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Sweets Fair: Sustainable snacking plays a bigger role
An energy bar with only natural ingredients, vegetable proteins and sprouts at the International Sweets Fair (ISM). Photo: Roberto Pfeil/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Sustainable nutrition is on everyone’s lips. The confectionery industry is also reacting to the trend and is showing new creations at the world’s largest confectionery fair, the ISM in Cologne.
Sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role in the confectionery industry.
The Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI) said on the occasion of the International Confectionery Fair (ISM) in Cologne starting on Sunday. This applies in particular to cocoa. The proportion of certified cocoa in 2020 was 77 percent. In 2011 it was only 3 percent.
Several companies emphasize their environmental awareness during the four-day fair. For example, the Swiss-Ghanaian start-up Koa sells juices and concentrates made from the pulp of the cocoa fruit. The white flesh surrounding the cocoa beans is commonly considered food waste, a spokeswoman said. “By upcycling the entire fruit, we increase the income of small farmers and create new jobs for young workers in Ghana.”
Everything without addition
The Lithuanian company “Super Garden” processes fruit that would otherwise be thrown away because it doesn’t look like it does in retail. Freeze-dried, they are processed into ice cream, granola muesli or snacks. “We do not use any additives, preservatives, sugar or anything else,” emphasizes a company spokeswoman.
The efforts of the industry can also be observed in the field of packaging, it said. Many companies are increasingly testing alternative packaging options or increasing the proportion of recycling.
The International Confectionery Fair was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Around 1100 companies from 56 countries want to present their sweets and snacks by Wednesday. Several thousand visitors are expected. On the third and fourth day of the exhibition, the ISM will be supplemented by a digital platform. The current Corona Protection Ordinance of North Rhine-Westphalia expressly allows trade fairs to be held.