Sunday 1 November marks the return of Nordic Organic Food Fair to Malmö, Sweden. With its focus on new innovations from across the organic food and drink sector, this popular two-day event is an essential calendar date for thousands of retailers and foodservice professionals from across Scandinavia.

The Nordic region’s only dedicated international trade show for organic food and drink, Nordic Organic Food Fair has enjoyed strong industry support from the outset.  Since its launch in 2013, it has enjoyed significant year-on-year growth and been shortlisted for two best trade show awards along the way.

For 2015, it’s on track for its biggest sell-out edition yet.  Thanks to rave reviews and a 13% increase in attendees last year (it welcomed 3,558 natural and organic industry professionals from 51 countries), the 2015 event will boast an unprecedented 200 exhibiting companies.  That’s a 53% increase in exhibitors showcasing a vibrant choice of healthy, sustainable, natural, raw, certified organic food and drink, and speciality ingredients.

Valued at over €3.1bn (up from €2bn in 2011), the Nordic organic food market is big business.  Organic food and beverage sales in Sweden and Denmark alone, home to 81% of the show’s visitors, have both reported significant increases over the last five years (151% and 62% respectively).  From ambitious government plans to double organic farmland in Denmark by 2020 to KRAV’s target of a 20% share of Swedish grocery sales for its KRAV-labeled food (also by 2020) – the market is poised to get even bigger.  And it is new innovations – like the ones being showcased at Nordic Organic Food Fair – that are helping to feed that growth.

“This is the fair that everyone in the organic sector wants to participate in – it’s the perfect place to make contacts and get a good sense of the market,” says Mimi Eriksson Dekker, ‎project leader at EkoMatCentrum.

“I enjoyed the show,” says Niki Bønnelycke, head of fruit & vegetable department at Nemlig.com.  “It enabled me to broaden my network of contacts and speak to suppliers from around the world.  Finding new products from countries such as Spain, without having to travel far, was ideal.  I will definitely visit again.”

The latest organic innovations

So, what can visitors expect from the show’s biggest edition so far?  Well, more new companies for a start.  As ever, the show’s exhibitor line-up is comprehensively eclectic – filled with a who’s who of companies that will be helping to shape the future of organic over the next twelve months.

Biodynamiska Produkter, Biolab Vegetarian & Vegan Organic Food, LOOV – Power of Nature, Intellifood Sweden AB, Biova Organic Food, Sonnentor, Pukka Herbs, and World Wide Cheese are just a few of the returning exhibitors confirmed so far.

Whilst Ecoturca (Turkey), Oately (Sweden), Les Jardins De Gaïa (France), fresh vegetable producer Nautilus Organics (The Netherlands), Region of Castilla La Mancha (Spain), Havera OU – Liivimaa Lihaveis (Estonia), Pronatec (Switzerland), Natessen (Sweden), and Plenish Cleanse (from UK) are all busy preparing to make their debut in Malmö this year.

In addition to a host of new companies, new features for 2015 include The Wine & Beer Tasting Zone, plus pavilions from Belgium (hosted by Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia) and Greece (Novacert).  They join returning pavilions from Menigo, with its Organic Marketplace for Fresh Produce (featuring their own chef doing live demos throughout the show), KRAV, Biofood, Agrarmarkt Austria, Andalusia, Italy, Soil Association Certification, and Organic Denmark (which has already sold out).

With a focus on promoting fresh organic produce from Danish suppliers, this year’s Organic Denmark Pavilion will feature Is fra Skarø/Biosynergy, Mejnerts Mølle, Fynbo Foods, Q-Kaffe & Kakao, Valsemøllen, Nordic Chufa, Biogan A/S, Herrens Mark, Skee Ismejeri, Smily Rainbow, Solhjulet A/S, Tea2you – Tremendous Taste of Tea, Them Dairy, and Tvedemose Champignon.

Industry trends & innovations

The show’s Organic Theatre is renowned for attracting ‘inspirational’ big names from across the organic industry.  This year’s line-up already includes Netto’s COO Thor Jørgensen, Green & Black’s co-founder Craig Sams, and Johan Girdo, commercial director of Oatly already confirmed.   The full programme (including essential market updates) is set to be unveiled within the next month.

Save the date for 2015

Exciting, inspiring, important and relevant – that’s the verdict from Nordic Organic Food Fair 2014.  This year’s show already looks set for more of the same.

Nordic Organic Food Fair (1-2 November, MalmöMässan, Sweden) is co-located with Natural Products Scandinavia, which means visiting food buyers also benefit from access to the latest natural food and drink products from world-leading brands like Clipper, Planet Organic, Lifefood, and Veganz.

To register for a free trade ticket, please visit www.nordicorganicexpo.com and quote priority code NOFUK122 (direct link: www.eventdata.co.uk/Visitor/Nordic.aspx?TrackingCode=NOFUK122).