Rolf Keller, management board member of Nuremberg Messe, which hosted the three-day event, declared Brau to be the most significant show for the sector in the world.
With more than 1,300 exhibitors, of which 44% were from outside Germany, and visitor numbers expected to top 31,000, the show is not just a reflection of the industry but a growth driver, he said
Company talk from the floor was of full order books, not just for this year – but also for next, added Keller.
And the growth potential from emerging markets in South East Asia combined with annual global population growth of 80m meant the beverage sector had good reason for long term optimism.