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Gama spoke to Francisco López Bago, president of Grupo Gourmets, ahead of the latest edition of Salon Gourmets.
What do you expect from this year’s Salon Gourmets?
As in the previous edition, we will fill five halls, which means 65,000 sq m of exhibition space, nearly 2,000 exhibitors, 55,000 products… We also have eight stages where dozens of activities will take place, in addition to the more than 1,200 activities organized by exhibitors on their own stands. The fair is exclusively for professionals and we expect more than 100,000 professional visitors, among whom we expect more than 16,000 foreign buyers. Our historical estimated business volume is over €200 million, and this figure is unlikely to fall.
What are the key trends that will shape food and beverage in 2024?
Quality is undoubtedly a trend: consumers are increasingly more informed and demanding, which is why all the classic products –wines, preserves, oils and cheeses– that are present among the more than 55,000 products exhibiting at Salon Gourmets are taking more care than ever in their production, packaging and distribution systems. In addition, in the gourmet sector, producers are responding quickly to market demands and for some time now we have seen that trends such as gluten-free, organic and plant-based are on the rise.
In the case of the former, this is about not only aiming at coeliacs but also the general public who want to consume less gluten, while plant origin is already a reality in a wide range of sectors from meats and sausages to cheeses. Ready-to-drink cocktails and non-alcoholic / low-alcoholic spirits are another rising trend.
For years now, Salon Gourmets has had an Innovation Area where exhibitors can showcase their new products, which this year will be 1,500. In many cases, these are traditional products that are given added value by seeking out new flavours, also in line with market trends: for example, in canned food, new types of spices are being included, while we also have cheese with umami flavour and an Iberian pastrami with pork instead of the traditional veal. Another way of adding attractiveness is going organic, and these products also have their own space, the Organic Exhibition Area. Here it is not just forms of production that stand out but also packaging made from recycled and sustainable materials. The improvement in packaging has been exponential; for example, we have water packaged in the first compostable bottle in Europe.
How should food and beverage companies ensure success in the face of political uncertainty, price inflation, supply chain challenges and other headwinds?
The main problem we are facing is the strong inflation which, although now somewhat more moderate, is undoubtedly affecting consumer purchasing power and therefore turnover both in retail distribution and in the hotel and catering sector. However, most of the companies attending Salon Gourmets have shown a great capacity to face changes and periods of uncertainty such as the pandemic, and to adapt to new consumer tastes; this resilience is largely due to the high degree of specialisation among quality product companies, as well as their ability to listen to the needs of the market and adapt to its demands.
About Salon Gourmets
Salon Gourmets is the nº 1 quality food and beverage fair in Europe and one of the most prestigious in the world. With a history of 35 consecutive events, growing numbers and a purely commercial spirit, it is the most visited by national and international professionals in the gastronomic sector: restaurants, hotels, distributors, catering and specialized wholesalers and retailers.
https://www.gourmets.net/salon-gourmets
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