ISM 2007: The latest trends in confectionery and snack items

Wellness and fitness, organic products and high quality: The major trends at the 37th ISM The world’s largest trade fair for confectionery and snack items is open to trade visitors only

When the international confectionery trade arrives in Cologne for its annual summit, all the latest trends and products in this sector are top of the agenda. As ever, the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) — held this year for the 37th time — will be featuring a whole range of innovations, presented by 1,609 suppliers from 72 countries. The headings of “Wellness”, “Premium” and “Organic” mark out the three most important trends at this year’s show but will still leave ample room for all the unusual items and specialities that the confectionery industry never fails to produce. ISM, which runs from 28th to 31st January 2007, is open to trade visitors only.

Premium: For all the fans of select chocolates and pralines, there is a host of exquisite new products to discover. This segment of the market is increasingly dominated by dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, which has become very popular among consumers. In response, producers have come up with a variety of new creations designed to match the unique flavour of cocoa with the tang and aroma of fruit, spices or liqueurs and thereby create new taste sensations. That chocolate, alongside its unique flavour, also has a variety of nutritious and beneficial effects for both the body and soul is a message often promoted in support of such products — not least by the world’s leading cocoa producers.

Examples of choice dark-chocolate combinations include a confection with red pepper and guarana extract, which provides — according to the Belgian supplier — just the right “kick”; a bar of dark chocolate blended with green tea and mint, whereby the green tea is said to reinforce the antioxidizing effect of the chocolate; a “chocolate that understands women” — a blend of dark chocolate with apricot and soy sprout extract that is rich in isoflavones, which are said to exercise a positive influence on female hormones; and a dark milk chocolate from Switzerland with a select liquid-grappa filling and no sugar crust. Meanwhile, another Swiss producer has come up with some imaginative names for equally imaginative chocolate compositions, including a stracciatella praline wrapped in dark chocolate and called “Poésie”. From the same manufacturer comes a milk-chocolate creation featuring thin flakes of carrot.

This coming winter will see the arrival on the market of chocolate domino cubes in premium quality. Further new and high-quality biscuit specialities are also featured at ISM 2007.

Wellness and fitness: Products designed to provide a “slimline” treat can be found in all the different segments. These include baked goods with sugar-free icing, fitness and “beauty” snacks, and energy sweets specially developed for the “fitness-oriented, active” consumer and designed to replenish electrolytes and vitamins. Such items are frequently marketed as lifestyle products. Meanwhile, even big brand producers are now bringing low-sugar products onto the market. These include low-fat snacks made from spelt and potato, so-called magic snacks featuring natural fruits without any additives, sweets made of yoghurt with calcium, sugar-free sweets with bioactive plant substances, fruit snacks without artificial aromas or colourings specially for children, and a marble cake with 50 per cent less fat. The range of such products is large and covers all the target groups — old and young, the employed, people who regularly do sport, and those who are mobile or less so.

Organic products: The organic boom has also reached the confectionery industry. In particular, there is already a whole variety of organic products on offer in the cakes and biscuits segment. These range from biscuits and filo pastry products to traditional Italian cantuccini made from organic ingredients. In addition, there are now manufacturers producing organic sweets, soft caramels and even, in east Germany, organic chocolate-covered marshmallows. The use of organic ingredients often goes hand in hand with the use of fair trade products, notably in many types of organic chocolate.

“Specialities” — Gingerbread at Easter? In a move guaranteed to delight all gingerbread lovers, this Easter will see traditional Nuremberg “Lebkuchen” biscuits reappear on the market. Likewise, one Belgian chocolate producer has come up with a curious idea: “Chocofrites” are chocolates in the form of French fries with mayonnaise — a successful synthesis of Belgian specialities.

Meanwhile, the “Bundesburger” is targeted at Germans with patriotic leanings and a liking for a fruity snack. This fruit-gum sweet in the national colours of black, red and gold tastes of blackberry, raspberry and lemon and has the words and music to the German national anthem printed on the back of the packet.
Many Germans will still remember the famous “Kalte Schnauze” or “Kalter Hund”. Now a baked goods specialist has rediscovered the recipe and is once again supplying this delicious confection of shortbread and chocolate icing. For all those fans of chocolate-covered marshmallows, one supplier is bringing a product with morello cherries — and without the usual wafer — onto the market.