Vitafoods 2021 Geneva

This year’s edition of Vitafoods was unique – after a 2-year break caused by a pandemic, the halls of the Palexpo exhibition center in Geneva were again filled with exhibitors. For many of them it was the first opportunity in many months to meet their clients and partners ‘face to face’ and to maintain relationships with them. It was not only the possibility of a physical meeting that distinguished Vitafoods from a digital fair. Even the most modern online platforms do not offer a very important possibility, which in the case of food products is the possibility of tasting and self-assessing whether a given functional product has a chance to appeal to customers.

The importance of this factor can be seen in the countless crowds in the tasting area. In addition to protein and energy bars, dietary supplements in the form of jellies were by far the most popular during this year’s edition, which in terms of caring for health combine pleasant with useful and prove that proper nutrition does not have to be boring at all. Among the more “classic” solutions in the field of supplementation, a significant number of exhibitors opted for proven products based on vitamin blends, collagen and omega-3 acid, offered both as tablets and liquid forms. The trend of looking for healthier, organic substitutes for sugar in functional foods was also quite clear. Sweeteners with high fiber content, such as inulin, are increasingly used for this purpose.

The possibility of meeting in person with both potential customers and suppliers allows for a much broader view of the current market situation, especially new trends in the field of proper nutrition and health care. And those, incl. due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they are undergoing very dynamic changes, opening new niches and opportunities for the development of companies in the dietary supplements and functional food industries.