Carsten Holm is the director of Diversified Communications UK, one of the Europe’s leading trade fair organizers with a national and international focus on events related to the organic sector. Susana Andrés Omella is the director of Organic Food Iberia & Eco Living Iberia, the Spain’s biggest trade show dedicated to organic food and sustainable products. The 2022 edition will be held on 8 and 9 June at IFEMA Madrid and is set to be the largest of all the editions celebrated to date.

Organic Food Iberia 2022’s theme is ‘Be the change’.

Carsten: Organic is a very important sustainability issue. In order for organic to be adopted we are all responsible. So, «you are the change»: you are the one who makes the decision to choose organic instead of conventional food, you decide to move the production of your farm from being conventional to being organic. You can make the change. The change could not happen without you. We try to make it personal, it’s about all of us becoming and being part of the change. We want a better tomorrow to the world. I think it’s a strapline for some years.

This sector has gone from being niche, seen maybe as an expensive luxury and something you do occasionally, to becoming an essential part of changing the way that we live, changing the way we look after our environment, changing the way we make sure to have a healthier future. The debate has moved massively. Organic is no longer an option, it is essential, it is mainstream. That is astonishing. This is partly to do with Covid-19 crisis and people being more aware of the way in which they live

«This sector has gone from being niche to becoming an essential part of changing the way that we live»

What are the main novelties the sector will find at Organic Food Iberia 2022?

Susana: There will be 25% more exhibition area than last year. In the centre of the floorplan, we will have about 17 showcookings in the Kitchen Theater, sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture – Alimentos de España. After a lot of requests, this edition will have the Speak Corner, where exhibitors will be able to present their projects and innovations. This year also sees the implementation of the EcoPack area, dedicated to suppliers of sustainable and biodegradable packaging. There will also be badges on each stand identifying Free From and/or Vegan products to make it easier for buyers to contact these exhibitors. The Innovation Zone is on, rewarding the best products and the latest trends of the last 12 months. New this year, in the Eco & Organic Awards Iberia 2022 we are introducing the Eco Packaging Award, which covers all aspects of product design, packaging and marketing, as well as the best product on Animal Production Award. ‘Meet the Buyer’ is also back again after a big success last year

There is a strong focus on international visitors.

C: When we run the show on September last year everyone had the ambition to make this one of the top fair shows within the next 10 years. That means to get more international buyers, so we are going to work very hard on that. It was very difficult last year because the world was dealing with lockdown, but we know that we have interest. Organic Food Iberia is the Southern Europe’s platform for professional business in the organic sector. We need good and strong international buyers; this is a real priority for us.

«Organic Food Iberia is the Southern Europe’s platform for professional business in the organic sector»

S: This year we will count on the participation of ICEX in the international buyers’ programme, which will help us to determine which countries are strategic for Spanish products. In parallel, we are working with Extenda, and Portugal is working with AICEP as well. We have a national and international plan.

Eco Living Iberia is expanding.

S: Last year there were requests to expand the range of cosmetics and food supplements. The big success this year is that Belgium is coming with a pavilion. We’ll have about 30 different companies joining us in the cosmetics, wellness and supplements segments, such as the certifier CAAE Cosmética. Some exhibitors have already been in 2019 and 2021 editions, and some other are new

C: If you are buying organic, you are also interested in eco-living products. It goes with that lifestyle, it makes sense. Eco Living Iberia should grow in Spain because it only become more important over the coming years.

«Eco Living Iberia should grow in Spain because it only become more important over the coming years»

What we can expect form the conferences this year?

S: Organic Food Iberia 2022 will feature three specialised seminar rooms. In the Organic and Eco Living Talks, the new European regulation will be addressed, as well as a round table of autonomous communities on the purchase of public policies. Other topics to be discussed include design and product communication. As for the Wine Talks, for the first year they will be done and managed by Spanish Organic Wines, who are the key players of this segment.

How important is to encourage new consumers to buy organic products and to include them in their weekly shopping in supermarkets?

C: To grow organic sector, part of our responsibility is to educate the consumer. We are now playing a really important role. And it’s not about selling stands, it’s about changing habits, changing the way people do things, changing consumer’s minds. That’s what we do and we are lucky to be in this position.

S: It’s really important that we do this kind of education. People should know how to identify what an organic product is, not only why but what. The EU is putting a lot of pressure in all 27 Member states to help consumers identify the EU label, promote organic products and increase organic consumption.

C: To have actions like Semana Bio, one focused week that happens all over the country, is a really great initiative. We are fully behind it and we will do whatever we can.

Author: Oriol Urrutia, Co-Editor.

Subscribe to Bio Eco Actual Newsletter and be up to date with the latest news from the Organic Sector

Bio Eco Actual, International Organic Newspaper
Read Bio Eco Actual

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

2 COMMENTS

Comments are closed.