Ingredients show attracts exhibitors from across the food sector
After its inaugural event at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, last April, The Ingredients Show returns for a second year alongside National Convenience Show, Farm Shop & Deli Show and The Forecourt Show.
The event takes place between 8-10 April, with 10 confectionery companies and dozens of snacks-based businesses across its sister shows, the trade fair offers visitors the chance to gain information on some of the leading solutions and trends within the market. There are also a number of new product launches expected across the combined showcases.
As the show’s organisers note, the world of flavour trends is fast moving and remains a key area for suppliers to keep up with changes in order to successfully hit the mark. Whole Foods has conducted a report into 2019 trends, which cites Asia, Oceania and the western coasts of North and South America as having a big impact on tastes in the coming months. Probiotic strains that do not require refrigeration will find their way into mainstream foods, such as granola, soups and cereal bars, while healthy fats, hemp and CBD will all be given more air time as consumer appetite for wellness continues to ascend.
According to WFSI – ADM Nutrition, new combinations including botanical, ethnic and exotic flavours are tipped as having the potential to meet consumers’ insatiable demand for exciting new creations. These will be particularly prevalent in the beverages, sugar confectionery and dairy categories next year. Among those participating this year are Haribo, Fini Sweets, Beech’s Fine Chocolates and the Blockhead confectionery brand.
Attending professionals will learn how to streamline production and processes to accelerate productivity. They will also learn more about the core trends driving customer demand, from sustainability to nutrition and novel ingredients to new tastes and flavours, as well as sourcing the UK’s biggest range of food development suppliers with solutions tailored to each relevant business.
Taking place over three days, suppliers including icing supplier Renshaw; John Morley, supplier of raw ingredients from mincemeat to fruit fillings; CasaLuker, supplier of cocoa beans; Falken Trade, which supplies a range of functional additives; and Plant Lipids, one of the world’s largest suppliers of spice oils, extracts and natural food colours, will all be there.
As well as discovering the latest ingredients set to revolutionise new product development, visitors to The Ingredients Show will also hear from a host of global industry experts. The seminar programme will welcome industry leaders and showcase some of the latest trends to hit the market in tasting sessions.
Among the educational content will be a panel session on ‘Chewing the fat: Good versus bad fat in health and product formulation’. Manufacturers are always looking for ways to reduce fat in their products, as the media’s focus continues to zone in on obesity, and so this will be a popular session, giving attendees an edge in the marketplace.
The Ingredients Show will also explore the global issue of plastic with a session on ‘The plastic planet: Seaweed packaging you can eat’. With plastic dominating headlines, it is time manufacturers adapted packaging that has a reduced impact on the world, and this session will bring together a group of experts who are pioneering new practices that will work towards this goal. Manufacturers won’t want to miss this informative and inspiring session.
Another key session for FMCG visitors will focus on ‘How smart manufacturing and IoT is driving the next industrial revolution’. In a fast-paced industry, it is essential that company decision makers remain at the forefront of the trends, and this session will prove invaluable in keeping forward-thinking visitors up to speed.
Another topic high on the sustainability agenda is palm oil and it will be reignited by an industry panel who will debate whether sustainable palm oil is possible. Meanwhile, tasting sessions will offer insights into market developments, including introducing one aimed at introducing attendees to the world of edible insects. Sea Chips will be joined by other innovative snacking foods, with visitors invited to try them.
Speaking about the trade fair, Dan Dixon, event director, said: “Food development is where it all starts and it pays to be several steps ahead of the game. With consumer ideals and expectations moving on so quickly, it has never been so essential that suppliers and manufacturers stay so closely abreast of changing trends.
“The Ingredients Show is the ideal place for R&D professionals to come and absorb all the latest ideas, and leave with their own concepts of new twists on a growing trend to spark the next wave of innovation. Raw ingredients is the root of the food and drink industry and there isn’t a more exciting place to be.” The Ingredients Show is co-located with National Convenience Show and Farm Shop & Deli Show. For more details visit www.theingredientshow.co.uk
