ExCelling at Natural and Organic Food

Part of Natural & Organic Products Europe, the globally acclaimed Natural Food Show took place recently at ExCel, London and justified its standing as the ‘must attend’ event within the natural food and drinks industry. For over twenty years Natural & Organic Products Europe has been convening one of the world’s leading natural, organic and sustainable exhibitions to facilitate new trading opportunities.

This prestigious exhibition is the only dedicated trade event for health and eco-friendly products in the UK.  It gives an opportunity for companies to showcase the latest natural and organic foods, drinks, natural healthcare, natural personal care and eco-household products under one roof.  Over two days, the exhibition attracted upwards of ten thousand visitors from around the world and over seven hundred exhibitors, from fifty countries, displayed a huge selection of innovative products.

Following the success of last year’s exhibition highlight of up and coming talent in the ‘30 under 30’ category, a new generation of entrepreneurs was recognised for their potential to inspire the natural and organic sector.  An exciting initiative launched this year involved ‘live pitching’ sessions whereby selected companies were offered the opportunity to impress judges and senior buying teams with a five minute killer sales pitch of their products.

KLBD ready for the show

Large numbers flocked to the bright and bustling KLBD stand where they were welcomed by KLBD Retail Food and Drinks Manager, Sharon Feldman-Vazan and her colleagues. Visitors could check out the wide range of certified products on display and see for themselves how the distinctive KLBD logo is regarded as both an assurance of quality worldwide and an asset for generating additional sales revenue. Sharon Feldman-Vazan commented “The show was a great success, with KLBD again flying the flag for kosher, together with twenty five clients taking their own stands. Almost two hundred people visited our KLBD stand and perhaps another 200 met around the exhibition.  Kosher is on the agenda for many of these companies, if not for now, certainly in the future”. Manufacturers carrying the KLBD logo on their products hosting their own stands included Pulsin, Bio Benjamin, Hilltop Honey, Seaweed & Co, Twinings, Eat Real and Just Wholefoods.

The selection of Pulsin’s delicious range of nutritious snacks and protein powders on display included such mouth-watering treats as Raw Choc Brownies and Kids Fruity Oat Bars. Pulsin have created a range of highly nutritious products designed to maintain energy levels, increase protein intake and encourage healthy snacking in keeping with the company mantra, ‘Embrace the Natural Rhythm of Life’.

Seaweed & Co Ltd’s product range featured an exciting variety of seaweed products branded as ‘Weed and Wonderful’.  The company proudly displays the KLBD logo as a symbol of quality assurance. They lead numerous research projects with university partners to further the understanding of seaweed’s multiple health benefits when used every day.

The KLBD certified organic range of Hilltop Honey proved a popular stand for honey enthusiasts: particularly the specialty range of ‘cut comb’ honey packed into small hexagonal shapes.   British beekeepers countrywide supply Hilltop Honey with their delicious product.

Just Wholefoods on Stand Y27 rewarded its visitors with a tempting array of organic vegan / vegetarian foods and ingredients, including sunflower mince, falafel mix, vegebears (fruit jellies), vegeren (rennet) and vegeset (setting agent). The company has been producing high quality vegetarian food from their manufacturing base in the Cotswolds since 1989. All the products are plant-based, easy to prepare and full of natural goodness, as well as holding true to the company’s claim: ‘We’re not just an alternative – this is food for everyone’.

Bulgarian chocolate manufacturers, Bio Benjamin, displayed their delicious range of organic vegan chocolate on Stand ZA10, which is produced without any traces of milk, soy or gluten.  Three members of the Benjamin family created the bean-to-bar chocolate sensation in their hometown of Sofia. Now KLBD certified, the vegan chocolate comes in seventeen tempting flavours.

Visiting Bio Benjamin stand

On Stand Y42, long established tea manufacturers, Twinings, displayed every type of tea blend for visitors to sip and savour. Twinings has a heritage dating back to 1706 and has been enjoying the benefits of KLBD certification for many years. Their latest cold infuse drinks and superblends are designed to win over a new generation of loyal followers.

The Eat Real range of delicious snacks completed the line-up of KLBD certified companies at the show and included several varieties of hummus chips and veggie bites. The mouth-watering snacks are made with authentic natural ingredients and are based on three simple concepts: Real Taste, Real Nutrition and Real Ingredients.

Feedback from both visitors and exhibitors confirmed the show as a phenomenal success and the perfect setting for the many food and drink launches which took place there. It was also agreed that the event provided a unique opportunity to discover emerging trends and innovations prior to products being introduced to the market.

Editor-in-chief of NaturalproductsGlobal.com, Jim Manson, commented that ‘the vegan/plant based juggernaut shows no sign of slowing, with the UK overtaking Germany in NPD. Products centred on brain health, mood and gut health look set for growth, with CBD oil quickly becoming a valuable product category’.

For attendees who planned their schedule well, it was possible to participate in a memorable experience by combining a programme of expert seminars, thought-provoking panel discussions and live cooking demonstrations.