Loading tweets...
Gama spoke to Jan Philipp Hartmann, Director, ahead of the latest edition of Anuga.
What are your expectations for this year’s Anuga?
This year’s Anuga is really something to behold. With more than 7,800 exhibitors from 118 countries and a fully booked net exhibition area of about 300,000 sq m, we are ensuring that this year’s Anuga will once again build on its pre-pandemic successes. The foreign share is 94%, which makes Anuga 2023 more international than ever before. With new strong partners such as UNIDO and EIT Food, we are setting fresh impulses under the central theme of “Sustainable Growth” and providing intensive insights into sustainable solutions in the industry. And, of course, we expect at least 140,000 visitors to come.
You have chosen ‘sustainable growth’ as a key theme for this year’s show. What would you say are the major considerations for FMCG companies seeking to address the sustainability challenge?
We have chosen this theme in consultation with our community. In the face of global challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity and growing populations, it is vital that the food industry implements sustainable practices to promote long-term and responsible growth. The key challenge of the future will be to promote economic growth and sustainable development while ensuring that the necessary natural resources continue to be available. By looking at the product range of FMCG companies, we can see that there is a stronger shift towards more plant-based and also more regional products. Moreover, FMCG companies are focusing on more efficient ways of production that need less energy, less packaging, more regional ingredients and that also consider supply chains. Technology such as AI will play a vital role here. But there are also lots of discussions about improving the circular economy and moving towards cellular agriculture. Both will play a key role in the future of health and nutrition with respect to major global challenges, due to the scarcity of key resources.
What other major trends are shaping the food and drinks industry in 2023?
The big trends such as alternative protein products and a plant-based diet are continuing. Clean eating is certainly one of the top trends: conscious, healthy eating is in demand. This is also accompanied by a return to traditional and natural food production without genetic engineering. And of course the focus is on sustainable food production. The products that we currently see from our exhibitors in the new product section of our website contain natural or regional ingredients. In the area of meat and meat products, as well as milk and dairy products, alternative protein products continue to be very present. In the products promoting the Anuga taste Innovation Show, innovations with additional health benefits can be found in addition to the plant-based products already mentioned. In the beverage segment, the focus is on functional ingredients and natural, plant-based ingredients from sustainable cultivation. In order to reach younger consumer groups, Anuga exhibitors will be showcasing drinks with eye-catching colours and exotic flavours. In addition to citrus, floral botanical flavours of hibiscus, jasmine, rose and elderflower are highly popular for both hot and cold drinks. Non-alcoholic variants also continue to be an important trend, especially for beer and wine.
About Anuga
Anuga is the world’s leading trade fair for food and beverages – lively, diverse, dynamic. As the world’s leading trade fair for food and beverages, Anuga is bringing the largest international industry community together and generating a positive spirit of optimism.
