Hemp products at the ISM International Confectionery Fair
The seeds of cannabis and cannabidiol were the focus of attention of a significant number of visitors to the exhibition, and the exhibitors constantly focused on the fact that hemp is becoming a brand of the food industry in 2019.
According to participants of the international confectionery fair ISM, which ended in German Cologne, 2019 could be the year of hemp foodstuffs. After a significant acceleration of the development of this market in Europe in 2018, products from various components of hemp are increasingly moving forward and are present in the product markets of the economically developed countries of the world, primarily the EU, Canada, the USA and South Korea. In particular, at the ISM fair, the exposition of which was focused on demonstrating achievements in the food sector (sweets, bakery products, etc.), goods made from hemp, or using various plant components were a huge success.
In the Showcase competition for a new product (New Product Showcase) held within the framework of ISM, out of 135 applicants, two products were selected that included cannabis. The German company Katjes Fassin received a second prize with its snack Hemtastic Hemp bar. Honey-sweetened German snack contains 20% hemp seeds. Hemp snack made with three flavors: cocoa, almond, cranberry-goji and cashew-coconut. According to the representative of the company Katjes Fassin, in the EU, hemp seeds are allowed for their introduction into the human diet. In the snack they are used as a vegetable protein containing eight essential amino acids (including omega-3 and omega-6), vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E, as well as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium.
The third prize went to the Swiss company Roelli Roelli for the presented chewing gum, which includes mint, oil and extract from hemp leaves. The total content of cannabidiol (CBD) in the product is about 5 mg. Representatives of the Swiss company insist on the relaxing, analgesic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and antioxidant effects of using hemp gum. In the whole package of chewing gum, the amount of cannabidiol does not exceed 6 grams. According to information provided by representatives of Roelli Roelli at the exhibition, confectionery products manufactured according to a special recipe by the company's specialists are legal for sales both in Switzerland and in other countries of the European Union.
Other exhibitors did not lag behind the winners. In particular, the British AL Simpkin Co. Ltd introduced candies with CBD, and The Marshmallowist marshmallows with CBD butter, pink pepper and grapefruit, German Neukircher Zwieback introduces cannabis seeds and sesame biscuits to the market under the brand name Filinchen Cubellis.
Commentary of the Association of "Ukrainian technical hemp"
ISM is an international pastry fair. It is the largest and most important exhibition of confectionery and snacks in the world. It is held once a year in Cologne (Germany) and presents on the market a full range of confectionery and food products, as well as snacks. New trends, innovative products and prospects for the food market are presented to a professional audience. Being the most important communication and business platform, it brings together all relevant target groups of small, medium and leading suppliers and globally active companies, small firms and decision makers to invest in a particular new product on the market. The fair is accompanied by many special exhibitions and forums, such as the demonstration of new products or technologies for their production, or cutting-edge trends emerging in the food industry. Since 2014, the ISM Prize has become one of the most important events of the fair. It celebrates innovative products that appear on the market and set new vectors in its development trends. It should be noted that cannabis seeds and cannabidiol were the focus of attention of a significant number of visitors to the exhibition, and the exhibitors constantly focused attention on the fact that hemp is becoming a brand of the food industry in 2019.