Koelnmesse joins BALPro to drive sustainable innovation

Koelnmesse, organiser of the global trade fairs Anuga and Anuga FoodTec, has joined hands with the German Association for Alternative Sources of Protein (BALPro) to accelerate sustainable food innovation and promote alternative proteins.

In order to promote sustainable agriculture and sustainable food chain, as part of the need for the global food industry to shift towards sustainability, Koelnmesse, the organiser of Anuga and Anuga FoodTec, has joined hands with the German Association for Alternative Sources of Protein (BALPro).

In a press statement, Koelnmesse says this strategic move reflects its commitment to promoting sustainable food innovations, particularly in alternative proteins, and fostering collaboration across sectors to drive the future of food towards more sustainable, ethical, and resource-efficient solutions.

It adds that by joining BALPro, it is strengthening its commitment to advancing alternative protein sources and supporting companies driving sustainable innovation in the food industry.

According to the statement, Anuga and Anuga FoodTec are key platforms for innovation in the food and beverage sectors, with alternative proteins showing significant growth potential.

According to the fair organiser, its knowledge partner Innova Market Insights reports plant-based proteins lead the market with an 11 pc annual growth rate, especially in bakery, ready meals, and snacks. Insect proteins are growing at 75 pc, while cultivated and microbial proteins show a 16 pc increase.

The statement adds that its event highlights innovative, sustainable products, while Anuga FoodTec focuses on cutting-edge food processing and packaging technologies, offering a platform for solutions driving the shift to sustainable food.

It adds that the BALPro membership supports these trade fairs by fostering exchange between science, business, politics, and society, driving innovation for a future-oriented food industry.

“The BALPro membership opens up a wide-ranging network to Koelnmesse, which enables us to actively push sustainable innovations forward. The cooperation strengthens the role of Koelnmesse as an influential trendsetter in an increasingly sustainability-oriented food industry. We consider it to be our task to support companies and important industry players in setting new, resource-saving standards across the entire value chain of the production and packaging of food and beverages,” says Oliver Frese, COO, Koelnmesse.

“Together with BALPro, as leading platforms, Anuga and Anuga FoodTec set new benchmarks for the future. Our goal is to promote solutions for a sustainable future and support the food industry with its challenges. By bringing important players together and intensifying the exchange, we create formats that sustainably bring the section of alternative proteins forward and actively co-shape the transformation in the food industry,” says Jan Philipp Hartmann, Director, Anuga.

“The industry is still in its infancy and has to reach the next development stage. Products should become better, healthier, cheaper and more sustainable. To this end, new ingredients and production technologies like precision and biomass fermentation as well as cell cultivation are needed. The progress shown at Anuga FoodTec offers major opportunities in the growing protein market – and the cooperation with BALPro sets further impulses here,” says Matthias Schlüter, Director, Anuga FoodTec.

“We are delighted to welcome Koelnmesse as a new member of the association. With its internationally renowned trade fairs, Anuga and Anuga FoodTec, the trade fair organisation offers the interdisciplinary platforms for the development of the industry. Our members not only assert themselves on these platforms, they also use them to inspire partners and interested parties for alternative sources of proteins. Especially in the scope of the two new formats, Anuga Horizon and Anuga Alternatives, our new member demonstrates how important it is to have one’s finger on the pulse of time and actively co-shape the future of the food landscape,” says Fabio Ziemßen, Board Member, BALPro.