The 2024 edition of the fair concluded yesterday, the 11th Speciality & Fine Foodwhich was held September 10-11 at the Olympia venue London. This food sector event has brought together more than 550 exhibitors and received some 10,000 specialized visitorswhich is why it is presented as an opportunity for the Spanish market. promote the country’s food.
The event, which reaches the quarter of a century In the new edition, it is a meeting point for retail and food service buyers looking for the most outstanding products from the best suppliers in the United Kingdom and beyond. It is an opportunity for conducting business face to face with buyers and interested companies.
Among the companies attending, we found several Spanish companies dedicated to the sweet and snack sector, among which stand out: Risi and Torres Potato Chips.
With a 48% of its sales corresponding to Impulse Channel, innovation attended the event with the aim of showcasing its products and making itself known in the foreign market.
From the company, Alexandra Martinezits Marketing Director, mentions, in our Snacks Report, the significant impact that snack manufacturers have suffered due to the inflation. Despite this, in 2023, the company reached a turnover of 101 million euros“achieving double-digit growth compared to the previous year,” and by the end of 2024, “we hope to maintain similar growth, focusing especially on our snacks and chips categories”. An exercise in which they expect “stability, with a moderation in the increase in prices.”
As for its products, the company is focusing on consolidating its launches most recent, such as Risketos X-Hot, Patatas Risi y Mine! Baked; as well as the additions to the extruded popcorn segment, Chili and Lime Risi Popcornwhich focus on a child audience.
For the company, Consumers are increasingly demanding products with high nutritional valuemoving away from options with a lot of salt and additives. That is why, as they tell us, they are “Improving our snack linesimplementing automation, incorporating technology and modernizing facilities to adapt effectively to the market”, as well as focusing on two other major trends: Sustainability and spicy flavours.
For its part, Torres Potato Chips focuses on its recent releases designed for adapt to different consumption moments, like the 100% natural egg snack Ouegg, “a new way to eat eggs on-the-go”. This product, which is characterized by its innovative nature, consists of a dehydrated egg omelette presented in a 20-gram format, “ideal for satisfying the craving in a practical and delicious way at any time and place”.
“Despite the challenges inherent in introducing eggs to the supermarket, we are committed to achieving this and are pleased with the progress so far,” the company says. The product is available in four flavours: Original, Truffle, Ham and Pickleo.
On the other hand, in the category of chips, below the line Tapas, The company has launched a new reference flavor Pepinillo, which has also been awarded with theThe Superior Taste Awardwith two stars that recognize its quality and flavor. This range “pays tribute to one of the most popular customs of Spanish gastronomy: going for tapas.” It joins the varieties already presented previously: the flavors Fried Egg Tapas Towers and Vinegar Tapa Towersboth marketed in 40 and 125 gram formats.
Government support: Spain Food Nation
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Luis Planas and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the new British Government.
He Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foodin collaboration with the Spanish Federation of Food and Beverage Industries (FIAB) and the public company ICEXdependent on the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Businessa, participated in the recent edition of the Speciality & Fine Food fair. The Spanish pavilion, organized by FIAB with the support of MAPA, hosted various companies from the agri-food sector, such as Risi and Torres Potato Chips.
During the event, in addition to the exhibition of products, a gastronomic space was offered in collaboration with ICEX Spain Export and Investmentunder the campaign ‘Spain Food Nation‘. In this space, tastings, samplings and training sessions were held, giving professionals the opportunity to learn about and appreciate the diversity from the “Foods of Spain”.
The strategy “Foods from Spain” seeks to position the country as a power in the food and gastronomy sector. The MAPA classifies the collaboration agreements with entities as FIAB e ICEX as “key to boosting the internationalization of the sector”, which would allow Spanish companies to participate in institutional pavilions at international trade fairs and promotional events.
“Spain is a strategic partner for the United Kingdom”
According to data from the UK Food and Drink Federation, the food and drink industry in the UK generates more than 200 billion pounds (about 230 billion euros), while the food and beverage imports last year amounted to 60 billion pounds (68.4 billion euros approximately); while the country has 92,796 food stores.
In 2023, the United Kingdom was consolidated as the fifth destination for Spanish agri-food exports and the first outside the European Unioncon an export value that reached 4.8 billion eurosaccording to the MAPA.
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On September 9, the MAPA organized the Spain Food Nation Summitan event organized by ICEX Spain Export and Investment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), as part of its collaboration agreement for the international promotion of the Spanish food industry. Its main purpose is to strengthen the positioning of the country’s food and beverage products in strategic markets, such as the United Kingdom, China, the United States and Japan.
The initiative includes the creation of advisory boards in each of these markets strategic. These councils are made up of Key professionals in distribution channels and sector mediawho analyze the tendencies and the evolution of the market and contribute Recommendations to improve the presence and competitiveness of Spanish companies in these markets.
The 2024 edition was held at the Royal Over-Seas League, in the centre of Londonwhere the MAPA minister highlighted that lSpain’s food products “are synonymous with success in international markets due to their high quality and flavour”A clear example of this is the British market, where exports Spanish agri-food exports exceed 4.8 billion eurosAccording to Planas, “Spain is a strategic partner for the United Kingdom.”
The minister also emphasized the Relevance of promotional policies and actions to consolidate and expand the presence of Spanish agri-food products abroad, as well as to highlight the virtues of these foods.
Spain is currently the Fourth largest food producer in the European Union and occupies the tenth place worldwide. In addition, it is consolidated as a key supplier to the UKbeing the main exporter of fresh fruits and vegetables to this country.
Planas also recalled that the food security It is a priority for Spain, highlighting the country’s commitment to offering “a wide range of agri-food products that meet the highest quality and sustainability standards”.
