
November 16-17 passed Nordic Organic Food Fair of the stack - the Nordics' largest fair for organic and sustainable food. Organic Sweden was on site with its own booth for Eko-Portalen with fine products from 30 companies. In addition, we gave two talks, participated in two panel discussions and arranged a breakfast seminar with a focus on supply and demand in the Scanian eco-market.
In the stand, we highlighted products from Alex & Phil, Almnäs Bruk, Bager's, Biofood, Carried, Bönland, Camelina of Sweden, Eguale, The Eco Pallet, Fagra plain, Falköpings Mejeri, Four O' Clock, Gamla Enskede Bryggeri, Gunnarshögs Gård, JOM, Play sand cracker, Magnihill, Malmö Chokladfabrik, Malmö Vinegar factory, Melins, Mossagården, Munkagrodden, Oh Mungood, Reko Chicken, Saltå Kvarn, Saturnus, Smakis, Sänkdalens Glass, Värpinge Grön, Yipin and Ölandsfrukt. Together, the fine products created the feeling of a local eco-shop in mini format.
During the two fair days, there were many interesting meetings with buyers as well as curious food producers and other industry players.
Our participation with a stand on Nordic Organic Food Fair 2022 was made possible with funds from the Swedish Agency for Agriculture within the framework of the Food Strategy.
On Thursday, we arranged a breakfast seminar where we discussed challenges and opportunities in the Scanian eco-market. We also showed how Eko-Portalen can be used to drive sales of organic within a certain region.
To the seminar we invited representatives of both supply and demand, i.e. the producers Per Modig, Fagraslätt, Peter Nilsson, chairman Ekologiska Lantbrukarna i Skåne and Therese Magnusson from Gunnarshögs Gård. The demand was represented by Jens Thulin who runs the e-commerce platform Mylla, Joel Lindqvist behind the cafe and restaurant Mat- och Chokladstudion and Mikael Robertsson at EkoPallen and former head of sustainability at Coop. In addition, Åsa Orrö from KRAV and Mia Davidsson at the County Board Skåne.
Some insights from the seminar:
- Organic and locally produced go hand in hand, but the ecological added values are sometimes forgotten in communication.
- The organic segment does not sell itself but assumes that there is one dedication and willingness to find new ones collaboration opportunities with local producers.
- There is a potential for the food industry and grocery trade to enhance local added value by gear up their collaborations with local food companies.
- A key to increased sales of organic products can be to highlight the products even more clearly unique identity and regional character.
The breakfast seminar was also recorded and can be viewed afterwards here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43-eElfDAt4&t=835s
Together with KRAV, Ekologiska Lantbrukarna and EkoMatCentrum, we presented the latest statistics from the Swedish eco-market.
- Eco-farming shows the way to more stable food prices! Organic products have increased by 12 percent compared to 16 percent for conventional foods.
- reduces organic sales with 13 percent in volume, which contributes to the fact that the eco area will decrease in 2023.
- Although the crisis has many negative effects on agriculture, it can also drive forward new innovative ventures.
- 27 percent of consumers buy less organic as a way to deal with price increases, but at the same time state 50 percent of consumers that they want to shop more organically in the future!