A Look Into The Current Free-From Market For 2014
Across the developed world, free-from continues to grow in popularity as a top food trend, with many people opting into the diet, often for healthy lifestyle reasons, rather than due to food intolerance’s or allergies. Indeed, consumers are becoming more and more health conscious. As a result, the sector has seen massive growth all over the world, particularly in Europe and North America.
Retailers and food manufacturers are starting to realise the importance of free-from on-pack labelling. As a result, products that have always traditionally been free-from such as crisps and popcorn are now being branded specifically as free-from products, as it makes them more appealing to the ever health-conscious consumer. Free-from products are also becoming more ubiquitous and readily available and this is the case across multiple retailers, discounters, c-stores and food service channels.
In the UK, the gluten-free market has grown by 10% in 2013 and is expected to grow by more than 50% before 2016. This is clearly a market that has a lot of potential for big gains, but it is important to target the right customers and markets, especially as the market is starting to become more and more saturated. The era of the plucky small company challenging the food industry titans appears to be drawing to a close. Although many smaller firms with a distinctive proposition based on a unique product can and will make it through to the shelves.
Free From Food Expo 2014 is Europe’s most wanted and focused trade show for, and initiated by, the ‘free-from’ Industry. It’s a key trading platform where top-level decision makers come to source new products, meet new and existing suppliers and keep up-to-date with trends and innovations in the fast growing ‘free-from food and beverage’ industry.
This two day exhibition and conference will see more than 2,000 buyers and specifiers from small and large retail and food service sectors as well as bio, health, convenience stores and catering companies and nearly 150 exhibitors from across Europe including ‘free-from’ food (and ‘free from’ ingredients) manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and traders.
Free From Food 2014 is supported by the Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS), an independent, non-profit organisation aiming to raise awareness of coeliac disease and to promote research into the diagnosis and management of this illness.
This year, to recognise the growing importance of ‘free from’ food and ingredients, the organisers are also launching the Free From Food Ingredients 2014 Expo. Free-from food categories cover all food and beverage products which are gluten-free, lactose-free, dairy-free, yeast-free, wheat-free, egg-free, GM-free, sugar & fat-free and vegan.
This year’s exhibitors include: ABS Food, Allergenen Consultancy, Allergy Service Suisse, Bauckhof, Dohler, Dove’s Farm, Dutch Spices, Ernst Bocker, Farmo, Fria, Genius Gluten Free, Hi-Food Ingredients, Nestle, Nielsen, Orgran, Semper, Warburtons.
