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B2B Food Marketing Trends
Fi Europe 2024: Trends shaping the future of food marketing
Average reading time
7 min
Summary
Fi Europe 2024 highlighted trends shaping the food industry, focusing on taste-driven innovation, functional foods, and cross-sector collaborations. Key themes included transforming technical solutions into sensory experiences, fostering meaningful connections through interactive booths, and combining health benefits with great taste. The event emphasized storytelling, thought leadership, and partnerships as critical for addressing challenges and driving progress in food marketing.
Summary
Fi Europe 2024 highlighted trends shaping the food industry, focusing on taste-driven innovation, functional foods, and cross-sector collaborations. Key themes included transforming technical solutions into sensory experiences, fostering meaningful connections through interactive booths, and combining health benefits with great taste. The event emphasized storytelling, thought leadership, and partnerships as critical for addressing challenges and driving progress in food marketing.
Maddalena Prini
Senior Creative
Fi Europe 2024 was all about innovation, connection, and progress in the food and beverage industry. As a food marketing agency, we attended to feel the pulse of the market and explore the solutions driving change.
From groundbreaking product innovations to thought-provoking discussions, Fi Europe wasn’t just about showcasing what’s new. With taste sparking every conversation, it was a space for collaboration and tackling the critical challenges that define the industry’s path forward.
This year, the spotlight was on more than just products—it was on the stories, experiences, and solutions redefining how we create, market, and consume food. We left with invaluable insights, ready to help brands make a lasting impact in this dynamic landscape.
01
Taste is the ultimate conversation starter
At Fi Europe 2024, taste didn’t just highlight innovation—it transformed it. Exhibitors used flavor to turn complex ingredient solutions into relatable, sensory-driven experiences that left lasting impressions. Prototypes like plant-based salmon bites and high-protein bars bridged the gap between technical ingenuity and consumer indulgence, showing that innovation could be felt as much as it could be seen.
Exhibitors transformed seemingly plain white powders into compelling demos, showcasing how their ingredients enhanced texture, flavor, functionality, and overall product appeal in real-world applications. This is where food marketing excels—translating technical solutions into tangible experiences that connect with people through taste, experience, and value.
What’s happening?
Taste has become the cornerstone of experiential marketing in the food industry. By turning technical innovations into sensory experiences, companies create immediate connections between their products and consumer desires. This trend is driven by the growing importance of taste, with 64% of global consumers citing it as the top factor when exploring new food products.
What stood out?
Some exhibitors elevated taste to curated experiences. A standout display featured plant-based savory snacks and desserts served with the sophistication of a fine dining experience, creating a lasting impression of innovation and indulgence. This approach showcased the power of event marketing, transforming technical concepts into relatable, emotional experiences that resonated with visitors.
Insight
Using curated, restaurant-style tastings not only highlights a product’s flavor but positions the brand as a premium, forward-thinking innovator. This approach transforms the simple act of sampling into a storytelling experience.
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02
Driving connection through meaningful conversations
Fi Europe 2024 underscored the importance of personal connections in an increasingly digital age. Booth design played a pivotal role, with exhibitors creating spaces that fostered interaction and built relationships. Booths were thoughtfully designed to transform trade show stands into spaces where genuine dialogue could flourish. By moving away from traditional, cluttered layouts and embracing simplicity, exhibitors invited visitors to linger, engage, and exchange ideas. The result? Booths became the beating hearts of the event, where meaningful conversations turned into lasting connections.
What’s happening?
In the world of food marketing, creating a space where people feel welcome to linger and interact is crucial. It’s not just about displaying products—it’s about offering experiences where visitors can taste, explore, and connect. Through engaging setups like live demonstrations and tastings, exhibitors turned technical concepts into sensory moments that left a lasting impact. These spaces didn’t just showcase products; they became environments for meaningful engagement and relationship building.
What stood out?
One exhibitor featured interactive elements, including a wall where visitors could place colorful balls in transparent baskets to answer questions about industry challenges, and a post-it wall with the prompt, “Show us your meaningful conversation,” inviting them to share insights. Together, these engaging activities sparked thought-provoking dialogue, encouraged participation, and created a collective discussion space.
Insight
Integrating interactive, playful elements—like gamified experiences or tactile installations—can encourage participation and leave attendees with a stronger emotional connection to your brand. These small touches turn casual visitors into active participants.
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Fi Europe Trends Report 2024
03
Innovating at the intersection of health and taste
At the crossroads of health and taste, Fi Europe 2024 highlighted how functional foods are redefining consumer expectations. Exhibitors showcased products designed to improve muscle recovery, support gut health, and promote healthy aging—all while delivering exceptional flavor. In the realm of food marketing, this trend was especially evident, as brands focused on bridging scientific validation with sensory appeal to captivate both buyers and end-users.
A standout example was a bone-density supplement backed by clinical trials, presented alongside interactive tasting sessions that demonstrated both its health benefits and sensory excellence. This approach underscored how functionality and indulgence can coexist, creating opportunities for businesses to connect on a deeper level with their audiences.
What’s happening?
The rise of functional foods reflects a broader trend towards proactive health management. Today’s consumers demand evidence-backed solutions that address specific health concerns without compromising sensory appeal. This dual focus on taste and health is reshaping the industry’s innovation landscape.
What stood out?
One exhibitor’s protein-enriched snacks captured attention for their dual promise of indulgence and recovery benefits. Another company addressed the growing GLP-1 trend by showcasing smaller portion sizes and sugar-reduced options, reflecting the industry’s adaptability to evolving health-conscious behaviors.
Insight
Bridging science and storytelling is key for functional foods. Successful brands didn’t just present data; they created relatable narratives about how their products fit into everyday life, making their innovations more accessible to consumers.
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04
Cross-Sector synergies and total solutions
Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation, and Fi Europe 2024 proved that collaboration is the key to tackling the complex challenges of the food industry. By integrating expertise across fields like sustainability, technology, and health sciences, companies positioned themselves not just as suppliers but as strategic partners. These partnerships enabled them to deliver cohesive solutions that addressed everything from ingredient innovation to sustainability targets.
What’s happening?
Cross-sector collaboration is becoming a vital strategy for innovation. By partnering with experts in complementary fields, companies can create solutions that address multifaceted challenges, from sustainability to scalability. This approach positions them not just as suppliers but as strategic partners.
What stood out?
A groundbreaking cocoa-free chocolate alternative, developed through collaboration with food tech experts, stole the show. Using grape seeds and sunflower kernels, this innovation tackled sustainability issues while delivering on taste. It earned the Future FoodTech Innovation Award, highlighting the transformative potential of partnerships.
Insight
Showcasing real-world results of collaboration can make your partnerships more impactful. Highlighting specific challenges solved through joint efforts builds credibility and positions your brand as an indispensable ally.
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05
Establishing thought leadership
At Fi Europe 2024, the conversation went beyond products to explore the bigger picture of what’s next for the food and beverage industry. Companies leveraged B2B marketing strategies to position themselves as thought leaders, addressing pressing topics like sustainability, plant-based innovation, and AI-driven product development. Through seminars, panel discussions, and innovation awards, exhibitors showcased their commitment to shaping the future of food by sharing expertise and delivering actionable insights.
What’s happening?
Thought leadership is emerging as a powerful tool for building trust. By addressing key industry challenges through actionable insights and innovative solutions, companies can position themselves as credible voices in shaping the future of the food industry.
What stood out?
One exhibitor’s seminar on clean-label innovation drew significant attention, combining data-driven insights with practical solutions. Another introduced an AI-driven platform for recipe optimization, demonstrating how technology can simplify complex processes while meeting consumer demands. These efforts reinforced the role of thought leadership in driving progress.
Insight
Sharing forward-looking insights through live events, publications, or digital platforms ensures your expertise resonates beyond the event. Offering follow-up content, like webinar recordings or whitepapers, extends the value of your thought leadership initiatives.
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Fi Europe Trends Report 2024
Maddalena Prini
Senior Creative
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