From GFI to BDF – the Federal Association of Fresh Foods rebrands

Symbol of Change

The association of German-speaking wholesale markets, weekly markets and market halls is celebrating its 25th anniversary and heralding a new era. With the renaming of GFI to the ‘Bundesverband der Frischemärkte (BDF) e.V.’ (Federal Association of Fresh Markets), the association is underlining its future orientation and its commitment to making the
importance of markets even more visible as well as strengthening it further.

Uwe Kluge, chairman of the association for 20 years and managing director of Duisburg Kontor GmbH, takes pride in the association’s dynamic development: ‘Our anniversary marks a significant milestone and honours the great commitment of our members and partners. After a quarter of a century successfully representing the association, we now support the 17 most important fresh produce wholesale markets in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and northern Italy, as well as around 500 local weekly markets in Germany’s metropolitan regions.’

‚The economic, cultural, social and nutritional role of markets is greater today than ever before and at the same time still offers considerable potential for additional awareness and recognition. ‘Our markets are much more than just places of trade,’ says Kluge. ‘They are the beating heart of vibrant cities, powerful drivers of regional value creation and pillars of sustainable, resilient local supply chains. We want to highlight this role even more clearly in the future and continue to develop it in collaboration with politicians, administrators and the public. After all, a strong network of fresh produce markets means quality of life, security of supply and sustainability for our cities.’

With its new, compelling name BDF – Bundesverband der Frischemärkte, a modern corporate identity and the slogan ‘Moving Markets’, the association is sending a clear signal for contemporary communication and a stronger profile among all relevant target groups.

The milestone will be celebrated on the evening of 5 February 2026 with a special edition of the industry event FRUCTINALE at DEEP, the spectacular event location beneath the former Bötzow Brewery on Prenzlauer Allee in Berlin. The networking event, takes place every second year on the sidelines of the world’s leading trade fair of the industry – Fruit Logistica. It brings together the who’s who of committed small and medium-sized companies from production, wholesale, specialist retail and catering.

More than 250 guests from industry, politics and the media are expected to attend. Guests can look forward to many FRUCTINALE highlights, including atmospheric show acts as well as the traditional Buddy Bear awards ceremony honouring distinguished figures from the fresh produce industry.