This week, the RAI Amsterdam convention centre welcomed more than 17,000 visitors from over 125 countries to the World of Private Label trade show, held by the Private Label Manufacturers Association. Covering 43,500 sq m, the event was a hotbed of new trends in fmcg products and packaging by almost 3,000 exhibiting from 73 countries. Here are six of the big trends we spotted
Sustainable everything
Eco-friendliness was ubiquitous at this year’s World of Private Label event. The Netherlands provided refillable jars of cereal and pulses, the UK had a paper wine bottle and Germany offered a sustainable homecare range.
Plus, there were planet-conscious feminine hygiene products from France and a dermaplaning device made from recycled plastic, courtesy of South Korea.
Most refreshing was Chica Mexicana from Denmark, a 4.5% abv fruity beer made from surplus tortillas to tackle food waste.
Protein power
Protein’s staying power is nothing less than impressive. Having been a trendy nutrient on and off for the thick end of 10 years, it’s now enjoying a global renaissance.
It’s the star of bottled water from Switzerland, Brazilian pasta, bagged salmon chips from South Korea, Turkish balls of chocolate filled with peanut butter, grain products from Lithuania, and fruity yoghurt from Greece.
The Italians seem especially keen. They’ve slapped high-protein claims on jars of apricot jam, bags of muesli and even pots of mug cake mix (available in Broccoli and Pizza variants).
Cold cuppas
Tea was everywhere at the PLMA show – via the likes of the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Germany and North Macedonia. There were functional teas with added zinc to support the immune system, and one to maintain prostate function.
But the beverages were rarely black and steaming. More often they were cold, colourful and fruity – and in a variety of formats. There were string & tag teabags, ready-made drinks for on-the-go, and loose infusion blends floating in reuseable bottles. Coldbrew tea has struggled to take off in the UK, but it’s clearly flying elsewhere in Europe.
Petcare at a premium
Posh innovations for pets were unavoidable at the PLMA show. Among the eye-catching goods were German dog treats made from water buffalo and goat, dust-free cat litter from Switzerland, and Dutch cat snacks with pun names (Octo Puss; Strip Teasers; Cat-Ch-You) and variants such as chicken & squid.
Most fascinating of all was CatsDogs Vitamin Water from Swiss supplier Trivamarca. It’s a 500ml bottled drink that, at a glance, looks like a sports nutrition brand for an animal lover. Inside is a sugar-free beverage promising proteins, vitamins and minerals for Rover and Mittens. It’s got an 18-month shelf life and an rsp of about 30% more than equivalent products for humans.
Water in a can
Liquid Death had better watch out. There’s a growing number of canned water brands with cool names and compelling stories. The Netherlands’ Sea Water, for instance, converts local seawater into drinking water.
And there’s Brew Water, a new concept from Viennese beer giant Ottakringer, which uses water from its in-house well. There are two variants: the plain Sparkling and the gently flavoured Hoppy.
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Electronic beauty
Electronic personal care these days goes way beyond battery-powered toothbrushes – although an abundance of them were seen at the PLMA show alongside more niche appliances.
Take the ones from Viveca of South Korea, home of some of the world’s hottest beauty trends. The brand’s portfolio includes a gadget that washes one’s face using ultrasonic waves. There’s also a Viveca gizmo which electronically cares for facial skin and muscles.
Fellow South Korean beauty brand Carevright focuses on a different part of the body. Its contraption is a “revitalising LED pad for a woman’s v-zone” that “utilises a comprehensive range of 128 blue/red/IR wavelengths” to tackle “women’s aliments”.
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