BIOFACH, the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food, and VIVANESS, the International Trade Fair for Natural and Organic Personal Care, achieved record highs for exhibitor numbers, exhibition space and international attendance at this year’s events. A total of 3,792 exhibitors from 110 countries showcased their products for trade visitors in a display area of 57,609 m² (net area, excluding special shows). With the trade fairs occupying two halls more than last year, more than 47,000 professional buyers from 136 countries were won over by the new developments, trends and innovations from all around the world. Making up the top five countries by visitor attendance this year were Germany, Austria, Italy, France and the Netherlands. And with just shy of 10,000 participants, the accompanying Congress confirmed its position as the largest international platform for knowledge transfer and networking. Highlight of the opening: the inspiring keynote by Dr Jane Goodall Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
Petra Wolf, Member of the Management Board of NürnbergMesse, comments: “We are really pleased that BIOFACH and VIVANESS once again brought together more than 47,000 trade visitors in Nuremberg for the annual sector gathering in 2020. That’s only eight percent less than last year, in spite of the hesitation caused by the coronavirus. The chief focus in the exhibition halls was on networking, trade and interaction on topics of interest to the sector. The general atmosphere was highly positive, and the emotional highlight was beyond doubt the extremely impressive Dr Jane Goodall with her keynote.”
Opening ceremony with top-level attendance – record visitor numbers for Congress
The combined trade fair was opened jointly by Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Dr Jane Goodall, primate researcher, environmental activist and UN Messenger of Peace. The sector was deeply moved by the keynote given by Dr Goodall, and gave her a standing ovation. This was the first year that the BIOFACH and VIVANESS Congress gathered almost 10,000 delegates and discussion participants in 149 individual sessions, confirming its role as the most important international platform for sharing knowledge and information in the sector. Magnets for visitors: “New Organic Regulation: What will apply to farmers and producers starting in 2021?”, with 250 participants (BIOFACH), and “The natural cosmetics market 2019: Facts, figures and outlook”, with 150 visitors (VIVANESS). The main congress theme, “Organic delivers!”, attracted an above-average total of 75 participants to each of the ten sessions.
New halls impress
BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2020 provided even more space for organic foodstuffs and natural and organic cosmetics. Halls 3A and 3C, noted for their sustainability, impressed exhibitors and visitors alike, and were very well received. Feedback from the exhibition advisory board for the premiere of VIVANESS in Hall 3C was positive without exception: “This is a hall you feel at home in!”, “A real wellness hall!”, “Super because it’s so spacious and light!” The expansion of BIOFACH also went down well: “This combined event just keeps on getting better!”
Award-worthy: Best New Product Awards
Once again in 2020, the trade visitors voted for their favourites at both trade fairs to win the Best New Product Award in seven categories. Käserebellen GmbH was one of the happy winners at BIOFACH with its “Organic Volcano Rebell” (Fresh food), as was EISL EIS with its “Organic sheep’s milk ice cream – ice cream in the glass” (Frozen food). In the category “Grocery products, cooking and baking”, SONNENTOR was very happy to pick up one of the coveted awards for its “Essential Spice Oils”. HANS Brainfood impressed the trade visitors with its “Hemp Bites” in the “Grocery products, snacks and sweets” category. “RETTERGUT organic soups” from Dörrwerk won a Best New Product Award in the “Other grocery products” category. In the Drinks category, Voelkel proved a winner with its “Voelkel Oat drink gluten-free”, and Biobaula impressed with its “Biobaula Eco-Cleaning-Tabs” in the Non-food category.
The dazzling winners at VIVANESS were: SPEICK Naturkosmetik, which should be very happy with its awards for “White Soap, Red Soap & Green Soap” in the Facial care category and “SPEICK PURE Shampoo” in the Hair care category; another two-time winner is PRIMAVERA LIFE with its “Hemp Seed Oil organic” (Special cosmetics/care) and with “PRIMAVERA Wellbeing” in the Wellness products category. Other prizewinners included Ben & Anna with “Natural Care Shower and Shampoo Tablets” (Body care); LOGOCOS Naturkosmetik with “Fresh Cucumber Volume Mascara and Classic Volume Mascara ‘black’” (Decorative cosmetics); and ELIAH SAHIL ORGANIC CARE with its “Organic Tooth Powder ginger” and “Organic Tooth Oil turmeric” (Drugstore articles).
Save the date for 2021 now: 17-20 February
The next meeting of the international sector at BIOFACH and VIVANESS will take place on 17-20 February 2021. Almost 95 percent of this year’s visitors have already blocked these dates out, to be sure of attending again next year.