Conferences have taken pride of place in IFEAT activities and are a vital component of its annual operations. A sizeable proportion of IFEAT’s administrative activities are spent on conference planning and organisation, and as conferences have grown both in the number of participants and in the range of activities offered, so their complexity has increased. Prior to 2020, the last time an annual IFEAT Conference was unable to be held was almost 40 years ago when the planned Cairo Conference was cancelled in 1981 following the assassination a few days earlier of the Egyptian president. In later years political and economic instability have created uncertainties about holding conferences in Tel Aviv, Jakarta, Buenos Aires and Montreal but solutions were found, often at very short notice, and the annual conferences went ahead.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 led to the postponement of the Berlin Conference in October 2020 and global travel and quarantine restrictions ruled out the possibility of holding a physical conference at another location. Determined that the “show must go on” IFEAT decided to organise its first Virtual Conference (VC) from 19th to 21st January 2021. The title of Keeping the Industry Together, reflected IFEAT’s unique achievement over the past 40 years of organising annual conferences that brought together all the stakeholders in the F&F industry.

IFEAT’s VC Committee and a small IFEAT staff team faced a very short time frame and a very steep learning curve on how to organise its first VC. Unlike a physical conference, organising a VC does not necessitate decisions on a location, venue, hotels, catering, entertainment or field trips. However, it does require key decisions on the selection of dates and times, and most importantly the choice of a suitable platform and partner to meet the diverse needs of an IFEAT Conference. This includes organising a programme of presentations and panel discussions over a three-day period, while trying to meet the needs of delegates operating in a wide range of time zones, the selection of suitable networking opportunities and facilities, recruiting presenters and session chairs as well as attracting sponsors and the promotion and marketing of the VC.

Given the considerable constraints faced, the VC was recognised as being very successful, and going forward the experience and knowledge acquired will be beneficial in organising future IFEAT events. For example:

• It creates the potential for future “hybrid” IFEAT events, in which both actual and virtual events are combined, thus enabling greater participation of people from the F&F sector in IFEAT’s increasingly diverse activities. The VC attracted new participants, both IFEAT members and non-members, who for various reasons (e.g. cost, logistics, travel restrictions) might have been unable to participate in the actual conference but were able to participate in a VC.
• Another very successful VC initiative was the detailed crop reports presented on each of the three days. These dealt with three of the largest groups of F&F ingredients, namely mint, citrus and spices. Going forward, crop reports could become a feature of IFEAT Conferences.
• Until 14th March 2021 all delegates were able to watch the recordings of the live presentations and panel discussions as well as previous conference presentations. This proved to be another successful initiative that could be carried forward to future IFEAT events.
• Companies were able to hold their own webinars and make presentations to all the delegates – again, another  possible initiative for future conferences.
• Despite the lower number of delegates at the VC than at recent IFEAT Conferences, the audience levels at the live presentations and panel discussions were higher than at an actual conference. In part this is because networking and seeing clients and making new contacts is the major raison d’être behind conference attendance.

What did VC delegates receive for their relatively small booking fee?

• Network with over 500 registered delegates.
• Visit over 100 “virtual booths” that companies and individuals had established to facilitate their networking opportunities
• The sponsoring companies and “virtual booth” holders, besides holding private meetings, were able to hold their own webinars, as well as disseminate videos and a range of other material about their operations and products. While “virtual booths” went some way towards facilitating meetings and networking they were unable to fully re-create an actual conference networking experience, in part because of the inability to smell and taste products.
• There were 14 video presentations of speakers from the past three conferences in Athens 2017, Cartagena 2018 and Bali 2019 available to watch on demand throughout and after the live event.
• Participation in a whole series of presentations, panel discussions, crop reports each with their own Q/A sessions over a three-day period. In all there were 33 presentations and three extremely informative panel discussions on:

• • Business & Naturals: 2020 and 2021 Trends & Challenges
  • Regulatory and Scientific Issues
  • Aromatherapy: Science and Safety

Many of the Virtual Conference presentations and panel discussions analysed both the negative and positive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the F&F and aromatherapy sectors as well as the global economy. Some sectors were badly affected (e.g. fine fragrances and food services) while others have benefitted considerably (e.g. aromatherapy and products with antiseptic and medicinal qualities). During the past year the F&F and related sectors have shown the ability to adapt and innovate in the face of considerable adversity.

There is no doubt that the world of essential oils and F&F will witness further transformational changes in the decades ahead. In organising a successful VC at short notice, IFEAT has shown its ability to adapt quickly to a rapidly changing environment both globally and locally – and this bodes well for the continued success of IFEAT in an ever-changing world. Nevertheless, we are all looking forward to meeting up again face to face at an actual IFEAT Conference!

Thank you to our 112 exhibitors!

A. Fakhry & Co.
Absolute Aromas Ltd
Aditi International
AGRI-ESSENCE (SINGAPORE) Co Pte Ltd
AGRUMARIA CORLEONE SPA
Agrumaria Reggina
American College of Healthcare Sciences
Anhui Fengle Perfume Co., Ltd
Aromaticas Zalabi
Arora Aromatics Pvt Ltd
Arylessence, Inc.
ASHAPURA AROMAS PVT LTD
Ashna Samai S.C.C.
Associate Allied Chemicals Europe
Atmosphaer Ltd
Atomic Donut
B.D. Aromatics Pvt. Ltd.
B.D.Aromatics Pvt. Ltd.
Berje Inc.
Best Value Chem Pvt Ltd
Bhoomi Natural Products & Exports Pvt Ltd
BIOLANDES
BLH s.a.s.
BMV Fragrances Pvt Ltd
Bordas
Brüder Unterweger GmbH
C.E. Roeper GmbH
Campisi Citrus s.r.l.
Cedarome Canada Inc.
Citrus and Allied Essences Ltd
D.V.DEO INDUSTRIES
DHYANA Aromatherapy International Co., Ltd
Dutjahn Sandalwood Oils
Enio Bonchev Production Ltd.
EOAS INTERNATIONAL
Ernesto Ventos SA
Essential Oil COOM LLC
Essential Oils and Herbs ltd.
Etheleo LP
Eucaforest (Pty) Ltd
Flavex Naturextrakte GmbH
FP Aromatics Singapore
GALEN-N Ltd
GANGOTRI ESSENTIAL OILS PVT. LTD.
Ginger Fragrances & Ingredients
Givaudan Flavour Ingredients
Global Essence, Inc.
Gradishte Agro Ltd
GRUPO TECNAAL
Haldin Pacific Semesta, PT
Hashem Brothers for Essential Oils & Aromatic Products
HERBAROM LABORATOIRE
HIERBAS PATAGONICAS SRL
Hindustan Mint & Agro Products Pvt. Ltd
Horizon Sopyrwa Ltd
ICATS Education Ltd
Imexco International Pvt Ltd
INDO-GSP CHEMICALS LLP
Indukern
JACARANDAS Sarl
Jasmine Concrete Exports Pvt. Ltd.
Jiangsu Xinrui Aromatics Ltd.
Joh. Vögele KG
Kallin International Ltd.
Kancor Ingredients Ltd.
Kunshan Odowell co.,ltd
L.B. Spices Trading (PVT) Ltd
Lebermuth
Lionel Hitchen Ltd
Lluch Essence
Maharashtra Aldehydes and Chemicals Limited
Mamta Polycoats
Mentha & Allied Products Private Limited
Metainy Essential Oils
MOELLHAUSEN S.P.A.
Natural Resources Industries Pvt. Ltd
Nature’s Fusions, LLC
neo botanika – Somaliland
Norex Flavours Private Limiited
Oriental Aromatics Limited
Padmini Aromatics
PLANT LIPIDS PRIVATE LIMITED
PT Indowangi Nusajaya
PT Karimun Kencana Aromatics
PT Natura Aromatik Nusantara
PT Sinkona Indonesia Lestari
PT Van Aroma
PT. Indo Aneka Atsiri
QUINTIS SANDALWOOD PTY LTD
SACMAR SRL
SANTIS
SARITA BIO NATURALS
Sensient Technologies Essential Oils S.L.U.
Shree Bankey Behari Lal Group
Silvestris & Szilas Ltd
Sirona Jsc
SOLVAY
Som Extracts Ltd.
Tanemura & Co.LTD.
TECHVINA
The Monell Center
Tisserand Institute
Tournaire S.A.
Trade Channel Inc.
Triglav-Edelvais Ltd.
Ultra International Inc.
ULTRA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Ultra International UK Limited
Vessel Essential Oils
Yamamoto Perfumery Co. Ltd
Young Living Essential Oils
ZAYAT AROMA