From plant-based to immune-boosting and full of energy products – the spectrum is diverse and colourful
After a two-year break due to the pandemic, ISM will take place from 30 January to 2 February 2022 with 1,085 exhibitors from 56 countries. This year, product innovations will once again play a central role at the world’s largest trade fair for confectionery and snacks. This is also reflected in the fair’s new products overview, which presents numerous new products with around 160 entries.
More and more consumers prefer healthy, plant-based foods that taste authentic and have a minimalist list of ingredients. Whoever reaches for chocolate, sweets or fruit gums today expects more than “just” indulgence. Sweets and snacks should no longer surprise with exotic flavour combinations and fruity aromas alone, but support an active and conscious lifestyle as sugar-reduced or purely plant-based variants.
This year’s new products show the following: Naturalness and health are two of the trends that are becoming more and more decisive for purchases, also as a result of long lockdowns and social distancing measures. The trend towards products with additional health benefits is also getting a real boost. This is also confirmed by ISM partner Innova Market Insights, which records a growing number of new product launches with health benefits in its databases. Awareness of the antioxidant content and potential immune health benefits of snacks containing dark chocolate and “superfruits” such as pomegranate or goji berries will increase. At ISM 2022, for example, product innovations such as probiotic biscuits that promote digestion and immune-boosting crisps made from pulses and acerola will make their debut.
In parallel, the popularity of plant-based products and ingredients is driving innovation among confectionery and snack manufacturers. This also results in creative scope for new ways of enriching with dietary fibre. Ingredients such as fruit powder, nuts and vitamins, but also botanical extracts, functional dietary fibres or protein concentrates based on pulses are used here. From hand-picked, fair-trade organic macadamia nuts with a smoky barbecue flavour to nut snacks made from almonds, hazelnuts and cashews coated with freeze-dried fruit and thin chocolate or cashews enriched with natural vanilla, ISM offers a wide range.
In the purely plant-based segment, sports bars, energy bars and cereal bars are in vogue. In sugar and chocolate products, too, more new vegan and vegetarian alternatives will be presented at ISM, for example new chocolate varieties based on milk alternatives. In the snack segment, for example, products such as lentil and pea chips, but also chips made from seaweed enriched with sea salt, paprika or wasabi continue to grow. In the energy booster segment, ISM presents, for example, energy bars made from natural ingredients such as bananas, dates and almonds, wafer bars with caffeine or energy bullets made from maca, guarana, caffeine and dextrose.
The development of new confectionery products in the area of clean labelling is also in full swing. This is also accompanied by a return to traditional and natural food production without genetic engineering. Consumers want to know where the products come from, how they are made and what ingredients are used. Natural confectionery and snacks are often preferred to highly processed foods that contain artificial ingredients. At this year’s ISM, products labelled as additive-free, organic, natural/natural or GMO-free will therefore increase significantly. Whether handmade natural Crafties Air Chips, high-quality energy bars with exclusively natural ingredients, vegetable proteins and sprouts or sugar-free, aspartame-free black chewing gum with vegetable activated charcoal, calcium, green tea and the flavour of Sweet Spearmint – the spectrum is diverse and colourful.
The next events:
ISM – The world’s largest trade fair for sweets and snacks, Cologne 30.01. – 02.02.2022
ANUFOOD Brazil – International Trade Show Exclusively for the Food and Beverage Sector, São Paulo 12.04. – 14.04.2022
Wine & Gourmet Japan – International Wine, Beer, Spirits, Gourmet Food and Bar Exhibition & Conference, Tokyo 13.04. – 15.04.2022
