Italy's biggest food fair: at Cibus, the new trends in Made in Italy agro-foods

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Italy's biggest food fair: at Cibus, the new trends in Made in Italy agro-foods

Hundreds of new products are ready to conquer both Italian and international markets

Taste, sustainability, and well-being are the new pillars of product innovation

Among the most intriguing novelties are musical lollipops, vegetable eggs, truffle salami with Parmesan coating, and Modena balsamic vinegar chutney

2024: the year of collagen “Rich-in protein” too is a strong claim for a wide range of product categories

Starting from May 6th, all products are now available in preview on Cibus' official website (www.cibus.it)

(Parma, April 29th, 2024) - ESG, well-being, new flavors, and ingredients (with a special focus on PDOs and PGIs), not to mention tradition, fusion, and taste reinterpretation, are some of the most innovative food trends showcased at Cibus 2024.

The show, whose 22nd edition is taking place in Parma from May 7th to 10th, is a strong, international reference point for Authentic Italian Food & Beverage. Traditionally developed in collaboration with Federalimentare, Cibus is the ideal place to discover a wide range of new trendsetting products. The selection of novelties encompasses various interesting trends such as Health & Well-being, Taste from Around the World, Back to Nature, All Local, and Comfort First. The over 1,000 product novelties showcased at Cibus - 100 of which are displayed in the so-called Innovation Corner - highlight the strong trend to emphasize healthy choices, thanks to a wide range of products capable of improving both physical and mental well-being.

Cibus also confirms that 2024 can be considered the year of collagen. From the bars of Paris to Parma, rich-in-protein products too seem to be increasingly popular: in fact, among the most peculiar products enriched with protein is the mixed meat protein broth, made from 100% natural ingredients and without glutamate, preservatives, and even gluten, confirming the relevance at the national level of the “free from” trend. Collagen is another important protagonist in high-protein, vegetarian, and gluten-free bars or sugar-free beverages. Generally speaking, there are lots of products conceived to promote well-being and healthy habits, such as high-density dressings made from vinegar and rosehip juice (rich in vitamin C), high-protein and fiber-rich first courses, such as pasta made with lupine flour and plant-based ground meat, also rich in fiber and protein, suitable for making meatballs or preparing the most typical lasagna and pasta sauces. In the name of taste, sustainability, and healthy food, there are also tuna slices made from soy, 100% plant-based, processed, and packaged entirely in Italy.

Halfway between responsible consumptions and well-being, there is tomato flour: recovered from the tomato paste production process, this peculiar product promotes circular economy. Regarding the beverage sector, the watermelon water is one of the most interesting innovative products showcased; especially designed for children, it flavors the water without adding any sweeteners or chamomile with griffonia, providing beneficial effects on sleep and above all on mood.

INNOVATIVE TRENDS

“Taste from the World”

Cibus is also a journey through the flavors and ingredients of the world, here they often intersect and influence renowned Italian agri-food products. One of the most interesting examples is the launch of a chutney - a sweet and sour sauce of Indian origin - produced in two different “Italina” versions: with Modena balsamic vinegar PGI or the Himalayan pink salt with summer black truffle.

From the roof of the world to the Indian Ocean: the fragrant Taggiasca olive oil meets Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar. The journey keeps on going towards the East with curry sauce, the popular Chinese street food Bao (steamed buns), and sushi mayo, ending with a fusion of tastes from around the world, with apricot, mango, and passion fruit jam.

Back-to-Nature

All these product innovations reflect companies' increasing attention to sustainability and responsible consumption, in line with the ESG goals set by the United Nations.

This authentic back-to-nature trend has led to the launch of a vegetable egg (a veg-based mix for preparing both sweet and savory recipes) and the reinterpretation of some typical Italian traditional “natural” recipes, such as farinata, showcased for the first time at Cibus as a snack with crispy chickpea puff pastry. Continuing with snacks, there are crispy vegetable potatoes and beets in their natural form, gnocchi-pops to use as an alternative to chips, and toasted legumes covered in chocolate.

With special attention to sauces and condiments, there are several innovative items to try: soy mayonnaise with onion, rose balsamic condiment with truffle (100% natural, obtained from precious Ancellotta grape musts, refined in oak barrels), white balsamic condiment with maple, sweet and sour raspberry, and saffron sauce.

Among the “first courses” it is worth mentioning pink rice, derived from the processing of a unique variety of whole black rice: when hulled, it gives its grains a special pink color. Regarding cheeses, a special mention goes to blueberry herb cheese in Sicilian pomegranate puree and to a special pecorino aged under walnut leaves.

All Local

From international to local cuisine, serving as an authentic ambassador of our agri-food excellence, PDO products hold a central position. For example, Genoese basil with lardo di Colonnata pays genuine homage to the craftsmanship that characterizes Italian food. A typical PDO soft cheese, Squacquerone from Romagna, is served with wild herbs and gourmet taralli with Parmigiano Reggiano PDO. A mention goes to the ’nduja made with Halal certified beef and to the burrata ’nduja, a celebration of pure Italian taste, also usable in the microwave thanks to its innovative packaging.

From Calabria to the sea of Sardinia: Cibus presents blue crab pulp, entirely processed in Sardinia. Moving to Apulia, it is worth a try a dish of spaghetti made with 100% local grains, which can be cooked in just 2 minutes without any loss of flavor, thanks to its grooves.

Among the condiments, there is Voghiera Black garlic; on the beverage side, there is artisanal aquavit beer.

There are also some new arrivals in the table olive sector: visitors may discover Nocellara, one of the best and most prized organic cultivars of Italian green olives, in a non-pitted version.

Comfort First

From sweet to savory, it is all about comfort food showcased at Cibus. Food is a pleasure, and sometimes it can be quite curious, like musical lollipops, a blend of technology and candy. These delicious lollipops not only provide an explosion of flavors but also offer a surprise: innovative integrated bone conduction audio technology that plays catchy tunes while you enjoy them.

Equally intriguing is the Tartufami, a truffle salami with a Parmesan-based coating. The world of comfort food also includes colorful edible dehydrated cold rose petals. Among the novelties are finger-sized "Gocciole cookies" (an Italian breakfast staple biscuit), plum cakes enriched with yogurt and cricket powder, and butter infused with red shrimp from Mazara del Vallo, which creates absolute harmony for the palate and complete satisfaction for shellfish lovers. This special selection also includes delicious anchovy fillets, traditionally caught and packaged loosely for easy use as a pizza topping

Ho.Re.Ca. selection

Among the novelties are assorted jelly straws, with strawberry, cherry, apple, grape flavors. The condiments feature truffle, which is paired with carpaccio in seawater and a seasoning based on seawater too. The famous Moscow Mule cocktail becomes a condiment, made with vinegar, ginger, and lime to enhance the taste of meat and fish tartare. It is worth a mention the smoked black oil, made from vegetable bamboo charcoal powder. The spreads include horseradish mayonnaise that enriches and makes any dish tastier, and a cream of chopped mushrooms, black olives, and shavings of summer black truffle. Of course, the success of spreadable cheeses is not over: there are many variants, based on pecorino, Parmesan, and again, omnipresent truffle.

A menu of innovation and tradition to close with a limited-edition coffee inspired by the TV series "Bridgerton", aired on Netflix.

Caricato il 22/04/2024