For four days, from 14-17 February 2018, the exhibition pairing of BIOFACH and VIVANESS brought together the international community for organic food and natural and personal cosmetics in Nuremberg. 3,238 exhibitors, including 276 at VIVANESS, presented the wide range of organic products available from 93 countries.
Two new halls, the main theme of “Next Generation” and “Organic right from the start”, the new special show on organic breeding, provided inspiration for a total of 50,200 visitors from 134 countries.
Not only the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food and the International Trade Fair for Natural and Organic Personal Care, but the sector as a whole also gave a positive report of this year’s exhibition events. Revenue from the organic market in Germany last year was 10 billion EUR, and one in every ten farms now operates organically, according to the Bund Ökologische Lebensmittelwirtschaft (German Federation of the Organic Food Industry, BÖLW). And according to IFOAM – Organics International, international revenue in 2016 totalled almost 90 billion USD.
Petra Wolf, Member of the Management Board of NürnbergMesse, comments: “The sector and the trade fair were both at their best at BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2018. Particularly impressive was the dynamism of the main theme, “Next Generation”. The sector picked up on this theme with enthusiasm and interpreted it in many different ways. You could feel it: in addition to the highly committed pioneering generation, a new “organic generation” was in evidence here, with great, inspiring ideas and projects, their own agenda for the future and a great passion for all things organic. A further highlight was the premiere of the special show on organic breeding.”
Sector displays variety, richness of ideas, professional understanding and commitment
The national honorary sponsor of BIOFACH, Bund Ökologische Lebensmittelwirtschaft (German Federation of Organic Food Producers, BÖLW) sums up the event in overwhelmingly positive terms. Dr Felix Prinz zu Löwenstein, chairman BÖLW: “The positive atmosphere at BIOFACH 2018 was palpable. Not only was the exhibition stimulated by the gratifying financial results, but the positive mood in the organic sector is also linked to the fact that ‘organic’ is becoming more and more accepted in society. The very serious discussion by the national and international organic movement at the fair on the future and development of the organic nutrition sector is something that has always characterised BIOFACH as a platform. Many prominent policy-makers at a national and state level at BIOFACH were impressed once again this year by the international organic market, the extent of its variety, its professionalism and the committed players from Germany and worldwide.”
The international patron of BIOFACH, IFOAM – Organics International, was also impressed by the atmosphere and the main theme of the exhibition pairing this year. Markus Arbenz, Executive Director IFOAM: “Proven objectives meet with new approaches! Following Organic 3.0 in the previous years, the more than 50,000 visitors to BIOFACH and VIVANESS now dealt with the question of who will lead in the future and how the story of organics will be told. The next generation has shown that it is ready in the starting gates with a huge wealth of ideas, plenty of energy and a solid professional understanding.”
How will you stay organic in the future? Or how the “next generation” considers the agenda for the future…
Under the heading of “Next Generation”, the sector players – regardless of age, background or market segment – discussed strategies, agenda and specific projects for the future of organics at this year’s BIOFACH. And not only at the congress, where almost 800 audience members and contributors gathered for the 13 individual sessions on this theme. The agenda included a wide range of topics, ranging from the political programme of the “new generation” to handing over the baton, company succession, and trends in the world of start-ups and in society in general.
Organic right from the start!
The special show, “Organic right from the start”, dealt with the question of organic breeding of plants and animals. This event marked a successful premiere at BIOFACH 2018. The location for the communication forum provided the contact point for farmers, breeders and processors, and also trade buyers. Markus Johann, Managing Director of bioverita, partner responsible for the content of “‘Organic right from the start”, is convinced: “People will now start to view and appreciate organic breeding as being more sustainable; working together with the participating breeding initiatives, we succeeded in sending out a truly convincing signal! We are very happy with the first edition of this special show, and received wonderful feedback from the sector. Overall it was extremely positive, and we made many good contacts.”
BIOFACH 2018 proves a winner as a sector meeting and driver
The exhibitors at the world’s leading fair for organic food products were extremely happy at the end of the four-day event. According to a survey by an independent institution, 87 percent of the exhibitors rated the result of their participation in the fair as positive overall. 92 percent praised the quality of the visitors to their stands, and 91 percent succeeded in reaching their target groups. For 91 percent of all exhibitors, conversations led to new business relationships. Correspondingly, 83 percent expect post-show business from the contacts made and initiated during the event. Based on the gratifying response they received, 87 percent of exhibitors intend to participate again in the future. Of the visitors, 97 percent were happy with the products and services being offered, and intend to visit BIOFACH again in the future. BIOFACH confirmed its role as a driver once more in 2018: 91 percent of exhibitors and 90 percent of visitors took new ideas and suggestions home with them.
And the Best New Product Awards go to…
Prizeworthy organic foodstuffs and natural and organic cosmetics were on show in 10 exhibition halls for the 50,200 trade visitors to BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2018. The trade visitors once again voted for the Best New Product Awards from among roughly 900 products registered at the two Novelty Stands for the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food and the International Trade Fair for Natural and Organic Personal Care.
The lucky winners at BIOFACH this year were: Käserebellen, with the Bio Sommer Rebell cheese product (category: fresh products); Schrozberger Milchbauern, with their cappuccino ice cream (frozen products); Georg Thalhammer – Gesundes von Feld and Wald, with its pumpkin seed pesto (dry products, cooking and baking); Brix Food – Max’s Organic Mints, with Max’s Organic Mints (dry products, snacks and sweets); GUTDING, with Bro – cashew pâté with olives; Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company, with Blau (drinks); and ajaa! with a bowl made of sustainable raw materials (non-food).
In addition to the BIOFACH and VIVANESS Best New Product Awards, the OLIVE OIL AWARD and the international organic wine prize MUNDUS VINI BIOFACH were also presented again this year, along with the research prize for the organic foodstuffs sector (awarded for the fifth time) at the special show “Generation Future”.
Highly successful conclusion to the largest international organic congress
This year, 9,000 delegates showed an interest in the more than 150 individual sessions at the BIOFACH and VIVANESS congress. The highlights included one of the lectures on “Next Generation”: “Generation Y & Z: Starting up organic. Access by the organic sector to the young adult target market” with youth researcher Simon Schnetzer and 175 visitors. Overall, the congress sessions on industry development reached the most participants once again this year. At BIOFACH: “The German organic market: facts, figures, analysis”, with 203 audience members and contributors, and “Global Organic Market Overview” on the international market, with 181.
Save the date for 2019 now: 13-16 February 2019
The next meeting of the international community at BIOFACH and VIVANESS will take place on 13-16 February 2019.
The visitor, exhibitor and area figures for these exhibitions have been certified in accordance with the standard definitions formulated by the FKM, the Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics.
Bio Eco Actual, International Organic Newspaper
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