BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2022 - One-off Summer Edition Reunites the Relevant Industries

BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2022 marked the successful reunion of the respective industries. The one-off Summer Edition, which was held between 26.07.2022 and 29.07.2022, took place as a hybrid event. The live aspect of the events was held in Messe Nuremberg. They featured high participation rates. This included over 24,000 traded visitors from 137 countries and 2,276 exhibitors from 94 nations.

BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2022 were held as hybrid trade shows. It comprised a live event and a complementary digital service known as the talque. Talque provided various functions, including on-demand live streams of sub-events. Additionally, participants could use the digital service to arrange appointments. They could additionally network by using options such as video meetings, digital chats, and others. Messe Nuremberg hosted the face-to-face aspect of the events. At the time of the hosting, the venue did not feature strict Covid-19 safety measures. This was due to the removal of the domestic restrictions on 3.04.2022. Such a change occurred because of the improving pandemic situation.

The trade fairs featured a variety of highlights. Among them was the “Innovation made in Germany” newcomer pavilion. It featured a variety of start-ups, including Hülsenreich. They presented sweet-coated vegan chickpea cookies. Gute Kulturen GmbH also presented innovations in the form of biodegradable bags. These were created from cellulose, corn starch and kraft paper. This allows them to meet the sustainable packaging demands of consumers.

The trade fairs presented various sub-events that focused on leading trends. For instance, BIOFACH focused on four trends. These included:

• Climate-conscious products
• Local raw materials
• Sustainable packaging solutions
• Animal welfare

Example companies that presented wares that reflected such trends included:

• ACEITES DE SEMILLAS, SA
• Agnus Bahia Benatti
• AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG
• Agraria Riva del Garda S.c.a.

The trade fairs also presented products related to the latest packaging trends. They displayed these via the “Unpacked” Special Area in Hall 8 and its 64 exhibitors. They showed their innovative “unpackaged” sustainable solutions. The Area's layout reflected the synergies between all value chain sections. It also featured various scenes where attendees could gain insights into the trend. These ranged from the warehouse to the POS setup methods. Attendees could also examine non-standard solutions and materials.

Among the lead highlights were the BIOFACH and VIVANESS Congresses. Each featured a summary motto. The BIOFACH Congress, for instance, featured the theme “Organic.Climate.Resilience.” As with previous renditions, the BIOFACH Congress comprised various forums. These included:

• The Specialised Trade (Fachhandel) Forum
• The Policy Forum
• The Sustainability Forum
• The Agriculture Forum
• The Science Forum
• The Biofach Forum

Each Forum focused on a set of specific topics related to the Congress theme. For example, the Fachhandel Forum emphasised the specialised trade challenges such as digitalisation. This included topics like:

• Understanding staff values, talents, and motivations
• Future positioning strategies
• More reusable products in the organic trade
• Current issues in the organic food trade sector

BIOFACH Congress 2022 featured a new extension in the form of the Agriculture Forum. It discussed various modern organic agriculture topics. One of them was achieving 30% of organic land by 2030. These were discussed through topics such as:

• Challenges experienced by European organic fruit producers
• Dignified on-farm slaughter
• The history of Regenerative Organic Agriculture (ROC)
• Managing the new administrative requirements
• Applied biotremology for pest management in vineyards and orchards

The Sustainability Forum discussed subjects related to the megatrend. The topics included ecological fair play, accurate cost accounting, and climate cuisine. These were presented by various presentations, such as:

• CO2-neutrality in agricultural supply networks
• Why must biodiversity be a priority?
• How can organic be used to preserve our livelihoods?
• QA challenges and opportunities for organic food processing
• Climate action initiatives for organic businesses
• Hemp: the reintroduction of a sustainable food source
• Climate Cuisine 2022: Towards a More Sustainable Diet

The BIOFACH Forum focused on the pandemic and how it affected the industry. It discussed topics such as:

• Detecting and avoiding supply chain fraud
• What precautions must organic enterprises undertake in the future?
• Evaluating organic processing technology
• How effective is remote monitoring of certifying bodies and licensed operators?

The Policy Forum was also among the forums that comprised BIOFACH Congress. It focused on topics such as:

• Assessing the social advantages of organic agriculture
• Organic sector sustainability labels
• Will genetic modification regulation continue?
• Can the Food Systems Summit meet expectations?

The Science Forum once again was featured as part of the BIOFACH Congress. It served as the networking exchange platform for scientists, practitioners, and consultants. They attended presentations such as:

• Protecting crops in organic fruit and wine growing areas
• What is the most recent advancement in organic research?
• Digital technologies for local and artisanal manufacturing

VIVANESS 2022 also focused via various sub-events on sustainability. These included:

• the VIVANESS Congress
• the novel Breeze Talk
• the Workshop Area

Many sub-events also focused on other trends. Among them were:

• Less plastic
• Local heroes
• Holistic haircare
• Natural vegan cosmetics

The VIVANESS Congress featured a diverse range of sessions. These included:

• Novel means to address target audiences
• The search behaviour of beauty customers
• Global trends for Europe, China, South Korea, India, and the USA
• Ethical sourcing trends
• From raw material to recyclate

VIVANESS also featured several novelties. Among them was the Special Show Breeze. It presented international natural & organic cosmetic start-ups, newcomers, and niche brands. This allowed them to network with international retailers, buyers, potential partners, and customers. Among the companies presented via the Special Show was NATURALSOPHY. They displayed organic active ingredient skin care products for adults and babies. Nakt was also among the start-up companies to be featured in the Special Show Breeze. They presented vegan, reusable, and locally produced make-up remover pads.

Another novel addition to the VIVANESS event schedule was the Workshop Area. It was held on all event days. Each day featured three interactive sessions on three selected topics. The subjects were Ethical Sourcing, Stronger Together and Go to Market. The discussed topics included:

• Ethical sourcing entails further than avoiding child labour
• What exactly is the relationship between natural cosmetics and sports sponsorship?
• How can DIY data from the internet improve the efficiency of operations?
• Collaboration with a humanitarian organisation
• Brilliant ideas on their own are no longer enough
• Cooperation and partnerships as new forms of collaboration and market positioning
• Why is certification necessary?
• What are the criteria for creating and marketing natural organic cosmetics?

BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2022 coincided with the STADTLANDBIO Congress. It was held between 27.07.2022 and 28.07.2022. It featured participants, such as municipal decision-makers, administrative experts, and elected officials. The programme featured presentations, such as:

• Regional logistics: a protection contributor to climate change?
• What can communities do about soil as a “saviour” of the climate?
• Climate protection through food. What role can the catering industry perform?

BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2022 marked the events' outstanding return to live renditions. They received over 24,000 trade visitors from 137 countries and 2,276 exhibitors from 94 nations. Participants praised the personal exchange, networking, and in-depth discussion opportunities. Examining new products and trends was also among the praised aspects. So was immersing in the product diversity presented at the events.