Export Portal
Organic producers are looking increasingly to extend their exports to international canteens, restaurants and other catering operations. This is the assessment of Organic Denmark's Export Manager, who last week spearheaded a Danish export drive at the world's largest organic trade fair, BioFach in Germany.
Nineteen Danish organic companies have just got back from the world's largest organic trade fair, BioFach in Nuremberg, where they were on the hunt for new export markets. A number of the Danish exhibitors chose to focus on the food service sector.
And according to Klaus Bentzen, Organic Denmark's Export Manager, more and more of the Danish producers supplying organic food to Danish catering operations will also start targeting international food service markets.
"Growing sales of organic products to canteens, restaurants, institutions and other catering operations in Denmark are helping to boost organic producers. They are developing new catering products that can ultimately be rolled out to international food service markets. These are exciting new markets for our already successful organic exports," says Klaus Bentzen.
Friland was one of the companies at the trade fair targeting customers in the food service sector.
"Friland's food service division is growing all the time, because we are now able to satisfy the industry's product requirements. We are building on our experience of food service in Denmark and targeting the German food service market in particular," says Jürgen Hansen, CEO of Friland's German subsidiary, Friland J. Hansen.
Growing organic interest in Danish catering
Organic turnover for Danish catering operations is approaching DKK 1 billion. Organic sales have grown from around DKK 456 million in 2009 to around DKK 918 million in 2012, doubling in three years.
These statistics are based on data from the 15 largest food service wholesalers in Denmark and Organic Denmark's estimate for the remaining market. The statistics were compiled by Organic Denmark and producers' organisation "Producentsammenslutningen Økosalg og Oplysning", and subsidised by the EU and the Danish Ministry of Food's Rural Development Programme.
The joint Danish stand at BioFach is being organised by producers' organisation Organic Denmark Export with funding from the EU and the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries' Rural Development Programme. The event is being hosted in cooperation with Organic Denmark.