Organic Avenue: The new special show at ISM

An attractive presentation platform for organic products at the world's most important trade fair for confectionery and snack items

The International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) will once again live up to its reputation as the world's leading trading platform for the confectionery industry in 2008. Around 1,600 companies from some 70 countries are expected to exhibit at the event in Cologne (27th to 31st January 2008), including key market leaders as well as small and medium-sized companies. At the Organic Avenue, ISM is for the first time offering suppliers of organic confectionery and snack items an attractive presentation area as an integral part of the trade fair. This platform, combined with the equally appealing special show dedicated to packaging and marketing, will attract tremendous attention to the trend segment of organic products at the 38th ISM in Cologne.

The Organic Avenue is open to organic manufacturers and to all ISM participants who would like to take advantage of a second presentation area at the trade fair. The special show will present a wide variety of organic items, displayed by organic producers as well as brand-name suppliers that additionally offer organic products. For the purchasing trade, this will result in a diverse presentation with a comprehensive market overview, direct contacts and supplementary information. The Organic Avenue will make its debut in Hall 11.2 of the Cologne exhibition centre, with two opposite rows of exhibition stands. Numerous suppliers from Germany and abroad have already expressed an interest in the new feature.

A special show staged by students from Cologne International School of Design (KISD) with Prof. Jenz Großhans will address the changing image of organic products. The up-and-coming designers have been thrilling the ISM exhibitors and visitors for several years with their designs on a confectionery-related theme. The show will be located in the passage between Halls 4 and 5.

In addition, a series of presentations held, as usual, on the Tuesday afternoon of the fair will address the opportunities and potential of the organic confectionery market.

Organic confectionery and snacks have emerged from their niche in recent years to become a trend segment. Customers now buy organic items not only from organic stores and supermarkets, but also from traditional food retailers and confectionery stores. Demand is evident in all segments of the confectionery sector, from organic fruit gums and bonbons to chocolate, biscuits, snacks and seasonal items. The positive development of premium products is also reflected in the organic segment. Selected ingredients, hand-crafting and high-quality finished products are top priorities for many suppliers of organic items.

Organic items were among the trend products at the last ISM in 2007, including everything from krembos to fine pralines, crisps, and chocolate Easter bunnies and Santa Claus figures. Such products are experiencing a boom across the entire sector, also in combination with trendy low-calorie variants or as fair-trade items.

Around 36,000 trade visitors from 150 countries came to the last ISM in January/February 2007 to find out about the products and marketing concepts of 1,609 suppliers from 71 countries. The exhibiting companies were highly satisfied with their results at the trade fair, as demonstrated by the large number of registrations that have already been submitted for the 38th ISM.

The organisers of ISM are Koelnmesse and the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair Working Group (AISM), which is the conceptual sponsor.

Further information and trends can be found at:
www.ism-cologne.de (www.ism-cologne.com)

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