The 2020 edition of the huge Biofach trade show and Congress gets underway today in Nuremberg.
So, what are the big trends we are going to see in evidence at this year’s show, and what is currently motivating the organic world? The show organisers have whittled it down to four, very clear trends.
Packaging
Rather than waiting for the next new product to come along, more and more consumers would rather have their favourite existing products arrive in environment-friendly packaging – or, stripped of all packaging. It just goes to show that organic is more than a question of contents – it’s about taking a holistic view of a product’s entire lifecycle. There is plenty of evidence on the show floor of how manufacturers are rising to the challenge of improving their existing packaging, and minimising the amount of material used. Some are using reusable containers, others supporting reforestation projects and setting ambitious carbon cutting targets. Look out for everything from edible packaging, to smart cleaning products.
Vegan 2.0
The vegan market is entering a new phase of development – Biofach calls it Vegan 2.0. With demand for vegan and plant-based products growing strongly, vegan product innovation is going thorough a golden age. On the showfloor you’ll find everything from barista milk alternatives, almond butter with algae, organic oat cream, coconut whipped cram and gourmet jackfruit salads.
“The idea of end-to-end regional supply is on the rise, enabling consumers to choose from a growing diversity of locally sourced organic food and drink”
Region 2.0
Along with the trend towards ‘localism’ is a growing interest in all things regional. Call it Regional 2.0. In essence, it’s about celebrating a region’s food culture, its traditions and history – and, importantly, it’s about making an emotional connection with the consumer. The idea of end-to-end regional supply is on the rise, enabling consumers to choose from a growing diversity of locally sourced organic food and drink.
Open pollinated varieties (think farmer independence!)
Organic breeding is viable for the future if it makes an active contribution to biodiversity. Unlike hybrids, openly pollinated plants are tuning our focus back to older species. For farmers, this means greater independence from the small number of major suppliers around the world, since they can obtain the seed thy need for future years from their own cultivation. It’s not just the farming community which iOS on top of this important trend, major chain store operators are becoming more politically aware, or are committing to0 maintaining genetic variety in their seed stocks, and thus to organic cultivation with a healthy, diverse future.