News - 02-03-2025

Biofach: broad optimism in the organic sector

Sales of organic products are on the rise again, which resulted in an optimistic mood at the Biofach event in Nuremberg, Germany. From 11-14 February, this international trade fair for the organic sector attracted visitors from 140 countries – and Heleen Bos, Specialist Marketing Organics at Rijk Zwaan, was among them. She provides a roundup of the highlights.

Copyright: NuernbergMesse / Uwe Niklas

Big smiles

“Companies in the organic sector are thankfully now doing well again. The uncertainty about the war in Ukraine and price hikes have impacted on consumer spending in recent years. There is now a renewed focus on healthy lifestyles, so sales of all kinds of organic products are growing. All speakers took the stage with big smiles on their faces,” says Heleen when describing the vibe at the latest edition of the event, which she visits every year.

Growth in organic food & drinks

This positive atmosphere was supported by statistics in one of the many presentations Heleen attended. Titled ‘The European Market for Organic Food’ by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, it showed that in 2023 the value of retail sales grew by 3.4% in the USA and by 2.9% in the European Union. According to experts from several countries, the upward trend continued in Europe in 2024. In the UK, for example, sales of organic food and drinks grew by 7.7% last year, compared with 4.1% for non-organic food and drinks. Similar growth rates were given for Germany, Denmark and Italy. However, the evolution of sales channels in this segment varies per country. For instance, organic specialty shops are doing well in France, while discounters are growing in Germany. There are also some concerns about prices for producers, who sometimes cannot cover their costs.

Consumers choose chemical-free

Several presentations addressed people’s key motivations for buying organic. According to Heleen, the message was fairly unanimous: “The most important reason that consumers choose to buy organic food is that it is chemical-free, with no residues. That’s no real surprise, but it’s nice to have it confirmed by data.” A presentation titled ‘Insights on Organic Consumers from Various Countries’ encouraged businesses to make this argument – and other benefits of organic food – more visible on the shelf. One fun fact Heleen learned from this presentation is that, in Denmark, older couples and young families with small children are the most enthusiastic buyers of organic products, and are therefore referred to as ‘Super Organics’.

Regenerative is an enrichment

In addition to highlighting consumer trends, the event also paid attention to production-related developments. “One of the speakers encouraged us to see regenerative agriculture as an enrichment instead of a threat,” Heleen comments. “There has been a rise in this new type of agriculture in recent years, but unlike organic farming – which is governed by clear frameworks and legislation – there are as many as 40 definitions of regenerative agriculture. As the organic sector, we should welcome it as a new variant of conventional cultivation. Rather than getting nervous about it, we can learn from it.”

Bright future

Based on the data and trends presented during Biofach, Heleen sees a bright future for the organic sector, and especially for organic fruits and vegetables. “For example, healthy vegetables are a good fit with a vegan lifestyle, which is another trend that received a lot of attention at the fair. Our sector can face the future with confidence.”

Are you interested in learning more about how organic farming and organic retail sales are evolving worldwide? Download the FiBL publication: ‘The World of Organic Agriculture 2025’.