Natural Food Show previews innovations for 2015

The Natural Food Show at Natural & Organic Products Europe – the UK’s only dedicated trade show for natural, organic, fair trade, sustainable, vegan, vegetarian, free from, and special diet food and drink - has released its first preview of new products on show this year. Taking place at the new venue of ExCeL London on 19 - 20 April, the show boasts a 10% increase in exhibition space for food and drink companies for 2015. Over 600 exhibitors are already confirmed and visitor pre-registrations are also well ahead. Over 10,000 attendees are expected, including representatives from well-known operators like Waitrose, Ocado, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Abel & Cole, Whole Foods Market, Planet Organic, and more.

Organics on the rise in the UK

Over 60% of this year’s New Product Showcase entries, which is on track to include over 300 products, have been entered into the food, organic food, drink, and special diet categories. Notably, given the announcement by the Soil Association of a 4% rise in UK organic sales to over £1.86 billion (about €2.56 billion), of these four showcase categories, organic food and drink boasts the most entries of all. The rise in innovations being launched onto the organic market reflects the increasing confidence and continued investment within the sector, with sales predicted to break the £2bn barrier in 2016. Among the innovations at the show is TreeVitalise Organic Birch Water, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil by Suma, GingerLove Organic Hot Drink by Lombardia Hot Drinks and Erbology Organic Sea Buckthorn Jam. A list of these and further innovations is available here. More information on the show can be found here.

What’s hot for 2015?

For general food trends, Jim Manson, editor of leading industry publication Natural Products magazine, says he expects to see a growing interest in paelo, raw foods and ancient grains. “Fermented foods – from kimchi to kefir, via miso, natto and tempeh – also look likely to stay very much on-trend in 2015.  There’s lots of activity too in the energy bar and natural snacking sector.  And ‘healthy convenience’ looks set to be watchword for much natural product development,” predicts Manson.