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Gama spoke to Julien Bonvallet, Group Brand Director, Informa Markets, ahead of the latest edition of Vitafoods Europe.
Vitafoods has a new home in Barcelona this year. What was the rationale for bringing the event to Spain?
After 26 hugely successful years in Geneva, we made the decision to move to our new home of Fira Barcelona, Gran Via for Vitafoods Europe 2025. The decision was made after listening to visitor and exhibitor feedback, as well as our exciting growth plans for the brand.
The global nutraceuticals market is growing at a significant rate; it’s predicted to achieve a CAGR of 9.3% by 2030. The move to this new venue will allow Vitafoods Europe to grow in line with this market potential. This year, we will have a record 75,000 sq m of exhibition space, enabling the addition of new features and more content – ultimately helping businesses to better tap into high-growth opportunities. Accessibility was also a crucial factor, with Barcelona providing more direct flights to countries worldwide, more accommodation options and streamlined logistics within the EU. This means more opportunities for people to come to Vitafoods Europe and connect with a wider audience. Finally, the move to Barcelona reflects the booming nutrition industry in Spain – it’s one of the top five countries in the European nutraceuticals market, so it felt like a natural home for Vitafoods Europe. We’re excited to welcome everyone to Fira Barcelona, Gran Via later this year!
Read more Tradeshow Look Aheads in the next issue of Gama News.
What are your expectations for this year’s event, and what features should visitors look forward to?
Vitafoods Europe 2025 will have the event’s largest show floor ever. That means more room to explore, more insights to uncover, and more chances to experience the latest in nutraceutical innovation firsthand. This year, we’re featuring a significantly expanded Finished Products Area, where exhibitors will showcase the latest market-ready innovations, fostering more collaboration across the full nutraceutical supply chain. We’ve also launched the Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards to celebrate excellence in innovation, where an expert judging panel will select winning products, ingredients and partnerships that are reshaping the nutraceutical landscape. We also have lots more features lined up, including brand new theatres and enhanced networking opportunities – alongside some returning favourites – so watch this space!
What key trends are shaping the ingredients sector in 2025?
In Europe, consumers are increasingly taking a proactive approach to their health, which is driving strong demand for functional foods, drinks, and supplements. Part of this is because consumers are more informed – and therefore more health-conscious – than ever, and part of it is down to the region’s growing ageing population. In fact, approximately 21% of Europe’s population is aged 65 or over. This means the healthy ageing market is expanding beyond the older generations – younger consumers are increasingly interested in ingredients and products that can support their long-term longevity. So, there’s strong demand for ingredients that support a whole range of holistic health benefits, from immunity, skin health, and sports performance to cognitive health and more.
But it’s important to remember that everyone’s needs are different. The right nutrition can depend on your life stage and various other factors, such as gender, whether you have any illnesses – or even where in the world you live! Personalised nutrition is set to be a game-changer for the industry for this reason. This growing trend is presenting huge opportunities for using technologies and strategies such as AI, data integration, genetic testing and microbiome analysis to craft personalised solutions with highly targeted ingredients. Take microbiome sequencing, for example: this approach is helping the industry gain a deeper understanding of how solutions for areas like digestive health and women’s reproductive health can be tailored to individuals’ needs with precisely selected ingredients for their unique microbiome.
About Vitafoods
Vitafoods Europe has been bringing the global nutraceutical community together every year to connect and do business, since 1997. It offers the perfect platform for businesses to thrive and forge long term collaborations, enrich their understanding and initiate critical conversations around the most pressing issues concerning the health and nutrition industry.
www.vitafoods.eu.com/en/home.html
