The biggest 100% plant-based trade event in Europe, Plant Based World Expo Europe, set the stage for the future of the category in London – officially the most vegan-friendly city in the world.
With international participation and delicacies from across the globe – including Brazil, Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium and more – never-seen-before innovations included Fois Green by French company Aberyne, as well as calamari rings by seafood brand Happiee.
Demonstrating the next generation of plant-based innovation, ‘Plant-based 2.0’ revealed products that boast closer-than-ever texture, taste and nutritional parity with their animal-based counterparts.
Companies at the show, including Upfield who manufacture Flora butter, made no secret of the fact their plant-based options are less resource-intensive than their traditional counterparts.
One of the trending topics explored in the conference and seen across the exhibition was a move back to basics, with products created using wholefoods and vegetables. These aren’t trying to replicate meat and seafood, but instead offer nutritious better-for-you options that consumers are craving.
Meanwhile, another key topic of change in the industry was collaboration, as 100% vegan pizzeria and vegan cheese manufacturer Purezza announced a merger with La Fauxmagerie, becoming a new plant-based powerhouse.
Visitor Profile
Over two days, the show welcomed more than 3,700 attendees visiting from over 25 countries, representing food service, retail and broader food and beverage sectors. These included senior decision makers from Nestlé, Sodexo, Whitbread, and The Restaurant Group; academics and participants from Sussex and Reading universities; research leads from ProVeg and Plant Futures; and government advisors from the Department for Business and Trade.
The event also played host to a conference programme featuring cutting-edge insights. Meanwhile, Veganuary hosted the film premiere, It'll Never Catch On: The Veganuary Story 10 Years On, followed by a Q&A featuring the campaign’s founders Jane Land and Matthew Glover, alongside Henry Firth and Ian Theasby from BOSH!, the world's best-selling plant-based recipe authors.
Abigail Stevens, Marketing Director of show organiser, JD Events, commented, “If there’s one thing Plant Based World Expo taught us about the European market, it’s that the plant-based industry is set to re-emerge stronger, for the good of our collective health and that of the planet.”
Plant Based World Expo Europe returns to ExCeL London on 13-14 November 2024.
For more information on Plant Based World Expo Europe, visit www.plantbasedworldeurope.com.
This article was written in partnership with Plant Based World Expo Europe.
