More than 7,400 companies from 107 countries will be exhibiting at Anuga in Cologne from 7 to 11 October 2017. As such, the 34th Anuga is not only a record show, but is also underlining its position as the world’s most important business platform for food and beverages. As always, the focus is on new products and innovations. In order to provide both the exhibitors and visitors with a condensed overview, the “Anuga taste Innovation Show” presents the best products selected by a jury.
The response was enormous again this year. Almost 880 companies placed more than 2,300 products in the New Products Database on the Anuga website. This forms the basis for the jury’s selection. In total, the jury selected 67 products and concepts – spanning across all ten Anuga trade shows. The special event will be showcased on the trade fair’s Boulevard North alongside Halls 7 and 8. The catalogue of the exhibition will exclusively appear online.
The trends and products:
Protein – one of the recurring keywords among the new products. Whether meat products, vegetarian/vegan products, complete meals, snacks or beverages: The palette of products that contain an extra portion of protein is wide. Protein stands for added fitness and health, for a balanced diet for people, who are challenged mentally and physically. The protein comes from different sources, i.e. from peas or soya, but also from milk and meat. For example, a snack variety that is produced from lean muscle meat with a low fat content is suitable for fitness fans. Fine spices ensure savoury enjoyment. A milk coffee drink is based on high-quality protein and is recommended before practising sports. Yoghurt and curd are the basis for two further milk meals that are rich in protein. Ice cream and vegetable-based milk drinks are also intended to provide added protein.
The so-called “superfoods” – chia, aronia, acai, but also ginger, green tea, citrus fruits and guarana – are strongly represented and round off many products in terms of taste and ingredients. In this way, many “classics” are being redefined, i.e. the popular orange marmalade with chia.
Ready-to-go, ready-to-eat: Completely ready-made meals are nothing new, but the Anuga exhibitors are showing new versions, clever packaging sizes and fresh formats. For instance, tomato/peach/apricot flavour vegetarian soups or a pasta sauce made of green jackfruit and tomatoes, ready prepared seaweed salad or also ready-made chicken breasts in snack portion sizes.
Further examples:
A new, smart cheese snack, which involves the cheese being dried and puffed, is also ready for immediate consumption. Pumpkin, Asiatic spices, curcuma and ginger are combined – in organic quality – to make a hearty cup-a-snack. A ready-made meal comprising of sweet potatoes and herb curd – the components are individually packed – is prepared fast.
Smoothies have in the meantime become classics in the “ready-to-drink” segment. A high fruit content, little sugar and practical sizes are important here. The consumer can also buy ready-to-make mixtures from the refrigerated segment to make his own smoothie at home, which he only has to add orange juice or water to.
New types of pasta are also represented at Anuga, they are made out of yellow lentils, acorn flour or are refined with curcuma for instance.
Coconut: This trend is still up-to-date. Coconut can be found in bread spreads, fruity desserts, as oil in a spray can and in protein bars.
A new ingredient is birch juice for example. It is harvested in the forests of Northern Europe, sweetened with natural ingredients and flavoured using aronia or matcha. The result is a refreshing drink that is low calorie.
Among the beverages, a new organic cola stands out, as well as a low-calorie beer with ginger, a chia drink as well as a spirit made of pine nuts. Herb infusions turn gin and tonic into aromatised beverages.
Mint and chilli flavoured potato crisps; whiskey or gin gherkins; wild garlic crisps; crisps with black truffle; oatmeal biscuits with seaweed or Greek yoghurt with mint and black chocolate are further new taste compositions that will be presented at Anuga. A special item is oil made out of sour cherries.
Milk and dairy products are an important segment at Anuga, together with meat products. Here sustainable and origin concepts play a major role. A burger manufacturer exclusively uses selected, regional types of meat for instance for his products. One milk producer offers pasture milk produced in the Alps. Soon feta is to be available on the cheese shelves as a hard cheese version. And Swiss raclette can be prepared in the oven or microwave simply in small portions. A new stamina beverage combines the goodness from camel’s milk with honey, ginseng and guarana. Smart new cheesecake versions and kefir with stevia round off the offer of new products.
Natural types of tea are used as the basis for new flavours. Health aspects are also taken into account here and underlined by additional aromas, vitamins and other ingredients.
The “cold brew” trend has already hit the coffee shops. Now, everyone can also prepare it easily at home too. This applies for both coffee lovers and tea fans.
A range of alternatives to animal products are represented again. Ingredients like soya, linseed, coconut, rape, almonds and shea are primarily used for the purpose and refined with spices, herbs or smoke flavours. A vegan “tuna” particularly stands out.
Vegetarian versions have also succeeded in joining the selection. For example, a “burger” that mainly comprises of champignons and which is offered in different flavours. Or – in line with the partner country India – pure vegetable snacks with Indian flair.
A product from Switzerland that is made of insects is bound to attract special attention. Three types of insects are already authorised as foodstuffs in Switzerland, not in the EU yet though. This snack is made out of crickets and comes complete with the snack sauce. It is being presented for the first time at Anuga, also to test the acceptance as a wholesome alternative to meat products.
Anuga is exclusively open to trade visitors.
