Internorga: meeting point for the out-of-home market

Hamburg / DE. (hmc) German Internorga is a one-stop shop, with everything for the catering and food service market. It will be held at the Hamburg Fair site from 09 to 14 March 2012, and all the exhibition space is fully booked, with more than 1’200 exhibitors from global players to newcomers. This international event covers the whole range for restaurants, hotels, institutional catering and the bakery and confectionery sectors. Trade visitors at Internorga can find out quickly and comprehensively about the latest developments, trends and information.

One of the main themes at Internorga is the food sector. There is a process of rethinking going on here – «must haves» are authenticity, credibility, sustainability, and of course convenience. The trend is towards premium products. Clean label is becoming the benchmark. Snacking remains a mega-trend. The whole diversity of the food sector is on show at Internorga, with the leading companies in the food industry presenting their trends and innovations.

People want safety and dependability and that is reflected in the food industry – not only in improved quality and greater convenience, but also in product origin. Where do the raw materials come from? Where and how were they processed? What social standards apply in the production context? How much environmental damage is caused? These are questions which the manufacturers have to answer.

They are giving their full attention to these issues. Clean Label is now the norm. At the same time, manufacturers are dreaming up plenty of new ideas and improvements to existing, successful concepts – in snacks and finger food, in ready-to-serve meals, bakery products and ice-cream creations. And all this is coming from a wide range of different culinary worlds. From regional German food to European dishes on either side of the Alps, with a focus on the Mediterranean, and as far afield as India and the New World.

There is very positive news for special nutritional needs, which are getting increased attention from the companies. Groups which were previously regarded as marginal have now become important target groups. New product ranges are coming onto the market for people who have problems in eating certain types of food.

The market for meat, fish, poultry and game is undergoing a change in values. Ethical issues are gaining in importance. Sustainability, product safety and traceability are being propagated. F-Trace, a tracing system which is already used in the fresh meat sector, is now also to make the meat market more transparent for other product forms. Animal welfare standards in rearing and treatment are not only an external demand, but are increasingly also practised and communicated by producers. Health, naturalness and nutrition awareness are likewise important subjects in the industry. For example, there are now reduced fat and cholesterol burger products which are claimed to give 100 percent flavour while at the same time providing significant nutritional benefits.

For vegetables, fruit and potatoes, which are regarded as leading products in terms of naturalness and freshness, the main priorities of the industry are Clean Label and sustainability. For example, key criteria for deep-fried products in the market are the use of high-quality oils. Available products cover the whole range, from individual components to mixtures and trends such as finger food and snacks. The home-made touch is essential even in convenience products.

The key issues in the bakery, dessert and ice-cream sector are premium quality, health, and convenience. The strongest trend in all areas is snacking, for both savoury and sweet products, hot and cold. Indulgence is becoming more and more important. Typical regional dishes have to be authentic and credible, the ingredients high quality, and the mode of preparation traditional. In the bread sector, heritage and health are increasingly in focus. And the added health value is important, for Hamburg bread rolls with granary ingredients, or low-carb bread to support dieting. Desserts and ice-cream are becoming more refined, more ambitious, and more targeted at indulgence. Premium is a major priority in this segment, too.

Internorga is the meeting point for the whole range of the food industry. This is where companies present their answers to the questions of the market and showcase their innovations. Internorga, 86th International Trade Show for the Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Baking and Confectionery Industry, will be held at the Hamburg Fair site from 09 to 14 March 2012. More than 1’200 exhibitors from 25 countries are expected for this leading catering and food service fair and some 100’000 trade visitors from Germany and abroad.