`Organic people' meet and greet at BioFach 2003 show in Nurnberg: all roads again lead to Germany as frozen food manufacturers join in the parade of new bio lines seen on display at the world's largest organic product exhibition. (The Green Scene).

Nurnberg again proved to be the place "where organic people meet," as almost 30,000 visitors attended BioFach 2003. The February 13-16 event, which was billed as the world's largest organic trade fair, featured 1,977 exhibitors taking up more than 33,000 square meters of display space.

While the exhibition showcased everything from clothing and cosmetics to spring water and wine, it was food of all kinds that dominated the surroundings. Frozen products had a strong presence, with offerings ranging from naturally-grown vegetables and bio sausages to organic pizza and ice cream.

"This is the fifth time we are exhibiting at the fair. It is important for us to be here," said J. W. Buning of Bio-Core BV (Fax: [phone]), a Lelystad, Holland-based supplier of organically-grown vegetables.

Buning was optimistic about future prospects for organic food sales in general, though concerned about short term macro-economic factors. With the overall European economy in the doldrums, uncertainty permeates the marketplace. The effect on consumer spending has been negative. Sales of organic eggs in Germany, for example, are reportedly down five percent this year.

Fortunately, Bio-Core is not in the egg business. As a supplier of green beans, broccoli, zucchini, peppers, peas and other greens to industrial further processors as well as caterers, retail operators and baby food makers, it has multiple channels to feed into.

"There is a lot going on in the added-value frozen food sector," said Buning. "Producers of organic vegetable burgers, pizzas and ready meals need ingredients that are certified as grown without use of synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides. And traceability must be total. We offer them all that and more."

Just a few years ago it was hard to find organic vegetables in high profile at most big name retail outlets. This is not the case anymore, as retailers are increasingly making space available for bio lines of all kinds. Supermarket chains are working hard to bring high-margin organic products to a higher sales level.

There is no doubt that what was once a niche category has become more mainstream. What is still in question, however, is whether or not mainstream consumers are prepared to pay a premium price for organically grown or produced food on a consistent basis.

"At the moment, because of the economic downturn, people are watching their wallets very carefully," said Dirk Desloovere of Van den Broeke-Lutosa. "Unless one is deeply committed to the organic lifestyle, there is some hesitation about paying more money for such products."

Just the same, Leuze-en-Hainaut, Belgium-based Lutosa was on the scene in Nurnberg to promote its line of Bio Organic frozen potato products, which include 3 Way Cook Oven Chips and Steak Fries in 1,000g bags. Pre-fried in sunflower oil, the spuds are certified Ecocert BE1.

"Germany is the biggest market in Europe for organic food, so we are selling both branded product and private labels here," said Desloovere. "We work with the country's three major organic food distributors, who have helped further Lutosa brand awareness. This, in turn, has benefited our non-organic product lines."

Another Belgian company at the show was Herentals-based BioLine, which offers an assortment of organic frozen vegetables and ready meals ranging from 450g bags of ethnic stirfry dishes and creamed spinach, to broccoli mixed with cheese sauce and garden herbs.

"While the market has slowed down during the last six months, it is nonetheless still growing," said Arthur van der Heyden. "Generally speaking, I would say that the rate of expansion has fallen from to 25% a few years ago to five or ten percent now. People are economizing on food expenditures, and that means less spending in premium market segments."

With the economic recession gripping Europe, some companies are looking further afield for sales opportunities. Among them is Dujardin Foods, which operates the Biopolis organic vegetable processing plant in Baringhausen, Germany. Its Bio range of products run the gamut from straight packs of carrots and cauliflower, to mushrooms and mixes of peas, corn and peppers.

"We will soon introduce 330 gram packs of organic vegetables to the USA market," John Denys, commercial director, told Quick Frozen Foods International on Feb. 15. "The decision was taken yesterday."

Sea Chef Dons BioChef Cap

Meanwhile, Sea Chef of Kibbutz Ellon, Western Galilee, Israel, was fishing for new customers in Europe for its BioChef line of added-value organic vegetarian products that include Bio Veggie brand burgers, kebabs, cutlets, nuggets, falafel and tofu franks.

Having already established a name in the whitefish business, the company has just recently entered the organic food segment. "It's expensive to produce our Bio Chef line, as raw material costs are three to nine times higher than those for non-organic ingredients," said Yohal Ben-Zikri. "We are hoping that the European market will appreciate our cholesterol and GMO-free blend of wholesome vegetables, herbs and spices."

Belgian chocolate, strawberry and vanilla organic ice cream was served up in healthy scoops at the YSCO Cateripg Services stand, which was manned by Henk Casteele, sales manager.

The Naturel Line brand has been available for about a year now. As an independently run unit of the Belgomilk cooperative, the Langemark, Belgium-based company can assure customers that its ingredients are 100% organic with no substrates. Though the organic market took less than 1% of YSCO's 130 million liters of output last year, there is reason to believe that volume will grow in the future. "We are aiming to expand this line through private label distribution, which is the main channel for YSCO products," said Casteele.

Grossostheim-Ringheim-based Salomon Hitburger GmbH launched three new organic meat products at the show. Bio Chik'n Wings, Bio BeefStix and Bio Beefsteak are distributed in 200g packages to the retail trade. They join Bio Cevap, Bio Gourmet-Minced Meat Steak and Bio Hamburger offerings in the organic range of frozen snack foods.

"These convenience products will appeal to nutrition-conscious consumers," said Philip Dean Kruk, managing director. "Next to the new body awareness, the wellness movement has also changed the way more and more people are eating today. The modern consumer is looking for a balanced, natural and enjoyable diet."

Salomon, a member of the Moksel Group, showed off its line extension at a joint stand with Naturland. Raw material for the organic range meat products is sourced exclusively from Naturland farms.

Meanwhile, Eastbrook Farm Organic Meat promoted what it called "Britain's fastest cooking sausage" at the show. The product was initially rolled out in January in cooperation with Hans Kupfer & Sohn.

Eastbrook, which is ranked as Britain's largest organic pork company, produces 750 organic pigs per week. The free-ranging porkers are raised at its farm in Bishopstone, Swindon, Wiltshire, as well as by some 30 other farmers in southern England.

"To us the welfare of the pig and the quality of the finished product go hand in hand," said Tim Finney, managing director of the company. "Helen Browning, who set up the business in 1989, is well known among the trade in the United Kingdom, and increasingly among consumers, as an authority on pigs."

Eastbrook is able to supply frozen organic pork cuts and meat for further manufacturing throughout the EU and beyond. During the past year it has exported speciality sausages as well as baby food components to customers in Spain and Germany.

When it comes to organic pizza, the bio line from Malissard, France-based Sole Mio (Fax: [phone]) has to rank right up there with the best of them, judging by the lip-smacking folks who were fortunate enough to sit down and sample slices washed down with red wine at the company's stand.

"Our pizza is baked in wood-fired oven stoves. We use beechwood, which imparts a flavor unlike other pizza products," said Francesco Mango, president

Three new items were recently brought out under the Sole Mio bio range: Three Cheese Pizza, which features emmental, mozzarella and comte cheese; Pizza Legumes, which is liberally topped with tomatoes, courgettes, onions, olives and herbs; and Pizza Buche de Chevre.

The company, which has been producing handmade pizzas for 23 years, moved into a state-of-the-art plant in 1996.

Pinguin Gets Partner in UK Spain's Ultracongelados Virto

Belgian frozen vegetable processor Pinguin NV has signed a cooperation agreement with Spanish frozen food company Ultracongelados Virto S.A. for the sale of frozen vegetables in the United Kingdom.

The agreement, which ties in with Pinguin's expansion strategy, involves its subsidiary, Pinguin Foods UK, which was created last year when the company acquired the King's Lynn plant previously operated by the now defunct Fisher Foods.

Headquartered in Azagra, Navarre, Virto, like Pinguin, produces frozen vegetables, including spinach, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, courgettes, tomatoes, artichokes, onions and mushrooms. It already exports most of production, 20% of it to the UK.

As Pinguin continues to expand its geographical reach, it remains active in developing new product lines. Among recent additions are "Steam Cook" ready meals and vegetable dishes.