BIOFACH 2017

••• 15••• Messewelten ”Building an organic future“ Country of the year Germany to be focused on at Biofach 2017 – Booming organic market W ith the slogan “Building an organic future”, Germany and its domestic organic sector will be presenting themselves as the country of the year at Biofach 2017. Germany is one of the biggest or- ganic nations in the world, which is having an impact on point-of- sale turnover and turnover per capita. According to estimates from research group Biomarkt, over 8.6 billion Euro were gener- ated from organic food and drink sales in Germany in 2015. Preferably local Felix Prinz zu Löwenstein, the chairman of the German Federa- tion of the Organic Food Industry (BÖLW), which is the country’s national organic umbrella organi- zation, said, “People are wanting more and more organic products, and preferably local produce, be- cause healthy food and protect- ing animals and the environment are important to them.” Plenty of potential The organic market has seen growth rates of between five and ten per cent in the last few years, thanks to more and more food re- tailer shelf space being occupied by organic products, a strong nat- ural food specialist store segment and customers opting for organic products at other points of sale. Overall, the domestic market has plenty of potential – both for im- porters who bring organic exotic products, specialities and season- al goods into Germany and for lo- cal farmers and processors who see prospects for their future in the organic market. “By focusing on Germany in 2017, the world- leading trade fair will be focusing on a country that is home to many pioneers in the industry, that sup- ports local value chains and that also places value on the network- ing of organic projects all over the world – such as the fostering of sustainable raw material relation- ships,” Petra Wolf, a member of NürnbergMesse’s management board, said. Organic of course and and preferably regional: Germany is the country of the year at Biofach 2017. Photo: NuernbergMesse / Frank Boxler