BioFach &Vivaness: Preview of two leading events in the organic industry

The countdown to BioFach and VIvaness has started: From 13 – 16 February 2013 the actors in the international organic industry will congregate in the exhibition halls in Nuremberg. As every year, a staggering variety of products, information and opportunities to meet will be made available. “Shared values. Action for a future world” is the theme at the heart of the 24th edition of BioFach and central to the congress programme. Rumania is the BioFach Country of the Year 2013. The trade fair duo once again presents a comprehensive programme of must-see and optional events. This preview is intended to get you in the mood and to help you prepare so that you’ll get the most out of your days in Nuremberg. You’ll find useful tips and recommendations relating to the congress progamme.
Would you like an organic world trip? Travel to Nuremberg to visit BioFach and Vivaness (Ticketshop). There you’ll come face to face with around 2,300 firms and tens of thousands of products from over 130 countries across the globe. Eight exhibition halls invite you to make a journey of discovery. If you’d like to get to know the German organic retail trade and organic producers, there are three themed excursions on offer: the wholefood retail trade, natural textiles and natural cosmetics, and producer farms.

Visitors to BioFach can get a quick overview of innovations on the Novelty Stand measuring over 500 m² in the entrance hall. Here, every visitor can cast his vote for the Best New Product Award in seven categories. The winners will receive their awards on Saturday. The natural cosmetics firms present their new products in the special exhibition area called Novelties in the passage from NCC Ost to Hall 7A. At the same location as the novelties, at the special show Breeze, visitors can acquaint themselves with innovative manufacturers who are not yet exhibitors at Vivaness. All exhibitors and their current product information can already be accessed at ask-BioFach and ask-Vivaness.

The high number of international visitors has been a feature of BioFach and Vivaness for years. Last year, 70 % of the 2,420 exhibitors came from abroad; of the 40,315 visitors, 41 % came from 130 different countries. A big Japanese joint stand with around 30 exhibitors and a presentation by Kenya will premiere at this year’s fair. For many manufacturers and visitors the incomparable international atmosphere is a good reason for coming to Nuremberg. Here people can establish new contacts and cultivate old ones. As for the business climate, BioFach most definitely gets high marks. According to the evaluation of last year’s survey, BioFach fulfilled to a high degree the expectations of both exhibitors and visitors: 93% of exhibitors were able to reach their most important target groups and 92 % established new business connections. 97% of visitors were satisfied with the opportunities for getting information and making contacts on the stands, and 91 % of visitors said they became involved in purchasing and procurement decisions for their businesses.

See and be seen. BioFach and Vivaness are a rendezvous for more than the organic industry - they are a veritable place of assignation for politicians, celebrities, associations, representatives of NGOs, market researchers and media representatives (ca. 1,000 from 36 countries). They discuss the industry in general and background issues, and important messages are placed in the media. The exhibition halls become one big eco-stage, the showcase of the international organic industry. This is a good place to work on the image of the industry. Tasting sessions are an ideal opportunity for visitors to combine enjoyable breaks with new discoveries. The new Experience the World of Cheese (400 m² ) in Hall 9-465 is predestined to do just that. Traditionally, the Wine Hall 4A, the olive oil bar in Hall 5-270 and the fish market in Hall 6-200 are similarly places that guarantee you’ll experience a plethora of taste. Coffee is, of course, the focus in the Coffee Tasting Bar in the passage from NCC Ost to Hall 4A. (Hall plan)

In the evening, after busy days at the fair, you find the town and the Exhibition Centre itself have a lot to offer: on Thursday, the exhibition halls stay open until 21:00 and various Blue Night stand parties  invite you to talk things over and to celebrate. Then, on Friday evening, the big BioFach party takes place – a relaxing and exciting get-together for all the guests at BioFach.

The comprehensive Congress Programme with over 150 events is a wide-ranging info platform that last year was used by well over 8,000 visitors. Information about market developments at home and abroad, discussions by experts and exchanging ideas and opinions - all in seven forums: BioFach, Fair Trade, Specialist trade, Fish, Gastro, Sustainability and Vivaness. A selection of highlights and the
online congress planner will help you to plan.

Our recommendations for you:

BioFach Forum

The Economy of the Common Good: Cooperation instead of competition. Christian Felber, political scientist and co-founder of the Common Welfare Economy, describes an economy that is not based on profit but on quality of life and the good of society. More than 850 companies have joined since 2010 and, in addition to Mr Felber, two of them will report on.their experiences. Moderation: Prof. Theo Gottwald, Schweisfurth Stiftung. Wed 15:00 – 16:30 Shanghai Room.

BioFach globally: Brazil Organic Standards – one year after coming into force
Trends and opportunities in the domestic and international markets. Ming Liu, IPD OrganicsBrasil, Brazil. Wed 15:00 – 15:45 Krakau Room.

How major importing country governments are facilitating organic trade. 
Latest developments, experiences and perspectives on import controls, equivalence and harmonization from regulatory authorities. Presentation: Diane Bowen, Global Organic Market Access (GOMA), IFOAM Joao Onofre, European Commission, Brussels. Dr. P.V.S.M. Gouri, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), India. Representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),
The Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) as well as of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Wed 15:00 – 16:30 Budapest Room.

The European Market for Organic Food.
 Recent statistics and how to improve data quality, Prof. Raffaele Zanoli, DIIGA – Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy. Camille Moreau, L'Agence BIO, France,
Dr. Susanne Padel, The Organic Research Centre, United Kingdom,
Diana Schaack, Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH (AMI), Germany Corinna Feldmann, University of Kassel, Germany. Wed 16:00 – 17:30, Hong Kong Room.

BioFach globally: Here come the new markets: Organic Asia Raring to Go!
Across Asia there is a surge in demand for organic and natural products in the respective countries and regions, e.g. Korea, China, India, Taiwan, Singapore. But now many more countries, e.g. in the Middle East, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and other South-East Asian economies are also showing examples of organic farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and other cases. Manoj Kumar Menon, Int. Competence Centre For Organic Agriculture (ICCOA), India. Wed 17:00 – 17:45, Kopenhagen Room.

Review of the EU Organic Regulation. In 2012 the Commission started the announced review process of the EU Organic Regulation. The ongoing process will be concluded in 2013.
 Marco Schlüter, IFOAM EU Group, Brussels, Christopher Stopes, IFOAM EU Group, Brussels,
 Dr. Alexander Beck, Assoziation ökologischer Lebensmittelhersteller (AOEL), Germany, Dr. Jürn Sanders, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Germany,
Michel Reynaud, European Organic Certifiers Council (EOCC), Brussels,
Andrea Ferrante, Associazione Italiana per l'Agricoltura Biologica (AIAB), Italy, Joao Onofre, European Commission, Brussels. Thu 10:00 – 11:30, Kopenhagen Room.

Global Organic Market Overview. Latest figures and trends from the most important markets around the globe: Europe, North America, Australia, Brazil and Japan. Presentation: Markus Arbenz, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
Dr. Helga Willer, Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau (FiBL), Switzerland, Laura Batcha, Organic Trade Association (OTA), United States, Andrew Monk, Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA), Australia,
Ming Liu, IPD Organics Brasil, Brazil,
 Heinz W. Kuhlmann, ABC Enterprises INC., Japan. Thu 13:00 – 14:30 Hongkong Room.

Green – the new favourite colour in China! Organic landscape in China and how European organic suppliers can seize their market opportunities. Mei Gräfe, Intergate Außenhandelsberatung & services, Germany, Gerald A. Herrmann, Organic Services GmbH, Germany,
Zejiang Zhou, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). Thu 15:00 – 15:45 Hongkong Room.

Central and Eastern Europe Workshop. 
Discussing organic market trends and introducing local experts. A workshop with representatives from the following countries: Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria. Often considered solely as regions for supplying raw materials, in CEE the domestic demand has developed significantly. Key information, expert contacts, and market access possibilities are presented. Presentation: Inka Sachse, EkoConnect e.V., Germany. Thu, 16:00 – 17:30 Prag Room.

Supply chain integrity. Tightening of certification procedures seems to be the easiest way of ensuring integrity. But integrity needs more than certification. It needs to involve all stakeholders along the chain of custody. Gerald A. Herrmann, Organic Services GmbH, Germany, Frank Gerriets, Organic Services GmbH, Germany,
Paolo Carnemolla, Federazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica e Biodinamica (Federbio), Italy, David Gould, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). Fri 11:00 – 11:45 Kopenhagen Room.

Making values experiencable. Value base: Are there shared values that unite the sector? Values in practice: How can the values be made experiencable? For sceptics too.
 Discussion of values: What clichés and prejudices do these values encounter – in the organic sector itself, in society and in the media? Presentation and introduction: Dr. Stefan Hermann Siemer, Germany, Johannes H. Mauss, Haus Rabenhorst, Germany, Hendrik Haase, wurstsack.blogspot.com, Germany, Dr. Steffen Borzner, Naturland e.V., Germany, Klara Ahlers, Laverana, Germany,
Julia Lernoud, Young Organics, Argentina. Fri 14:00 – 15:30 Shanghai Room.

Collaborating across the pond –
 a look at GMO and antibiotics. 
Organic stakeholders collaborate on GMO and antibiotic issues to share best practices and facilitate trade,
 Laura Batcha, Organic Trade Association (OTA), United States, Dr. John Fagan, CERT ID LLC, United States. Fri 16:00 – 16:45 Hongkong Room.

Fish Forum

Organic aquaculture rules –
 in the conflict between feasibility and credibility. 
Revision of EU production rules for organic aquaculture. Expert hearing with organic aquaculture practitioners, traders, certification bodies and authorities.
Coordinated by: Udo Censkowsky, Organic Services GmbH, Germany, Andrzej Szeremeta, IFOAM EU Group, Brussels. Fri, 10:00 – 11:30 Prag Room.

Vivaness Forum

Natural Cosmetics: Facts – Figures – Markets. Growth or no growth? Growth in Germany has slowed down, but the market is picking up again. The impact on buyer behaviour and the development of sales channels are presented as well as current trend analyses, Elfriede Dambacher, naturkosmetik konzepte, Germany, 
Denise Nordbeck, GfK SE Consumer Panels, Germany, 
Nadia Cimbollek, SymphonyIRIGroup, Germany. Thu12:00 – 13:30, Shanghai Room.

Natural Cosmetics:
 Organic – natural – inspired by nature
. How good is the global understanding? Various terms have developed in
the international market that constantly lead to confusion. Experts discuss
the situation and the degree of importance of certified natural cosmetics. Fri 10:00 – 11:30, Shanghai Room.

Sustainability in the cosmetics industry. 
How is the cosmetics industry becoming green? Apart from going natural/organic, how are cosmetic companies tackling the sustainability challenge? Presentation and exchange of ideas with business representatives
Amarjit Sahota, Organic Monitor, United Kingdom. Fri, 12:00 – 12:45, Kiew Room.

The Russian challenge – where to sell natural cosmetics successfully. The Russian natural cosmetics market continues to develop positively – however, well-established distribution channels become less important with growth and as new structures evolve – experiences and trends. Dr. Kirsten Hüttner, Rus Expert, Germany. Thu, 17:00 – 17:45, Kiew Room.

Sustainability Forum

A bridge for quality, trust and responsibility.  A think tank on the future of a sustainable organic certification system. Presentation: Dr. Peter Schaumberger, Institut für Marktökologie (IMO), Switzerland, Michel Reynaud, Ecocert S.A., France
Dr. Jochen Neuendorff, Gesellschaft für Ressourcenschutz (GfRS) GmbH, Germany, Dr. Sabine von Wirén Lehr, European Organic Certifiers Council (EOCC), Brussels, Volkert Engelsman, EOSTA B.V. Organic Fruits & Vegetables, The Netherlands. Wed 14:00 – 15:30 Istanbul Room.

Focus: Value Chain

Developing Organic Agriculture’s Leadership
in Sustainability.
 How sustainable are fair trade and organic? Sustainability analysis of standards and stakeholder perceptions focusing on the soy and beef value chains,
Dr. sc. ETH Salvador Garibay, Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau (FiBL), Switzerland, Hanna Stolz, Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau (FiBL), Switzerland,
Cesare Zanasi, University of Bologna, Italy. Thu 11:00 – 11:45 Istanbul Room.

Organic in the sustainability trap? Challenges and opportunities considering SusCon Conference outcomes, Gerald A. Herrmann, Organic Services GmbH, Germany, Gunnar Rundgren, Grolink, Sweden, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM),
Dr. Susanne Padel, The Organic Research Centre, United Kingdom. Fri 10:00 – 10:45 Istanbul Room.