ABNB Makes its Public Debut at Fruit Logistica and Beyond @bananenbuendnis#ABNB#FruitLogistica With 11kg/per capita of bananas consumed in Germany each year, have you ever wondered how this tropical fruit makes its way across the globe to your plate? The Action Alliance for Sustainable Bananas made its public debut in Berlin at Fruit Logistica and Brussels’ HDE Spring festival, where key members captivated audiences with their case for sustainable bananas from seedling to dessert. In a panel discussion at the fruit logistica, the largest fruit and vegetable fair in the world, the Action Alliance for Sustainable Bananas (ABNB) shared their insights. Attendees discovered first-hand the reasons why amongst others, Kaufland and Fyffes are active in the ABNB and what benefits a commitment brings. A vivid discussion followed the panel and showed that many stakeholders were interested in the work of the ABNB. Producers, in particular, stressed that it is important to work on more sustainable supply chains and value distribution. The audience could comment during the panel discussion on motivations to join the ABNB – mutual respect and fair collaborations were the biggest drivers. The Action Alliance has set itself the long-term goal to make the entire value chain of the bananas sold in Germany more[CNdR1] sustainable. Partners from retail, export, import, production, consumer organisations, and NGOs will work in joint projects and exchange knowledge in regular workshops. A constructive and trustworthy collaboration is a key element of ABNB’s work. Founding members Fyffes and Kaufland are joined by the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), the Global Nature Fund (GNF), Oxfam, Südwind, and TransFair (Fairtrade Germany). Following the ABNB’s success at Fruit Logistica in Berlin, we travelled with fellow Alliance member Kaufland to Brussels to participate in the retail trade association (HDE) Spring Festival. The event was organised by BVLH, Edeka, Ikea, Kaufland/Lidl and Metro Group and focused on local products, sustainable solutions, and innovative strategies as key themes of this year’s festival. It was a great opportunity to discuss the ABNB, and its goals and our exhibition stand drew interest from both retailers and policy makers attending this event. The next ABNB Stakeholder Workshop will be held on 23 May, 2017 near Heilbronn hosted by Kaufland. If you are interested in participating, please contact the project secretariat Alexandra Kessler for more information