Supporting health, disease prevention, aid to recovery: Sport and fitness are proven tools to achieve this. Forming part of the “Exercise is Medicine” initiative, this is where FIBO kicks in, moving exercise into the focus of the health system, politics and population. Because physical exercise still plays only a minor role in medical practice.

For years FIBO has served as a key interface between fitness and health. It brings together the suppliers of health-oriented training equipment and concepts with physicians and physiotherapists. With its membership in “Exercise is Medicine” it continues to declare war on the lack of exercise. “This has been one of the most important steps for us this year. The commitment to “Exercise is Medicine” is relevant for all players in the fitness sector,” says Silke Frank, Event Director of the Leading International Trade Show for Fitness, Wellness and Health. “We look forward to being part of a global initiative that has the power to exert influence on the highest level. FIBO stands for a strong fitness industry and a healthy society. Our membership is an important building block in this vision.”  

Battle against widespread diseases 

Many widespread diseases like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, muscle and joint disorders go hand in hand with an unhealthy lifestyle. The latter includes little exercise, the wrong diet and stress. Apart from personal suffering these diseases also generate high costs to the healthcare system and economy as a whole. Physical exercise should be regarded by physicians and other healthcare providers as a vital parameter to be evaluated at every patient’s consultation. This makes for effective patient consultation and referral to specialists in line with their health requirements and physical fitness.  

FIBO engagement in Germany and Europe  

FIBO is a member of “Exercise is Medicine Deutschland e.V.”, established at the initiative of the German Society for Sports Medicine and Prevention as well as its European counterpart “Exercise is Medicine Europe”. The aim is to prescribe physical activity and sport as prevention and for medical treatment across all of Europe.  

These bodies on both the German and European level form part of a global non-profit initiative called into being by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association in 2007.  

Driver of the fitness and health industry

As a member of both initiatives FIBO helps increasingly underline the importance of physical activity in society and raise awareness about this topic across all age groups. “Furthermore, it is important to push the topic up the political agenda, thereby better positioning the fitness sector in its role as a health service provider,” says Anke Brendt, Product Manager at FIBO. This way the synergies between the fitness industry and the healthcare and medical sectors are also boosted.  

www.exerciseismedicine.eu

www.fibo.com

The Corona pandemic caused a significant drop in membership at clubs across Europe. But: the majority of studios are still in business. 

The “European Health & Fitness Market Report 2021” shows that there are bright spots for the fitness industry, which was hit hard by COVID. The figures presented by FIBO Ambassador Herman Rutgers and Karsten Hollasch (Deloitte) at FIBO Headquarters on 23 June give reason for hope. The complete “European Health & Fitness Market Report” will once again be published at the EHFF on the day before the trade show.

Lockdown causes historic slump 

In some cases, multiple lockdowns imposed by governments in several countries caused clubs to lose 40 to 50 per cent of their operating days. The result – not surprisingly – is a decline in growth, the first in the fitness industry in decades. 

Massive sales losses mitigated by financial support 

• According to the report, membership declined by approximately 10 million members, a 15.4 per cent decrease from 64.8 million in 2019 to 54.8 million at the end of 2020.  
• Coming in at €18.9 billion, sales fell by 32.9 per cent compared to the record year of 2019 (€28.2 billion). 
• The 15 largest European fitness operators were responsible for a share of €2.6 billion of those sales. 
• The total number of clubs decreased by 1.4 per cent to 62,775. This comparatively moderate decline is closely related to the financial support many governments provided to operators during the pandemic. 

Differentiation and continuous evolution of offerings 

As in many other industries, digitalisation accelerated in the market, and the industry as a whole expanded its ecosystem. The study found significant growth in home fitness equipment and accessories, digital products and services, and outdoor solutions.

Investors flock to the fitness market 

The large sums invested in various areas of the fitness market in 2020 show that investors are confident in fitness and health as a growth driver. They invested both in mature market players and start-ups, in online and offline segments alike. 

A significant part of this investment comes from big tech companies, especially Apple, Google and Amazon. Sixteen major M&A transactions involving a total of 854 clubs were counted in 2020; 505 had come under new ownership by March.

The European Health & Fitness Market Report 2021 represents the most comprehensive report on the European health and fitness market and serves as a valuable source of information for industry players. The study was supported by Basic-Fit, BRP Systems, Exerp, FIBO Global Fitness, GO fit, Myzone, PureGym, Technogym and Xplor.

The full report is available for €299 (only €149 for EuropeActive members) and can be ordered through the EuropeActive Knowledge Centre.

FIBO, originally planned for 4 to 7 November 2021, will be suspended due to the ongoing pandemic and the global uncertainities that exist.  The show will return in 2022, on a rotational basis and take place in Cologne from 7 to 10 April.

Exhibitors and visitors from all over the world make FIBO the leading trade show and driver for the entire fitness industry. At present, however, many companies in the global fitness industry continue to suffer and are affected by the ongoing travel restrictions.

"An international event like FIBO is simply not feasible under these current circumstances. The expectations that our exhibitors, visitors, partners and we have of a world-leading trade show cannot be met under these conditions in autumn," says Benedikt Binder-Krieglstein, CEO of the organiser RX Austria & Germany. "We have therefore decided, together with our exhibitors and partners, to postpone the event to April 2022." This means that FIBO will return to its usual spring schedule next year.

"We like to say that if it’s called FIBO, it had better be FIBO", says Silke Frank, Event Director of the show. "For an event like this at an international level, we and our customers still see too many uncertainties in the fitness industry in 2021. That's why it's now a matter of looking to the future and restarting at full strength and energy next year."

Positive conditions for FIBO 2022

Fitness is at the centre of lifestyles. In addition to the worldwide efforts for more health through exercise, many other major topics such as digitalisation, inclusion and diversity are on the industry's agenda. At FIBO 2022, the participants will have the unique opportunity to be the first to test innovations in the market and to exchange views on the topics of the future, at a global level.

Great commitment on the part of the fitness industry

For FIBO in April 2022, there are already many commitments from the industry. For example, "Aciso Fitness & Health", "Core Health + Fitness", "Johnson Health Tech./ Matrix", "Sports Art", "True Fitness Technology", "Keiser Corporation", "BioTech USA", "Panatta", "Gorilla Wear" and "M.A.C. Centercom" will be taking part. With its proven structure, the fair will occupy seven halls next year and cover all relevant industry topics such as "Training Equipment", "Cardio & Strength", "Wellness & Spa", "Health Training Equipment" or "Healthy Sports Nutrition" and integrate new areas such as "Mixed Reality Sports" and the innovations of the future, for example in the areas of health, digitalisation and nutrition.

FIBO Partner Events by EuropeActive and Sibec Europe

The events planned in parallel to FIBO will be held digitally or live, depending on size of the audience. The European Health & Fitness Forum (EHFF) with its high-calibre speakers will be held digitally on November 3rd, as will the other EuropeActive events such as the European Fitness Associations Forum (EFAF) and the International Standards Meeting (ISM). The President's Council Summit is expected to be held with a physical on-site inspirational, educational and networking programme. Sibec Europe, the leading hosted buyer event for suppliers and operators, which was originally planned to run parallel to FIBO in Cologne, is working closely with EuropeActive on plans to host the exclusive events from 2-5 November. Sibec will soon communicate about its event.

The upcoming FIBO will take place in Cologne from 7 to 10 April.

About FIBO

It is the world's largest trade show for fitness, wellness and health and the place for innovations, investments and trends: FIBO in Cologne is where the decision-makers of the entire fitness industry, aspiring entrepreneurs, studio operators from numerous countries, trainers, players from the healthcare sector and the fitness community meet. FIBO offers international business and networking as well as a great live experience. Trade information and further education are also given a high priority at the show. In 2022, FIBO will take place from 7 to 10 April. www.fibo.com

About RX (Reed Exhibitions)

RX is in the business of building businesses for individuals, communities and organisations. We elevate the power of face to face events by combining data and digital products to help customers learn about markets, source products and complete transactions at over 400 events in 22 countries across 43 industry sectors. RX is passionate about making a positive impact on society and is fully committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.rxglobal.com

Press Contact:

Cornelia Tautenhahn

Senior Content & PR Manager

cornelia.tautenhahn@fibo.com 
www.rxglobal.de

Full steam ahead to 2022: From 7 to 10 April the fitness sector will meet again in the exhibition halls of Cologne trade fair. The focus will be on technologies and products for healthy living and business. 

Johnson Health Tech, EGYM, milon, SportsArt, Core Health & Fitness, xbody or Les Mills: For FIBO 2022 the celebrity names will return to the international exhibition stage. After a pandemic-induced 3-year break a host of innovations and new concepts are on the market which want to be showcased to club operators, instructors, dealers, hotel operators, fitness fans and media from throughout the world. “We feel this sense of departure for 2022,” says FIBO boss Silke Frank commenting on the planning underway with exhibitors and partners. “Now the joint task is to chart the course for growth for the coming year and beyond. Health and fitness are as focal as ever in society and with FIBO we will make a clear statement.”

For a healthy society and a strong fitness industry 

At FIBO fitness clubs are supported as systemically important health facilities, new business models flagged up to physiotherapists and ideas presented to hotels for their fitness and health offerings. At the trade show the “Meetingpoint Health & Wellness” in Hall 8 will serve as a first point of contact for health matters. Joining the fray as a partner in 2022 will be TheraPro, for example. The trade show will feature lectures thereby placing further emphasis on the medico-therapeutical range.

Making a stand against a lack of exercise 

Being a high-exposure media event FIBO also doubles as an important ambassador for the population. Journalists from all over the world provide coverage from the Cologne exhibition halls. Furthermore, the trade show team is committed to representing the interests of the sector, in the “Exercise is Medicine” initiative, for example. Planned are joint surveys as well as a presence of this Initiative at the trade show. 

Digital trends of the future 

In future the rule might apply: No success without a meaningful digital offer and the corresponding infrastructure. This is why new technologies will rank high with both exhibitors and in the programme of side events. Buzzwords include Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Gamification, Apps and Trackers.  

Integration of existing trends with new themes

Nutrition is a perennial topic. 2022 will see FIBO additionally highlight all the possibilities offered by cannabidiol. In cooperation with “Behrentin Communication”, the organiser of the “CBD Trade Show for Sport, Beauty, Wellness and Pharmaceutical Products” FIBO will provide a stage for this trending topic at the trade show in April. The task is to educate attendees about applications and marketing possibilities as well as the latest scientific insights related to textiles and sportswear, for regeneration or performance enhancement, for example. To this end a dedicated area in Hall 4.2 will be installed. The target group are especially trade visitors from retail, clubs as well as trainers.

EHFF to kick off trade show again

On 6 April the “European Health & Fitness Forum” will again be held at the Congress-Centrum Nord of Koelnmesse. Organised by EuropeActive this Congress regularly brings together the top league of the international fitness industry.  

After the Covid-induced break FIBO 2022 is in the starting blocks again and will send out a strong message for the fitness industry. Exhibitors will be presented in six halls from 7 to 10 April.

2022 will finally see FIBO get back to “Real Life”! From 7 to 10 April the Cologne exhibition halls will be buzzing with trends and inspirations for the business revolving around fitness and health and a genuine sense of joy about meeting up again. Exhibitors will present new products in six halls, supplemented by numerous special areas and the new FIBO Congress.

Health not only ranks very high in the nomenclature of FIBO. It will also have the highest priority at all times when holding the physical event. “Accordingly, we have worked hard for months now on holding the first live FIBO since 2019 ensuring the best health protection possible for all parties involved,” says Event Director Silke Frank commenting on the planning stage. “Based on the experience we have gained over the past two years of the pandemic and virologists’ estimates we are positive that infection patterns will see positive developments by April.”

New halls, new themes

Being hit hard by the crisis, this industry urgently needs impulses to jointly chart its strategic course for the future. “We have conceived FIBO 2022 in such a way that it actively promotes current market developments and leaves suitable space for the strongly growing segments,” continues Frank. In the newly designed Hall 8 visitors will find the areas Health, Wellness & Spa as well as Interior and encounter names like Hansefit, Gantner Electronic GmbH Deutschland, Klafs, M.A.C. Centercom, Novotec Medical, Pino, Sissel/Novacare, Trugge Getränketechnik oder Urban Sports Club. Also in planning are various lecture forums as well as a programme staged by the international initiative “Exercise is Medicine”.

Tech-heavy fitness world

Halls 6 and 7 will be home to a wide cross-section of training equipment by the likes of Johnson Health Tech., milon industries, EGYM, Core Health + Fitness, Drax, Scotfit, Bodytone International Sport and Panatta. In Hall 7 visitors are also in for visionary digitisation themes at the Future Forum. Here innovation-driving speakers will demonstrate how tech-heavy tomorrow’s fitness world will be.

Hall 9 will be completely revamped fusing functional training with group fitness concepts for such trade visitors as trainers and instructors, wellness experts and gym owners. Names featured here include the well-established Functional Forum by IFAA, Bodylife and Perform Better while the IFAA Trainer Plaza will be featured for the first time.

CBD products on board

Hall 5.2 will become the first shared “port of call” for fitness professionals and consumers featuring everything revolving around healthy nutrition, fashion, beauty, group fitness and – new – CBD products. Here visitors can also find a Lifestyle Area, stages and join-in activity areas, the Cycling Festival and Mixed Reality Sports.

Hall 10 will again be the FIBO POWER Hall with bodybuilding, strength and competition sports. Featured here will be nu3, BlenderBottle, Barebells/nocco, Gorilla Wear and Nutrend, to name but a few.

EHFF to kick off trade show again

On 6 April the Congress-Centrum Nord of Koelnmesse will also once again be host to the “European Health & Fitness Forum”. The Congress organised by EuropeActive regularly brings together the “top guns” of the international fitness sector. 

For healthcare facilities FIBO has been a must-go event for a long time now. Under the heading “for a strong and healthy society” this year’s trade show will focus on healthy living and business.

Fitness has long been become an integral part of healthcare. Be this in physiotherapy, in the rehab departments of clinics or health centres. But the potential held by combining fitness with health has also been realised in the segments of wellness and hospitality. This is why FIBO is one of the most relevant sectoral meeting points for physiotherapists, sports physicians, corporate health managers, rehab coaches, gym and spa operators as well as hoteliers. “Fitness is a key to a healthy lifestyle,” says Event Director Silke Frank and forecasts: “The spending on fitness and health is set to rise.”

High-calibre expert programme at the health hotspots

The principal point of contact when it comes to health will be Hall 8. At the meeting point “Health & Wellness” in this hall renowned experts will provide important input. Prof. Dr. Alexander Ferrauti, Head of the Chair for Training Science at the Ruhr University Bochum, for example, will present his research on modern basic training knowledge. Another exciting focus will be provided by the topic of “Digitalisation”. Here experts like Prof. Dr. David Matusiewicz or Prof. Dr. Markus Reichert will present talks on the expectations, possibilities and future outlook for digital health offers. Underpinning this is the practical experience to be gained in the latest yoga and Pilates routines in the “Body & Mind Area”. FIBO visitors are in for more than 150 lectures in April.

Continuous education in focus: FIBO pushes skills building

Add to this the health-relevant topics addressed by the new FIBO Congress, to be organised for the first time by the “Deutsche Hochschule für Prävention und Gesundheitsmanagement” (German University for Prevention and Health Management) and BSA-Akademie. This feature is complemented by the “European Health & Fitness Forum” (EHFF) on the eve of FIBO as well as by the “Rehasport Convention” held by DFAV and RehaVitalis Plus. “FIBO 2022 will offer a high-calibre programme oriented towards the needs of our trade visitors,” remarks Anke Brendt, Product Manager at organiser RX Austria & Germany, and adds: “We are delighted to have once again enlisted well-established experts like the Georg Thieme publishing house and other partners such as Exercise is Medicine, DSSV, DFAV and DIFG, Dehoga, Tophotel and Spacamp alongside eminent scientists.”

New: Exercise is Medicine Days

Motivate the population at large to exercise more – is the aim of the initiative “Exercise is medicine”. As a member of “Exercise is Medicine Deutschland e.V.” the trade show moves exercise into the focus of the healthcare system, politics and our citizens. Because physical exercise still plays too minor a role in doctors’ surgeries. A body composed of the Initiative EiM Deutschland and Europe, DGSP (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheit und Prävention – German Society for Health and Prevention) and Europe Active will address this issue on Friday and Saturday in Hall 8.

Key players demonstrate the potential this market holds

Major manufacturers of medical training equipment will also join the fray in April. Introducing their solutions and latest products to visitors here will be such companies as milon industries gmbh, schwa-medico GmbH, PINO Pharmazeutische Präparate GmbH, HUR Deutschland GmbH, Dr. Kurt Wolff GmbH & Co. KG, ERGO-FIT GmbH & Co. KG, Schupp GmbH & Co. KG, opta data Abrechnungs GmbH, SOVDWAER Gesellschaft für EDV-Lösungen mbH, crosscorpo GmbH and Ludwig Artzt GmbH.

Making a clear statement against the lack of exercise in society: this is the aim FIBO pursues as a member of the ‘Exercise is Medicine’ initiative. Together with EuropeActive the world’s leading trade show will organise the ‘Exercise is Medicine Days’ on Friday and Saturday as part of the Fitness & Health Forum in Hall 8. 

Physical activity is to be moved into the focus of physicians, politics and society at large, now more than ever before. Exercise still plays too minor a role at doctors’ surgeries. For about a year now FIBO has been a trustworthy partner of the ‘Exercise is Medicine’ initiative. As a key interface between fitness and health this the world’s leading trade show now advocates that sport and fitness be used as essential instruments to promote health, prevent illness and support the healing process.  

“In a body consisting of EIM Germany and Europe, DGSP (German Society for Health and Prevention) and EuropeActive we will pursue the aim of motivating society at large to exercise more at a forum with top-notch speakers held on the Medicine Days on Friday and Saturday,” says Anke Brendt, Product Manager at trade show organiser RX Austria & Germany.

Covid-related topics to dominate on FIBO Friday

The Covid pandemic is still omnipresent and has been impacting our society for over two years now. All the more so since the issue of Long-Covid is now also moving centrestage – and this will be addressed amongst other topics in the lectures and expert talks on FIBO Friday.

Furthermore, visitors will also be able to attend an interview with karate fighter Lena Mikulic – someone who still struggles with the consequences of Covid-19 even months after her infection and who will share her experience with the audience. What we already know about the mechanisms involved in Long-Covid will be explained by Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Bloch, Head of the Institute for Circulatory System Research and sports medicine at the German Sport University Cologne, in his expert lecture.

FIBO Saturday: Exercise-is-Medicine approaches on an international scale

The second day will explore ‘Exercise-is-Medicine’ approaches adopted in different countries and in the industry. The EIM Network in the Venice region, where doctors and sports providers cooperate closely, will be presented by Prof. Andrea Ermelao and Dr. Daniel Neunhaeuserer. The current status of the initiative in Poland will be covered by Anna Plucik-Mrożek, Manager of the Polish Exercise is Medicine Centre.

Dr. med. Thomas Schramm, Vice President of the German Society for Health and Prevention, will report on how to organise a local network with a cardiology focus practice. Finally, Prof. Leyk has installed ‘ActIv – Activate Individuals’ – a network with over 10,000 participants – to target the inactive and provide better motivation for sportspeople. He will also present hands-on examples for professionals to obtain greater reach.

Networking at the Meeting Point Health & Wellness (Halle 8)

During the trade show staff and academics will be on hand to answer any questions related to the Initiative. Furthermore, it is planned to launch a dedicated landing page on ‘Exercise is Medicine’, which will go online over the next few days. Here interested parties and potential members can find detailed information on the Initiative. 

After a two-year pandemic-induced break FIBO 2022 will be all about future trends. Alongside a focus on health, digitalisation also receives the industry’s attention. FIBO will also present a digital fitness world.

An important mega trend, which was driven by the pandemic, is taking hold at FIBO: digitalisation in the fitness sector.  Meaning that in Halls 6 and 7 there will not only be a wide range of training equipment to marvel at. At the Future Forum of Hall 7, organised by FIBO in cooperation with EuropeActive, FitTech Company GmbH and the ECC KÖLN, there will also be innovation-driving speakers discussing tomorrow’s tech-heavy fitness world as well as the latest trends in retail and e-Commerce.

High-calibre speakers at Europe Active

On Thursday, 7 April, Stefan Ludwig of Deloitte will kick off the event with his lecture on the latest findings of the European Fitness & Market Report. Subsequently, the speakers will talk about canvassing new customers in gyms, how members will pay in future or how to turn customers into brand ambassadors.

Just as exciting will be the agenda on Friday, 8 April, which is dedicated to such key topics as customer retention as well as tomorrow’s fitness equipment and services.

E-commerce trends featured in the ECC programme

The starting signal for the ECC programme will be given on Saturday, 9 April 2022. Kai Hudetz, Managing Director at the Institute for Retail Research (“Institut für Handelsforschung Köln” – IfH), will deliver a keynote on retail trends 2022. He will provide an exclusive insight into brand new consumer and market insights and the “New Normal” in the sports world. To complement this, Alexander Wessling will speak about visitor experiences through digital technologies.

On Sunday, 10 April, the ECC will also have a number of riveting keynotes in store. How the market is influenced by structural change in retail, in digitalisation, personalisation or the casualisation of fashion, is explained by consultant Max-Henrik Fabian. Following him, Mailin Schmelter, Deputy Head of Customer Insights, will answer questions on convenient shopping options and the service focus of online platforms. Beyond this: as information, inspiration and ultimately also shopping channels Instagram and Co. now play an increasingly relevant role. To conclude, Brand Manager Laura Luible will therefore talk about the opportunities offered by social media channels.

The Fittech Summit as FIBO Edition

From 7 to 9 April, FIBO and the Fittech Summit will further expand their partnership picking up on a number of tomorrow’s themes at the Future Forum. These also include the synergies between holistic health and fitness. The Fittech Summit raises the question of the relevance of health and fitness technologies in society and breaks this down into three target group levels: People, Places and Planet. Answers to this will come care of three live stage broadcasts lasting 150 minutes each. Presenters Natalia Karbasova (CEO Fittech Company) and Stefan Tilk (members of the Advisory Board Fittech Company, CEO Anytime Fitness) will ask four speakers each to join them on stage to discuss these topics with them.

Digitalisation in Physiotherapy

Digital Health is also among the top trends in the wellness and health industry. FIBO will address this subject in Hall 8 by organising the “Meeting Point Health & Wellness”, presenting medical therapy and training methods in the exhibition area as well as expert lectures. One of the keynote speeches is “Digital Transformation of the Healthcare System: Special Features and Challenges in Physiotherapy and Other Health Facilities” by Prof. Dr. David Matusiewicz, scheduled for 9 April at the Meeting Point Health & Wellness.

Another exciting highlight is the lecture by Sanjay Sauldie (tt-Digi) about “Fitness 4.0: Seizing Digital Opportunities” on 7 April, followed by the topic “Physio 4.0: Status Quo and Outlook for Digitalisation in Physiotherapy”, which he will cover on the following day, 8 April.

Together with the FitTech Company, FIBO 2021 is taking the offerings around new technologies, future concepts and trends to a new level. The focus of the "FitTech Summit: FIBO Edition" will include technologies that can help studio operators in the post-Corona era. This includes, for example, the technical setup of hybrid studios. Trainers will learn how they can benefit from assisting AI coaches and gamification. We will also discuss how technology can take the pressure off our future healthcare systems. The speaker program also pays attention to the global fitness market and the impact of big tech companies like Apple and Amazon entering the market.

At FIBO in November, Europe's leading conference for fitness technology and the leading international trade show for fitness, wellness and health come together. For this, they are further expanding their partnership and creating decisive added value with future topics.

Natalia Karbasova and her team of founders bring together global companies, startups and investors from the wellness, health and fitness sectors with their events to inspire them and help build long-term relationships.

FIBO will take place in 2021 from November 4-7 in Cologne, Germany. This is where fitness industry decision-makers, aspiring entrepreneurs, studio operators, trainers, healthcare stakeholders and the fitness community come together. FIBO offers international business and networking as well as a unique experience, live and digital.

www.fibo.com
www.fittechsummit.com

From plant-based to immune-boosting and full of energy products - the spectrum is diverse and colourful

After a two-year break due to the pandemic, ISM will take place from 30 January to 2 February 2022 with 1,085 exhibitors from 56 countries. This year, product innovations will once again play a central role at the world's largest trade fair for confectionery and snacks. This is also reflected in the fair's new products overview, which presents numerous new products with around 160 entries. 

More and more consumers prefer healthy, plant-based foods that taste authentic and have a minimalist list of ingredients. Whoever reaches for chocolate, sweets or fruit gums today expects more than "just" indulgence. Sweets and snacks should no longer surprise with exotic flavour combinations and fruity aromas alone, but support an active and conscious lifestyle as sugar-reduced or purely plant-based variants.

This year's new products show the following: Naturalness and health are two of the trends that are becoming more and more decisive for purchases, also as a result of long lockdowns and social distancing measures. The trend towards products with additional health benefits is also getting a real boost. This is also confirmed by ISM partner Innova Market Insights, which records a growing number of new product launches with health benefits in its databases. Awareness of the antioxidant content and potential immune health benefits of snacks containing dark chocolate and "superfruits" such as pomegranate or goji berries will increase. At ISM 2022, for example, product innovations such as probiotic biscuits that promote digestion and immune-boosting crisps made from pulses and acerola will make their debut.

In parallel, the popularity of plant-based products and ingredients is driving innovation among confectionery and snack manufacturers. This also results in creative scope for new ways of enriching with dietary fibre. Ingredients such as fruit powder, nuts and vitamins, but also botanical extracts, functional dietary fibres or protein concentrates based on pulses are used here. From hand-picked, fair-trade organic macadamia nuts with a smoky barbecue flavour to nut snacks made from almonds, hazelnuts and cashews coated with freeze-dried fruit and thin chocolate or cashews enriched with natural vanilla, ISM offers a wide range.

In the purely plant-based segment, sports bars, energy bars and cereal bars are in vogue. In sugar and chocolate products, too, more new vegan and vegetarian alternatives will be presented at ISM, for example new chocolate varieties based on milk alternatives. In the snack segment, for example, products such as lentil and pea chips, but also chips made from seaweed enriched with sea salt, paprika or wasabi continue to grow. In the energy booster segment, ISM presents, for example, energy bars made from natural ingredients such as bananas, dates and almonds, wafer bars with caffeine or energy bullets made from maca, guarana, caffeine and dextrose.

The development of new confectionery products in the area of clean labelling is also in full swing. This is also accompanied by a return to traditional and natural food production without genetic engineering. Consumers want to know where the products come from, how they are made and what ingredients are used. Natural confectionery and snacks are often preferred to highly processed foods that contain artificial ingredients. At this year's ISM, products labelled as additive-free, organic, natural/natural or GMO-free will therefore increase significantly. Whether handmade natural Crafties Air Chips, high-quality energy bars with exclusively natural ingredients, vegetable proteins and sprouts or sugar-free, aspartame-free black chewing gum with vegetable activated charcoal, calcium, green tea and the flavour of Sweet Spearmint - the spectrum is diverse and colourful.

Selection of new products:
Innovations of ISM | ISM (ism-cologne.com)

Koelnmesse – industry trade fairs for the food and beverage sector: Koelnmesse is an international leader in organising trade fairs in the food and beverage segment. Events such as Anuga and ISM are established, world-leading trade fairs, hosted in Cologne/Germany. Anuga HORIZON in 2022 will mark the launch of an additional event format dedicated to food industry innovations in Cologne. In addition to the events at its Cologne headquarters, Koelnmesse also stages numerous food trade fairs with different sector-specific areas of focus and content in further key markets across the world, including Brazil, China, India, Japan, Columbia, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. These global activities enable Koelnmesse to offer its customers bespoke events and leading regional trade fairs in a variety of markets, thus creating the foundation for sustainable international business. Koelnmesse is also ideally positioned in the field of food technology with its leading international trade fairs Anuga FoodTec and ProSweets Cologne and its global network of satellite events. 
Further information: https://www.ism-cologne.com/fair/industry-trade-fairs/

The next events:
ISM - The world's largest trade fair for sweets and snacks, Cologne 30.01. - 02.02.2022
ANUFOOD Brazil - International Trade Show Exclusively for the Food and Beverage Sector, São Paulo 12.04. - 14.04.2022
Wine & Gourmet Japan - International Wine, Beer, Spirits, Gourmet Food and Bar Exhibition & Conference, Tokyo 13.04. - 15.04.2022

Note for editorial offices:
ISM photos are available in our image at www.ism-cologne.com/imagedatabase .
Press information is available at www.ism-cologne.com/pressinformation .
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Your contact:
Peggy Krause
Communications Manager

Koelnmesse GmbH
Messeplatz 1
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Tel +49 221 821-2076
p.krause@koelnmesse.de
www.koelnmesse.com

• Sales volume up +8.9%, driven by strong chocolate business (+9.6%)
• Sales revenue of CHF 2,032.2 million, up +14.0% in local currencies (+14.3% in CHF)
• On track to deliver on mid-term guidance1

 I am pleased to present strong volume growth for the first three months of the new fiscal year. Chocolate volume growth was particularly strong, outperforming the underlying global chocolate confectionery market. At the same time, Global Cocoa returned to positive growth in a still challenging market environment. 

Peter Boone, CEO of the Barry Callebaut Group

The Barry Callebaut Group, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, achieved strong sales volume growth of +8.9% to 610,048 tonnes during the first three months of fiscal year 2021/22 (ended November 30, 2021). While this was achieved against a weak comparison base, it was well ahead of the Group's pre-COVID-19 volume2 in 2019/20. Organic volume growth was +8.1% in the period under review, excluding the first-time consolidation of Europe Chocolate Company (ECC) as of September 2021. The chocolate business showed particularly strong volume growth of +9.6%, clearly outpacing the underlying global chocolate confectionery market (+3.1%)3. All Regions and key growth drivers contributed to these strong results: Gourmet & Specialties +33.8%, Emerging Markets +11.0%, Outsourcing +4.5%. Global Cocoa reported positive volume growth of +6.0% in an ongoing challenging market environment. Sales revenue amounted to CHF 2,032.2 million, up +14.0% in local currencies ( +14.3% in CHF) in the first three months under review. The increase was impacted by the overall inflationary environment, which Barry Callebaut manages through its cost-plus pricing model for the majority of its business.

1On average for the 3-year period 2020/21 to 2022/23: 5-7% volume growth and EBIT above volume growth in local currencies, barring any major unforeseeable events.
2Sales volume in 3-month period 2019/20: 585,620 tonnes.
3Source: Nielsen volume growth excluding e-commerce - 25 countries, September to October 2021, data subject to adjustment to match Barry Callebaut's reporting period. Nielsen data only partially reflects the out-of-home and impulse consumption.

Outlook - On track to deliver on mid-term guidance

Looking ahead, CEO Peter Boone said:

With our strong team and sharpened business model, we are confident we will deliver on our mid-term guidance. We are well placed to continue our growth journey in a global market environment which, as expected, is still experiencing the ripple effects of COVID-19, including supply chain bottlenecks and the impact of an imbalanced cocoa market.

Strategic milestones

• Expansion: Barry Callebaut strengthened its position in Latin America. After the successful launch of its global decorations brand Mona Lisa in Brazil, the largest decorations market in Latin America, Mona Lisa continued its geographical expansion by entering Mexico, its 50th market worldwide, in November 2021. Mona Lisa offers a full range of high-quality decorations made from 100% sustainably sourced cocoa and is tapping into the growing demand for visually exciting indulgence. In October 2021, Godiva Japan pioneered the launch of Wholefruit Chocolate at its Atelier de Godiva, introducing applications from tablets to hot chocolate. Japan is one of seven countries selected for the first launch of Cacao Barry Wholefruit Chocolate.
• Innovation: To further increase the visibility of its global Gourmet brand Cacao Barry, Barry Callebaut broke new ground by sponsoring the highly successful Netflix series "School of Chocolate", which has been on air since November 2021. In December 2021, Barry Callebaut's cacao brand Bensdorp inaugurated the refurbished Masters of Cacao Excellence Center in Louviers, France. It welcomes customers from across the globe seeking to deepen their expertise in cocoa, to further explore the versatility of cocoa and to create new applications.
• Sustainability: Barry Callebaut published in December 2021 its fifth Forever Chocolate progress report, marking the half-way point of its plan to make sustainable chocolate the norm by 2025. The report shows that the Group is scaling and partnering for change, executing innovative projects, supporting cocoa farming communities and driving measurable impact on the ground. Since 2016 the Group has reduced its carbon intensity per tonne of product by slightly more than -17%. Furthermore, Barry Callebaut has mapped the geographical location and size of 394,305 (+42%) active cocoa farms, covering 66% of its direct supply chain. Its child labor monitoring and remediation systems now cover 237 farmer groups (+110%), including 220,878 farmers in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Cameroon. In addition, 43% of the products Barry Callebaut sold in 2020/21 contained 100% sustainable cocoa or chocolate. The full report can be accessed here.
  Also in December 2021, out of nearly 12,000 companies which were scored by Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), Barry Callebaut was one of only 24 high-performing companies, securing a place on CDP's prestigious 'A List'. In addition to ranking for four years in a row as a CDP global climate leader with a score of 'A-' for its climate reduction efforts, the Group is now also making the 'A List' as a leader in corporate action and transparency on deforestation. CDP's annual environmental disclosure and scoring process is widely recognized as the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency.

Regional/Segment performance

Region EMEA - Strong start to the year
Sales volume in Region EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) increased by +13.8% to 286,296 tonnes in the first three months under review. Organic volume growth was +12.6%, excluding the first-time consolidation of ECC as of September 2021. While the strong volume growth in the first quarter was achieved against a low comparison base, it clearly outpaced the underlying chocolate confectionery market (0.0%)4. Food Manufacturers volume further accelerated and achieved close to double-digit growth in the first three months of the fiscal year.
The acceleration was led by continued positive momentum in Eastern Europe, where outsourcing contracts are ramping up. The strong volume recovery of Gourmet & Specialties continued across the Region. Sales revenue in the Region amounted to CHF 921.5 million, up +19.4% in local currencies (+18.9% in CHF).

Region Americas - Sustained positive volume growth
In the first three months of fiscal year 2021/22, positive volume growth continued in Region Americas with an increase of +1.7% to 164,860 tonnes. This result, which is below the regional chocolate confectionery market (+5.4%)5, was achieved on the back of a strong comparison base, as the Group's growth in the Region was more resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Food Manufacturers volume overall remained about stable against the high comparator. In Gourmet & Specialties, strong volume growth continued across the Region. Sales revenue amounted to CHF 521.1 million, up +9.0% in local currencies ( +10.5% in CHF).

Region Asia Pacific - Accelerating volume growth
In Region Asia Pacific growth momentum further accelerated by +15.9% to 39,506 tonnes, on the back of a low comparison base and in line with the underlying chocolate confectionery market (+18.8%)5. Food Manufacturers volume accelerated to the low teens, supported by key markets like India and Japan. Gourmet & Specialties volume continued its double-digit growth trajectory. Sales revenue amounted to CHF 132.7 million, up +23.6% in local currencies (+24.1% in CHF).

Global Cocoa - Return to positive growth in challenging market environment
On the back of the low prior-year comparator, sales volume in Global Cocoa was back to positive growth at +6.0% to 119,386 tonnes. Sales revenue increased by +7.2% in local currencies (+7.8% in CHF) to CHF 456.9 million. The COVID-19 ripple effects of an imbalanced cocoa market and supply chain bottlenecks continued to create a challenging environment.

Price developments of key raw materials
During the first three months of fiscal year 2021/22, terminal market6 prices for cocoa beans fluctuated between GBP 1,648 and GBP 1,888 per tonne and closed at GBP 1,648 per tonne on November 30, 2021. On average, cocoa bean prices increased by +2.1% versus the prior-year quarter. The global bean supply and demand forecast for 2021/22 has shifted from a surplus to a deficit, as a result of concerns over crop developments in Ghana and expectations of record high bean grindings.
Sugar prices in Europe increased on average by +28.8% during the period under review, mainly due to the poor crop and a historic low stock level. The world market price for sugar increased on average by +31.3% on the back of a substantially lower Brazilian crop, while demand remained strong. The increase was amplified by high energy prices and record high freight costs.
Dairy prices increased on average by +36.0% during the first three months of fiscal year 2021/22. Demand remained vibrant, but the primary driver for the price rally was a sharply reduced global milk supply as rising inflation is weighing on farmer profits.

4Source: Nielsen volume growth - excluding e-commerce - for the period September to October 2021. Data is subject to adjustment to match Barry Callebaut's reporting period. Nielsen data only partially reflects the out-of-home and impulse consumption.
5Source: Nielsen volume growth - excluding e-commerce - for the period September to October 2021. Data is subject to adjustment to match Barry Callebaut's reporting period. Nielsen data only partially reflects the out-of-home and impulse consumption.
6Source: London terminal market prices for 2nd position, September to November 2021. Terminal market prices exclude Living Income Differential (LID) and country differentials.

Financial Calendar for Fiscal Year 2021/22
(September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022)

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7Certain Gourmet & Specialties customers have been shifted to the Food Manufacturers product group to better serve them. The minor reallocation represented around 1% of Gourmet & Specialties volume and sales revenue in fiscal year 2020/21. Please refer to Appendix below for full details.

8Certain Gourmet & Specialties customers have been shifted to the Food Manufacturers product group to better serve them. The minor reallocation represented around 1% of Gourmet & Specialties volume and sales revenue in fiscal year 2020/21. The table shows quarterly adjusted numbers for 2020/21.

About Barry Callebaut Group:

With annual sales of about CHF 7.2 billion (EUR 6.6 billion / USD 7.9 billion) in fiscal year 2020/21, the Zurich- based Barry Callebaut Group is the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products - from sourcing and processing cocoa beans to producing the finest chocolates, including chocolate fillings, decorations and compounds. The Group runs more than 60 production facilities worldwide and employs a diverse and dedicated global workforce of more than 12,500 people.

The Barry Callebaut Group serves the entire food industry, from industrial food manufacturers to artisanal and professional users of chocolate, such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants or caterers. The global brands catering to the specific needs of these Gourmet customers are Callebaut® and Cacao Barry®, Carma® and the decorations specialist Mona Lisa®.

The Barry Callebaut Group is committed to make sustainable chocolate the norm by 2025 to help ensure future supplies of cocoa and improve farmer livelihoods. It supports the Cocoa Horizons Foundation in its goal to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future.

Get in Touch

Your Barry Callebaut Group Contacts

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Head of Media Relations

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Claudia Pedretti

Head of Investor Relations

+41 43 204 04 23

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Barry Callebaut head office

Barry Callebaut AG (Head Office)
Hardturmstrasse 181
8005 Zurich
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