Successful 2nd Edition “Free From Food/ Ingredients” Trade Fair

13 Jun 2014 --- The second edition of Free From Food / Ingredients has been closed now. The European food fair and conference held in Brussels was a great success. The final data confirms the amount of 1536 trade visitors from 17 different countries, which is an increase of 57%, 134 exhibitors from more than 15 countries, 2 congress programs, 28 speakers and 19 trade journalists. The amount of foreign buyers shows an increase as well: a total of 950, 430 more than in 2013. The development of the fair is visible in the increased amount of exhibitors as well: 95 in 2013.

Gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance or a conscious choice of a healthy lifestyle: Free From Food products are booming on the shelves. Managers and buyers from the food retail as well as those of Bio, Food Service and Health, as well as Institutional Caterers and Dieticians, were meeting up for two exhibition days in Brussels Expo. The quality of visitors was extremely high.

“With this successful second edition we claim the market for free from food and for free from food ingredients”, commented Ronald Holman, Exhibition Director.” A success we have hoped and worked for” . “It reflects the growing scope of this emerging market segment and the need for an optimal platform for networking and for doing better business in the free –from trade and manufacturing industry”  “The strategy aimed at attracting key international buyers with  flight including hotel accommodation packages has paid off. We invested a considerable amount to ensure the presence of more big and foreign buyers”. The products offered by the exhibitors included gluten-free and lactose-free foods up to sugar-free products up to products without flavours, preservatives and other additives.

Exhibitors were very content and showed their satisfaction: 

“We spoke with really all big retail buyers from over Europe; Albert Heijn, Delhaize, Sligro, Día, Carrefour, Auchan,  Mercadona Spain, really crazy. We never experienced this before at an exhibition”, commented Christopher Kynth, director of Damhert, a known supplier of sugar-free products in Belgium and this year Gold Sponsor. “We have already been able to establish important international contacts.” For the German  company Döhler GmbH, (manufacturer of allergen-free Ingredients), both the visitors and the exhibitors are of interest. Oliver Hoffmann, marketing director at Döhler Group GmbH : “We have already been able to establish co-operation possibilities with other exhibiting companies”. Even important Food Manufacturers are here present among the visiting audience” . 

Free From Innovation Award Winner 2014 : Perk!er

The Innovation Pavilion showed the very best and brand new free-from products available at the fair. Visitors could scan their product selection and that led to the winner of the FF Innovation Award 2014. Perk!er, an emerging British company, creating naturally nutritious breakfasts and snacks, all gluten and wheat free, won the Free From Innovation Price Award, presented during the Exhibitor Drink.

Bi-Annual editions for Northern Europe and Southern Europe

Free From Food is a traveling event in Europe and therefore next edition will be organised in Fira de Barcelona, Gran Via, Spain, covering Southern Europe. The expo will return to Brussels in 2016.