The upcoming Sustainable Foods Summit will discuss the future direction of the plant-based and organic food market. There is growing consumer interest in plant-based foods because of their ethical & environmental credentials, whilst organic foods are expected to play a more important role in the European food industry.
Organised by Ecovia Intelligence, the executive summit will be hosted on a dedicated online platform from June 8-11. Some of the key points that will be covered in the first two sessions include
> Growing popularity of plant-based foods. Plant-based products are continuing to eat into the market share of meat & dairy products. New product launches and investment are stimulating consumer demand for plant-based foods. In recent weeks, JBS Brazil (Vivera), and Britvic (Plenish) have acquired brands, whilst the world’s leading oat drink brand (Oatly) is preparing for its highly anticipated public listing. Nestlé and Linda McCartney’s are some of the companies launching new plant-based drinks.
Siska Pottie from the European Alliance for Plant-Based Foods will give an update on the plant-based food market. She will present the latest market data and give some insights into why consumers are turning to meat and dairy alternatives. Andrew Ive from Big Idea Ventures will discuss novel plant proteins, whilst other speakers will cover supply chains for soya proteins, and distribution & marketing challenges.
> Outlook for organic foods. A significant increase in organic farming is expected in Europe in the coming years. As part of its Farm to Fork strategy, the European Union has set a target of 25% organic farmland by 2030. Henri Delanghe from the European Commission will give more details of the EU Organic Action Plan. The role of legislation, financial support, and consumer stimulus will be discussed.
Amarjit Sahota from Ecovia Intelligence (event organiser) will present the latest market data & trends on the European organic food market. Although organic food sales have reached EUR 42 billion, the market share of organic products remains below 4 per cent in Europe. Future growth projections will be given for organic & sustainable foods.
> Adding sustainable value to dairy products. Consumer concerns about the environmental impact of milk & dairy products is leading some dairy enterprises to develop sustainable products. In the last year, a number of climate-neutral dairy products have been launched whilst fair trade schemes are extending to dairy farmers.
Arla Foods, the largest dairy company in Scandinavia, will share its experiences in developing climate-neutral milk. Initially launched in Sweden, the organic milk has now been introduced in the Danish and Dutch markets. According to the company, 90 million litre of milk sales will emit 123,000 tonne of CO2e which the company will offset.
> Sustainability in retailing. Food retailers are looking at various ways to reduce their environmental impacts. Some are developing zero waste concepts, whilst others are implementing plastic-free products / aisles. Era Zero Waste is a pioneer. The e-tailer delivers organic groceries to consumer households in Germany and Scandinavia. Its cofounder Lolô Ascar will explain how it has become a carbon-neutral and zero waste retailer. It is also using refillable packaging for its food and personal care products.
> Novel food ingredients. The summit will give an update on the growing array of sustainable ingredients. Pasi Vainikka, co-founder of Solar Foods, will show how the future of food ingredients may not involve agriculture. The Finnish start-up is making sustainable protein from air (carbon dioxide), water, and renewable electricity using a fermentation process. Its Solein protein has applications in meat analogues, non-dairy drinks and desserts.
Hana Gabrielová, founder of Hempoint, will discuss the growing use of hemp in food and beverages. Described as a highly versatile ingredient, hemp is making its way into plant-based drinks, snacks, and oils. Other speakers will discuss regenerative agriculture ingredients, seaweeds, upcycled ingredients, and product innovations.
About the Sustainable Foods Summit
The aim of the Sustainable Foods Summit is to explore new horizons for eco-labels and sustainability in the food industry by discussing key industry issues in a high-level forum. The European virtual edition will be hosted on 8-11th June.
About Ecovia Intelligence
Ecovia Intelligence is a specialist research, consulting & training company that focuses on global ethical product industries. Since 2001, we have been encouraging sustainable development via our services portfolio: market research publications, business & sustainability consulting, technical research, seminars & workshops, and sustainability summits.
