Global Market Offers Opportunities for Natural Products

The natural products theme in its many forms, including organic, bio and GMO-free, is expected to dominate this years Anuga 2013, which takes place Oct. 5 to 9 in Cologne, Germany. Anuga, held biennially, is a central business and communications platform that brings together suppliers and top-decision makers from the global retail trade and foodservice/catering markets to debut innovative new products. Anuga features 10 specialized trade show segments in one location: Bread & Bakery, Hot Beverages; Chilled & Fresh Foods; Dairy; Drinks; Fine Food; Foodservice; Frozen Food; Meat; Organic; and RetailTec.

More than 6,700 exhibitors from almost 100 countries were on hand for the 2011 exposition, as an estimated 155,000 decision makers from 180 countries visited the 10 halls. Product and packaging developers, as well as ingredient suppliers, also find Anuga beneficial, as it helps identify trends and provide ideas for future innovations.

The USA Pavilions are a popular destination for international buyers and distributors and offer exhibitors a highly visible platform to display products made in America." Of the 165 U.S. companies that exhibited at Anuga 2011, 90 percent chose the USA Pavilion platform to promote their brands, generating $15.6 million in on-site sales and over $169.6 million in 12-month projected sales.

For 2013, Anuga organizers have identified 10 trend topics that will be highlighted throughout the segments. These trends are becoming increasingly important to all types of natural products manufacturers, and include Halal, kosher, organic and Fair Trade products; health and functional food; private label; and vegetarian.

The focus on organic and healthy foods was seen at the 2011 event. One launch was organic bamboo tea from Koreas Bambuland; the product is made with very young leaves from the bamboo plant that can only be harvested during five weeks of the year. Italys Acetaia Giuseppe Cremonini s.r.l., introduced Drinkvinegar, a concentrated flavored vinegar diluted with water  and available in flavors such as blueberry, cherry and pomegranate. Both bamboo tea and vinegar are claimed to possess beautifying ingredients, complementing the trend of beauty from within."

Germanys Wikana introduced Organic Fairtrade Quinoa Cocoa Biscuits with Chocolate Pieces. Half of the ingredients are Fair Trade and sourced from South America. Pema Wholegrain bread from Pema Vollkorn-Spezialitaten Heinrich Leupoldt KG, Germany, is made with a special high beta-glucan barley grain that is light, fine and mild. The company says this high-fiber bread is easier to digest that many others.

Germanys C.W. Tropicai GmbH introduced Tropicai Coconut Blossom Sugar. This unrefined sugar is made from the nectar of blossoms from organic coconut trees. The nectar is allowed to caramelize, forming sugar crystals that are then pulverized and sifted into a fine sugar with a unique taste.

This years show is being promoted with the phrase: Because tomorrow morning, today will already be yesterday. Organizers are emphasizing the importance of being on top of innovation.