Germany: Kick-off for the "Free From Food" exhibition and conference

The premiere of the Free From Food exhibition and conference will take place at the Freiburg Exhibition Centre on 4 and 5 June 2013. The event is a platform for business cooperation, networking and discussion of market-relevant topics for decision-makers and buyers from the food retail sector, the health food store and natural food industry, gastronomy and the out-of-home market.

Leading manufacturers and suppliers as well as wholesalers of Free From foods have launched this new exhibition concept. Among these are Swiss bread and baked goods producer Jowa AG, the largest British bread and baked goods producer Warburtons Ltd., German Bauckhof GmbH – a company that sells gluten-free flours, muesli and baked goods, among other things – as well as Dutch spice producer Dutch Spices BV.
 

Around 100 exhibitioners from over 15 countries will share information about current trends and developments in foods without gluten, lactose, fat, sugar, genetic engineering, wheat, yeast, eggs, milk products, nuts, additives, preservatives, and more. A symposium on the topic of Free From – Facts, Figures and Fulfillment which will take place on 4 June 2013. (Picture: Bauckhof GmbH sells a baking mix for gluten-free falafel)
 

The German food retail industry is more than satisfied with the development of the Free From segment. According to Frankfurt market research agency The Nielsen Company, the industry saw profits of around EUR75 million with lactose-free UHT milk in 2012 alone – a 14% increase. Sales of gluten-free products are also cause for joy in the industry: in total, the food retail sector catalogued sales of about EUR40m in gluten-free items. According to experts, annual sales increases of 10% to 15% are expected in Germany. In the UK, the signs are also pointing towards growth in the Free From segment. Mintel forecast a profit increase of more than 50% for the British market by 2016 – which translates to about EUR 600m. Gluten-free products and foods that do not contain any dairy products are the growth drivers in this market.

The Nürnberger Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung - GfK (Nuremberg Consumer Research Association has recently conducted a survey in German households on the topic of lactose intolerance. The results were quite surprising: Only 18% of the six million households surveyed that purchased lactose-free milk products at least once during the period. This means that four out of five households buy these products for other reasons. Studies on the buying patterns of British consumers prove that an increasingly large consumer base is buying such products because they want to eat a more healthy and balanced diet or want to be “on the safe side” when selecting food. Just like with organic and fair trade products, the purchase of Free From food is increasingly becoming a question of lifestyle – and not only in the UK and Germany but in other European countries and overseas as well. (Picture: gluten-free pasta from the German company Alb-Gold)
 

The increasingly larger offer of such products is accelerating this development. Today, European consumers can purchase Free From items in supermarkets and consumer markets from brand goods manufacturers or they can opt for private labels. Even though the Free From offer is getting continuously larger in stores, there are still some fields that need to be cultivated. According to expert estimates, there are significant untapped growth potentials in the convenience and instant meal segment as well as in the confectionery area. (Picture: Swiss company Jowa AG offers bread free from lactose, wheat, gluten and nuts)

More information on the market and the upcoming Free From Food exhibition and conference is available here: www.freefromfoodexpo.com