The French are increasingly turning to organic food, a market whose growth continues (+13% in 2019). Now, more than 6% of household food consumption concerns organic products, two-thirds of whom are of French origin. In 2020, more than 9 out of 10 French people declared having consumed organic products and 13% even consuming them every day (source Agence BIO).
Between lockdowns and curfews, the COVID crisis has had a significant impact on the eating habits of the French. Their expectations for healthy, local products have increased. This trend is perfectly illustrated at Natexpo 2021, with the numerous innovations from exhibitors in the food sector.
Food, the first sector of the show
The organic food section is the largest at the show, with pover 600 exhibitors, proof of the dynamism of this offer. It is the highest concentration of organic food supply for all professionals in the sector. Its importance reflects the dynamism of the market in France and internationally.
Committed to supporting the development of young organic businesses, the Natexpo trade show gives food-related SMEs and VSEs the opportunity to promote their concepts and gain visibility. Several areas are available for them within the trade show.
The Nursery
In this espace dedicated to organic VSEs/SMEs, small businesses have the opportunity to participate in Natexpo and benefit from its professional visitors thanks to preferential participation conditions. A real springboard with no equal on the French market!
The Big Splash
The Big Splash, this is the brand new offer from Natexpo, designed for supporting small businesses to grow at the show and in the organic market. This offer is available to all companies meeting the Village eligibility criteria and is offered to exhibitors who must enter the big leagues after 2 participations on the Nursery or Cosmetic Village .
More than 60 exhibitors are registered.
The FoodTech Village
This year, Natexpo welcomes the FoodTech Village : a unique space dedicated to the young companies in its network. How can we make innovation useful for food? This village has set itself the mission of supporting and promoting the emergence and implementation of innovative solutions, from farm to plate. 12 companies withinnovative digital, technological and entrepreneurial initiatives in connection with organic food is thus present in this area.
It includes in particular Matatie, which makes pastries without the 14 main allergens, allowing children with allergies to feel like everyone else. Clever and practical, Save Eat is an application offering multiple recipes and anti-waste tips. The Spice Brigade, the brand dedicated to professionals (restaurants, delicatessens, businesses, etc.) from the young Burgundy company Integral Food, offers authentic and premium spices thanks to direct sourcing from producers. The young start-up Semillan innovates with a germinator that allows you to grow 45 different varieties of seeds and which adapts to everyone's needs – a work carried out in collaboration with Sup Agro Montpellier.
All of these innovative companies can be discovered on the FoodTech Village !
Strong new trends
Food trends linked to the health crisis and changes in consumption are resulting in specific innovations and new entrants to the market. Natexpo will be a great showcase for this.
Forced to stay at home for months, the French reinvented the aperitif by rethinking conviviality and taste. Seeds (peanuts, cashews, etc.), spreads, and new non-alcoholic drinks have thus enhanced the evenings of the French in search of a pleasant interlude.
Confinement also has the effect of developing a new gastronomyIn 2021, nearly one in five households say they cook more often using prepared ingredients, and more than one in three households cook 100% homemade meals more often. And this new trend is here to stay. Organic options have opened up horizons with healthy and original products and surprising combinations like hummus and cocoa! Flavors, originality, healthy ingredients: organic food supports the French in their desire for inventive cuisine.
Another underlying trend is the veganism. Meat consumption has a very heavy impact on deforestation and intensive monocultures, which are the causes of global warming, and consumers have become aware of this. Plant proteins are benefiting from this growth opportunity, driven by the Plant Protein Plan, one of the flagship measures of the recovery plan, with a budget of 120 million euros. This success is reflected in a strong increase in the plant-based market: +10% in France in one year, to €497 million.[1]The future will be strongly shaped by this trend: in 2040, 60% of the meat consumed will be artificial or vegetable.[2].
Dans cet growth of plants, oils are making their way into the spotlight. And olive oil is losing ground to new, attractive oils like camelina, chia seed, and hemp. The latter is enjoying real success in France, a country that has long been cautious on the subject. While hemp and CBD (or cannabidiol, the non-psychotropic molecule in cannabis) have been a hit for several years across the Atlantic, both in food and cosmetics, France remained in a legal limbo for several years before recently aligning itself with European legislation. The use of French hemp extracts—particularly cannabidiol, which has soothing properties—in finished products will soon be authorized.
Great new products with hemp extract, both food and cosmetic, are to be discovered at Natexpo!
The New Products Gallery will allow visitors, journalists and project leaders to exclusively discover the exhibitors' innovations.
The Natexpo Awards
Created in 2005, the Natexpo Trophies reward the most innovative, useful, and practical products launched during the year. In 2021, more than 300 applications – a record! – were submitted to the Jury in 8 categories including 4 in food: Fresh products, Sweet grocery products, Savory grocery products, Beverages.
Some little gems were rewarded. The 16 winners can be found at Natexpo 2021, in the Trophy area at the entrance to the show. And don't miss the awards ceremony, on Sunday, October 24 at 17 p.m. at the Natexbio Forum / La Maison de la Bio (stand K32).
Conferences to go further
Natexpo offers 150 exclusive conferences to learn everything about organic food and its trends: tomorrow's nutrition, differentiating ingredients, consumer expectations, packaging challenges, bulk, regulations, organic catering, responsible fishing, etc. Find the full program here !
[1] Source: Nielsen IQ, CAD to P4 2021, LSA 06.21
[2] Source: Kearney – LSA 06.21
