The Newcomer Area at ISM

ISM, the world’s largest trade fair for sweets and snacks, is once again offering industry newcomers the opportunity to present themselves to the international buyers’ market – jointly and at favourable conditions in the “Newcomer Area”.

Once again twelve companies, this time from Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Switzerland, Thailand and the USA are participating. The spectrum of the products exhibited ranges from fine biscuits, to cereal bars, through to sweet and savoury fruit and vegetable snacks. As in the previous years, the “Newcomer Area” is located in Hall 11.1, Stand D 31/E 38. In total, around 1,600 suppliers from approx. 65 countries will be exhibiting at ISM from 29 January to 2 February 2017.

Fruit and vegetables as healthy snacks, that is one of the important themes among the “newcomers” at ISM. Banana chips in savoury versions, already a classic in South America, are set to take off in Europe now too. Exclusively fresh cooking bananas are used for the crispy bites. The chips contain no cholesterol and no trans fats. They come in the two flavours “salty” or “sweet pepper”.

Different kinds of fruit are processed in such a way by one Polish company that ingredients such as vitamins, calcium, magnesium or fibres are retained. The dried fruits remain fruity and tasty, whether apples, strawberries or physalis. A producer from Lithuania uses a different method. Here, the fruits are freeze-dried. Among others, mangos, pineapples and grapes are processed and filled into a practical pouch.

A manufacturer from Estonia has chosen a different approach. Here, the fruits are carefully candied to make a fruity snack. These are accompanied by amusing figures and stories for children. Candied ginger that is exclusively made from selected ginger roots and sugar cane is produced in Thailand. They are also offered in the flavour caramel. The gentle production method allows the valuable ingredients of the ginger as well as antioxidants and vitamins to be retained.

The baobab is an impressive tree that grows in the African Savannah and which is also commonly known as the monkey bread tree. The fruit, bark and leaves have been used by humans and animals for many generations already. Mixed together with amaranth, quinoa, different fruits or chia seeds, baobab becomes a delicious, vegan bar sweetened using rice syrup.

Vegetables are a key basis for savoury vegetable snacks and bars made in Germany.

In the case of the new biscuits that a company from Berlin is bringing with it to ISM in Cologne, it is all about energy, health and taste. Guarana, magnesium and herbs provide the necessary boost of energy and the lovely taste. From the USA we will see wafer rolls – filled and non-filled – as well as fine tea biscuits. Baklava on the other hand is a classic sweet pastry from the Orient.

The tempting delight in different varieties, known as “Baklava2go” is also individually packed and thus makes an ideal take-away or gift item.

The “Bad luck cookie” displays a special feature. It offers comfort instead of foretelling good fortune. In contrast to its counterpart, the fortune cookie, its messages are blunt, honest and direct,” explained the manufacturer from Hamburg. The pitch-black cookie is designed for people, who don’t take themselves too seriously and who can take a joke.

A Swiss company is offering a chocolate grater for that special chocolate enjoyment. It was originally developed for the famous cheese Tête de Moine from Jura in Switzerland, but then it proved to be ideal for grating chocolate too. The visitors can convince themselves of this at ISM.

Over the course of four days, all of the ISM exhibitors will be presenting themselves to the international trade audience, which travels to Cologne from all over the world once a year to examine new products and get to know future trends.

For all those, who would like to gain an even deeper insight, lectures on trends and tendencies will take place daily on the “ISM Expert Stage”. Among others, the market research company Innova Market Insight, the online news platform Confectionery News.Com and the IFH – the Institute for Trade Research, Cologne are taking part. In addition to the sweets and snacks trends, consumer trends and eCommerce will be on the agenda.

ProSweets Cologne – the international supplier fair for the sweets and snacks industry – will once again be staged parallel to ISM. Together with ProSweets Cologne, ISM covers the entire value chain of sweets production and sales at the same time and place – a worldwide unique constellation.

Both trade fairs are exclusively open to trade visitors.