At BIOFACH 2025, around 2,300 exhibiting companies from 94 countries will present the diversity and innovative strength of the organic world.
Nuremberg is the venue today for the launch of BIOFACH, the World’s Leading Fair for Organic Food. From 11 to 14 February 2025, the sector will gather in the organic food metropolis to collectively tackle global challenges and build networks. The theme of this year’s accompanying congress is “Yes, we do! How to effect change in the organic food segment”. Some 2,300 exhibiting companies from 94 countries are set to showcase the diversity and innovative strength of the organic community. “BIOFACH 2025 will show how the sector is actively shaping change. In times of multiple crises, ecological transformation is more important than ever. With its comprehensive product display in nine exhibition halls and accompanying congress, BIOFACH sees itself as a guiding force that provides direction, dialogue, and leading-edge inspiration,” explains Dominik Dietz, Director of BIOFACH.
At BIOFACH 2025, stakeholders from the entire value chain will gain a comprehensive overview of the products and solutions available. In nine exhibition halls, they’ll discover a wide variety of products from international exhibitors who have travelled from all over the world but primarily from Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, France and Austria. Almost half of the participating companies have organic ingredients for food and natural cosmetics as well as vegetarian and vegan options in their product ranges. This development is also reflected in the BIOFACH Trends of 2025. The Trend Jury, made up of experts from the organic and sustainability sector, has chosen this year’s industry trends: “Next-level Plant-based” and “We, Myself and I”. The former describes the dynamic development of plant-based alternatives on the market, where innovative products that combine flavour and sustainability are setting new benchmarks. “We, Myself and I” reflects the conflict between idealism and hedonism. Price and variety are at the forefront of purchasing decisions, while sustainability has taken a back seat. Nevertheless, consumers still want transparency and environmental awareness from manufacturers.
This is also happening at the product level. The product trends in 2025 range from rebellious moments of (organic) indulgence (Rebel’s Choice) and plant-based taste sensations (Vegan en Vogue) to high-quality convenience products (Culinary Ease), eco-friendly beverages for every occasion (Cheers to Every Moment), and foodstuffs with added benefits (Functional Finesse).
Highlights from the supporting programme
In 171 individual sessions, the 2025 BIOFACH Congress offers a platform for the industry’s thought leaders. Seven different forums cover topics such as market developments, trends, policy frameworks, best practice examples, and “food for thought”. The congress theme, which was devised by the BÖLW (German Federation of Organic Food Producers), the national supporting organization of BIOFACH, and BIOFACHs international patron IFOAM – Organics International, is: “Yes, we do! How to effect change in the organic food segment”. As an interactive format, the SustainableFutureLab invites participants to discuss critical issues and open new perspectives. Via the BIOFACH digital platform, numerous programme highlights will be live-streamed and will then be available for about six months after the fair as on-demand videos. The networking tools provided also facilitate discussions between industry experts.
The professional audience can look forward to a wide-ranging supporting programme with many new features and highlights. The INNOVATION STAGE and PRESENTATION STAGE provide a platform for young start-ups and organic pioneers to showcase their diverse products and creative ideas. In 2025, the PLANETARY HEALTH world of experience (formerly World of VEGAN) will also cover topics like the planetary health diet and whole foods as well as plant-based solutions. The special display area “Organic Food in OOH” has been expanded yet again. This is where interested visitors will find best practice examples and exhibitor presentations and can gain deeper insights into out-of-home and institutional catering in live cooking demonstrations and guided tours.
Anyone wanting to find out what the future of organic food could look like should make their way, for example, to the BIOFACH Novelty Stand, the International Newcomers & Start-ups area in Hall 4A, the “Young Innovators” pavilion subsidised by the BMWK (German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action) and the BIOFACH start-up pitches. Participants are also encouraged to vote for their favourite product either online or at the Novelty Stand to win the Best New Product Award. This accolade is awarded in 12 categories on the last day of the fair.
“Transition in Packaging” will be the key theme for FACHPACK at the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 24 to 26 September 2024. This describes the powerful currents that are affecting the packaging sector in Europe right now. High expectations in terms of sustainability combined with new packaging regulations, increasing digitalization and artificial intelligence are just three of the driving themes at FACHPACK 2024. Demographic change also poses challenges for the industry. FACHPACK perceives itself as a guide for the sector, offering both interaction and direction. “The dynamics in the packaging industry have never been greater,” says Heike Slotta, Executive Director Exhibitions at NürnbergMesse. “And companies are responding with impressive powers of design and innovation. We will get to experience these first-hand during the three days of the trade fair, and I’m very much looking forward to it.” The key theme of “Transition in Packaging” will be reflected at the stands of the 1,463 exhibitors, in the extensive lecture programme, in the fascinating special shows and themed pavilions, and in the award presentations. Some 35,000 visitors from the consumer and industrial goods industries are expected.
FACHPACK provides a compact yet comprehensive overview of the products and services along the entire packaging process chain for industrial and consumer goods. That means packaging, the associated technology and the accompanying processes. The trade fair extends to eleven exhibition halls this year. Of the 1,463 exhibitors, 47 percent will travel to Nuremberg from outside Germany, the majority from Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Greece, the Czech Republic, France and Turkey.
About 56 percent of exhibitors represent the packaging sector, in other words packaging materials and packaging accessories. Forty-four percent are from the packaging technology area, i.e. packaging machines, labelling systems and automation. The package printing and finishing segments and internal logistics are also covered at FACHPACK.
New food for thought and solutions for the packaging industry
Following a few challenging years, FACHPACK is back in the form in which the industry knows and appreciates it: 1,463 exhibitors will be present in the eleven exhibition halls, and not only the most prominent names in the packaging industry but also many smaller SMEs which will also find their customers here. “FACHPACK is quite simply a ‘class reunion’ for the European packaging industry,” Slotta observes, adding: “For three days we will once again experience the hands-on mentality that’s characteristic of this sector and feel its momentum. The current transformation in the packaging industry is something we are facing with optimism and a focus on solutions. We are actively involved in shaping this transformation, fully in line with our slogan, ‘We create the future’!
New network: Women in focus
A new feature is the Women4Packaging networking event for women in the packaging industry, taking place in the Brussels Room, NCC Mitte, at mid- day on the first day of the trade fair (24.9). This will give female players in the industry a unique opportunity to network on-site, provide mutual inspiration and interact on current themes and trends in the packaging sector. The whole thing takes place in a relaxed atmosphere. A highlight is the Keynote by Vera Strauch, founder of the Female Leadership Academy and expert in Feminist Leadership, on “Grow Your Influence: How to build a strong network and make an authentic impact”. About 150 participants have registered.
New ideas: Presentations with their finger on the pulse
FACHPACK perceives itself as a driving force for the sector. In addition to the extensive product exhibition and the many innovations on show there, this will also be evident from the lecture programme in the forums PACKBOX (Hall 4), INNOVATIONBOX (Hall 2) and SOLPACK 5.0 (Hall 3). All three draw on themes of current interest to the sector, e.g. dealing with the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR), the circular economy, automation and AI, and also alternative packaging solutions and new fibre-based raw materials.
Highlights in the lecture programme include:
- Safe and sustainable? Evaluation of packaging materials with a focus on recyclates
- Quo Vadis Packaging?– what does the new EU packaging regulation mean in terms of practical business examples
- Digital packaging data: A must-have to handle complexity and new legal demands
- How AI is driving the circular economy
- Digitalization – smart packaging for greater transparency and sustainability
- Future-Ready Packaging – How to make your packaging fit for the future: Best practice examples of paper-based packaging solutions!
- The future of retail: new insights and their impact on the packaging industry
In the PACKBOX forum, moderated on this occasion by industry experts Matthias Mahr (LebensmittelPraxis magazine), Dr Johannes Bergmair (Pack Experts and World Packaging Organisation) and Oliver Berndt (Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut (German Packaging Institute, dvi), key partners to the packaging industry will give shape to the programme and invite visitors to listen in and join the discussion. SOLPACK 5.0, moderated by Peter Désilets and Volker Muche (sustainability agency pacoon GmbH), is devoted to sustainable packaging solutions. At INNOVATIONBOX, moderated by Nina Schönrock and Petra Bindl, registered exhibitors will introduce their new product developments and process innovations in short, punchy presentations.
Good packaging design: Special show “Outside the Box”
Anyone interested in packaging design should be sure to look in on the special design show “Outside the Box” in Hall 4. Organized for FACHPACK by bayern design, this illustrates the drafting and design process from idea through to good packaging design, and offers valuable insights into the impact of design on development processes. Unusual exhibits, e.g. innovative packaging for fitted sheets or a reuse system for domestic products such as detergents or soaps, are used to show design processes that make packaging more suitable for the circular economy, improve awareness of the brands behind products, and create a sense of identification and awareness among customers and users.
Fascinating approaches: Alternative packaging solutions
FACHPACK will offer inspiration this year with a special item on the programme: the “Alternative packaging solutions” pavilion. This is where examples of alternatives to traditional materials will be presented, along with an insight into what could be possible in the future. In the fully booked pavilion in Hall 3, for example, exhibitors will display compostable film bags, padding material made of grain husks, compostable tea bags, packaging made of sugarcane, and much more besides. The SOLPACK 5.0 forum is also part of this pavilion.
Fresh wind: Start-ups conquer the industry
Anyone on the lookout for fresh, unconventional ideas and products to resolve packaging questions will also find these this year among the start- ups in the packaging sector in Hall 2. Awaiting visitors are the “Young Innovators” pavilion for young, innovative companies, sponsored by the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK), and the “Newcomers Pavilion”, which provides a platform where first-time exhibitors at FACHPACK and international newcomers to the sector can introduce themselves and their innovative products and services to the experts.
New industry talents in focus: Students Day on Thursday
The STUDENTS DAY on the third day of the fair (26.9) brings together prominent companies and new talents in the packaging industry. At the invitation of FACHPACK and the German Packaging Institute (dvi), students from the German-speaking region will meet in workshops with professionals from the likes of DALLI Werke, Henkel, Tchibo, Smurfit Kappa and Beiersdorf. An animated exchange of ideas on the demands of the future and the specifics of working in the packaging industry is guaranteed.
Achievements honoured: German Packaging Award
On the first day of the fair, the stage will once again be set for a total of 41 winners of the German Packaging Award, Europe’s top showcase for all aspects of packaging. Almost 250 submissions from 13 countries were submitted in advance for personal inspection and assessment. The German Packaging Award is presented by the German Packaging Institute (dvi) in ten categories. The presentation will take place in the Munich Room, NCC Mitte, from 16:30. As a premium partner, FACHPACK will present the special award for young talents. This distinction recognises the best packaging designs by school pupils, apprentices and students.
Industry development: Caution and optimism for 2025
The results of a current survey among associations in the German packaging industry show that weak economic conditions and growing regulatory demands are particular sources of concern for the packaging sector. According to the associations, however, an initial recovery in the economic situation in Germany is making itself felt. A cautious optimism is in the air for 2025. “As an industry platform, FACHPACK can assist the packaging industry with its challenges,” says Slotta. “Together it’s possible to develop ideas and solutions to encourage economic success for the industry. A trade fair that represents an entire sector can achieve more than individual companies on their own.”
According to the Food and Packaging Machinery Association at VDMA, incoming orders for packaging machines in the first four months of 2024 increased by 16 percent in real terms. Positive development overall is expected for the second half of the year. Global demand remains huge, and the potentials in the emerging economies in particular are far from being exhausted.
IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen (the Plastic Packaging Industry Association, IK) expects a slight economic recovery in the second half of 2024. The strongest drivers of hope in its view are the stable export expectations and adaptation strategies on the part of companies to secure supplies of raw materials and the circular economy. The Industrieverband Papier- und Folienverpackungen (IPV), the German association representing producers of packaging made from paper and plastic films, perceives major opportunities in the strong trend toward light, customizable and easily recyclable packaging. The folding box segment sees the possibility of an upswing in the future substitution of packaging based on petrochemicals with fibre-based recyclable packaging. A slight upturn in business from autumn 2024 is expected in the wooden packaging sector. In addition to the economic situation in Germany, the Bundesverband Holzpackmittel, Paletten, Exportverpackung (the German association for wooden packaging materials, pallets and export packaging, HPE) is looking toward foreign trade, since it perceives that a decline in foreign trade is causing a downward trend in demand for wooden packaging. As for glass containers, the Bundesverband Glasindustrie (the German glass industry association) assumes that the situation will continue to stabilize during 2024. The Verband der Wellpappen-Industrie (German Corrugated Board Industry Association, VDW) expects to see a gradual process of recovery for 2024. In the first five months of 2024, VDW members experienced revenue growth of 1.6 percent compared to the same period last year. Further information, figures and graphics on the packaging market in Germany and Europe can be found in the FACHPACK360° news portal.
There are new developments at BIOFACH, World Leading Lrade Trade Fair for Organic Food. In July 2023, Steffen Waris took on the role of Exhibition Director for the trade fair, reinforcing the team led by Danila Brunner, Executive Director Exhibitions. Brunner will continue to have overall responsibility for the combined BIOFACH and VIVANESS trade fair.
Steffen Waris has wide-ranging experience in trade fair and event management. For more than a decade, he held various roles at Mineralientage Munchen (the trade fair for minerals, fossils, gemstones, and jewellery in Munich). These included positions in marketing, leading the technical services, and event management. He will now give BIOFACH the benefit of his extensive expertise.
“After a brief excursion into the logistics segment, I am very pleased to be finally breathing in the trade fair atmosphere again. Bringing people together and helping them to network is what drives me. I also live and love team spirit, which is why the close contact to our customers, exhibitors, visitors, and media representatives is so hugely important to me,” says Waris.
“In Steffen Waris we have gained an experienced trade fair expert,” explains Brunner. “I am looking forward to working with him and our entire team as we continue to successfully develop BIOFACH and VIVANESS and create inspiring experiences for our customers.”
Waris made a conscious decision in favour of BIOFACH and the organic food sector. Not only does it match his personal values and expectations; it also aligns with his professional objectives. “BIOFACH offers an incredibly fascinating environment. The segment is facing some challenges due to both market forces and political decisions, and there is a lot of movement within it. It is an honour to be part of such an exciting and dynamic sector!”
“Transition In Packaging” is the key theme of the FACHPACK trade fair, to be held in Nuremberg from 27 to 29 September 2022. This describes the transformation currently taking place in the European packaging industry. More sustainability, more e-Commerce and increasing digitalisation are just some of the driving themes. Then there are the current challenges such as the shortage of skilled workers, high power costs and disrupted supply chains. “The dynamics in the packaging industry have never been greater,” says Heike Slotta, Executive Director NürnbergMesse. “But despite that, or perhaps because of it, companies in the sector are very strong on design and innovation.” The key theme of “Transition in Packaging” will be reflected at the stands of the 1,145 exhibitors (2021: 789), in the extensive lecture programme, in the fascinating special shows and in the award presentations. Visitors from the consumer and industrial goods sectors will be impressed.
FACHPACK offers a compact yet comprehensive overview of the products and services relating to the packaging process chain for industrial and customer goods – i.e. packaging and the associated technology and processes. This year’s event will extend to nine exhibition halls. Of the 1,145 exhibitors, 42 percent will travel to Nuremberg from outside Germany, the majority from Turkey, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Belgium, the Czech Republic and France.
A good half of the exhibitors are active in packaging materials and packaging accessories, and about one-third in the area of packaging machines and labelling and palletizing systems. About 15 percent work in the area of package printing and finishing, in-house logistics and services for the packaging industry.
