message. We prefer recyclable or lower-impact materials wherever the project allows. For Haciendas Bio, most of the stand was built with timber from controlled logging, containing 80% recyclable material. For an organic producer, that choice made the brand’s values visible. Our guide to sustainable exhibition stands explores these options in more depth.
Graphics
Graphics and signage must be printed to a high standard so the brand and products look professional. Text should be legible from a distance and images sharp. In the image below you can see how the graphics and materials worked together on the stand.
Step 5: build-up at IFEMA Madrid
Build-up must be completed with enough time before the show opens. Our own crew installed the stand within the venue’s build-up schedule. At this stage the details make the difference: lights correctly aimed, graphics perfectly finished and every element working. Before handover we test lighting, sound and any other technology on the stand.
For international exhibitors, IFEMA’s procedures can be unfamiliar: plan submission, service orders, contractor passes and delivery slots. We handle these as part of the project. More on our approach in Madrid on the stand design in Madrid page.
The day before opening
The day before the show, it is worth doing a full check of the stand, from graphics to electronic equipment. Make sure the team on the stand is briefed and that promotional materials are organised and ready. A short walk-through with the client avoids last-minute stress on the first morning.
You can see how the Haciendas Bio stand looked at Fruit Attraction 2024 in this short video.
Displaying fresh produce on a stand: practical points
Fresh produce is a demanding product to exhibit. It has to look perfect for three long days under artificial light, in a warm hall, and be handled by hundreds of visitors. A few points we always plan for on food and produce stands:
- Refrigerated display and back-up storage: chilled units for the most delicate products and a stock area to replace them each morning.
- Lighting that respects the product: light with good colour rendering shows fruit and vegetables at their true colour; heat-generating spotlights close to the product should be avoided.
- Tasting logistics: a prep surface, hand-washing, bins and a discreet way to manage waste, all agreed with the venue’s services in advance.
- Easy-to-clean finishes: counters and floors around tastings must survive spills and frequent cleaning.
- Space for buyers to sit: most deals at Fruit Attraction are discussed at a table, not standing in the aisle.
Exhibiting at Fruit Attraction from abroad
Many Fruit Attraction exhibitors come from outside Spain. For them, the practical questions are often more pressing than the design: who handles the plans for IFEMA, how the stand gets to Madrid, who is on site during build-up and how the invoice works. We take care of design, production in our Barcelona workshop, transport, plan submission, service orders, build-up and dismantling, with one English-speaking contact and one invoice from a Spanish company. Reusable elements can be stored in our workshop for the next edition, which lowers the cost of returning each year.
What we learnt building a Fruit Attraction stand in 2024
- Design for an international audience. Clear visuals and simple messages work better than dense text when buyers come from dozens of countries.
- Balance display and meetings. Buyers come to do business, so space to sit down matters as much as product display.
- Make sustainability visible. At a show where it is a central theme, materials say more than slogans.
- Plan around the calendar. For an October show, the brief should be ready before the summer break, ideally 3–4 months ahead.
For a full month-by-month plan, read our exhibition stand planning checklist, and browse more food and beverage exhibition stands we have designed. You can also see our wider portfolio on the stand projects page.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was Fruit Attraction 2024 held?
Fruit Attraction 2024 took place on 8, 9 and 10 October 2024 at IFEMA Madrid. It is held every year in October; check the official IFEMA website or our Fruit Attraction page for the current edition’s dates.
How big was the Haciendas Bio stand?
The stand measured 8 m x 8.5 m, a total of 68 m². The size and layout were defined around the space allocated by the organiser and the client’s need for display, meeting and storage areas.
Who visits Fruit Attraction?
Mainly trade visitors from the fresh produce chain: distributors, wholesalers, importers, retail and supermarket buyers, logistics and packaging companies. Distributors tend to focus on volumes, logistics and price, while retail buyers pay more attention to quality, presentation and flavour.
What makes a good Fruit Attraction stand?
A clear brand image visible from the aisle, a layout that lets buyers circulate freely, product displays or tastings that show freshness and quality, good lighting, legible graphics and space for meetings. Sustainability should be visible in the materials, not only in the message.
Can a fresh produce stand be built with sustainable materials?
Yes. Most of the Haciendas Bio stand was built with timber from controlled logging containing 80% recyclable material, which suited an organic brand. We look for similar solutions on every project where the client’s budget and the design allow it.
How early should we start preparing a stand for Fruit Attraction?
Ideally 3–4 months before the show, which for an October edition means briefing your stand builder in early summer. Remember that August is a slow month for suppliers in Spain, so approvals should not be left until then.
Exhibiting at the next Fruit Attraction?
We design, build and install custom stands at IFEMA Madrid from our workshop in Barcelona, with over 20 years of experience. Call +34 933 17 17 71, email factoriacreativa@factoriacreativa.net or contact us for a concept and quote.
