- 08/14/2025
- Future of food
BIOFACH trend overview: five responses to current consumer needs
The BIOFACH Trend Jury has identified five key product trends that reflect current consumer needs and market trends. From indulgent rebellion to functional foods and creative beverage concepts, practical examples show how companies are implementing these trends and shaping the organic sector in 2025.
Written by Anna Frede
As in previous years, the BIOFACH Trend Jury has also identified five groundbreaking BIOFACH trends in 2025 based on current consumer needs and market drivers: Rebel’s Choice, Culinary Ease, Cheers to Every Moment, Functional Finesse, and Vegan en vogue. Real-world examples illustrate the underlying factors behind these trends and show how companies are implementing them.
BIOFACH Trend Jury 2025 highlights the issues dominating the organic food sector
Every year, experts from the organic food community come together in the BIOFACH Trend Jury1 to identify the most important developments and current drivers in the sector – in the form of the BIOFACH trends.
Among other things, the 2025 jury analysed2 the submissions for the Novelty Stand, the BIOFACH start-up pitches, and the PLANETARY HEALTH World of Experience. Drawing on this inspiration and their sound industry expertise, the jury defined the five main BIOFACH product trends for 2025 – as a reflection of current consumer needs and innovative product ideas.
The spotlight this year is on the following trends:
- Rebel’s Choice – indulgence as a deliberate act of rebellion for little time-outs
- Culinary Ease – high-quality organic convenience products
- Cheers to Every Moment – creative beverage concepts for any occasion
- Functional Finesse – functional foodstuffs with tangible benefits
- Vegan en vogue – plant-based products with a distinctive culinary profile
We spoke with companies whose products are representative of these trends. Their perspectives provide insights into current challenges and opportunities and highlight the issues that are having a particular impact on the organic food sector in 2025.
BIOFACH trend Rebel’s Choice - why little moments of indulgence are becoming more important than nutritional value tables
In times of multiples crises, the need for small and pleasurable time-outs is growing. With the organic food trend Rebel’s Choice, this year’s jury identified a deliberate act of rebellion, as consumers indulge in products that make them happy and are good for the soul. Pak Hin Lam, Brand Manager of The Other Company, the manufacturer of the BIOFACH trend product The Other Chips, puts it in a nutshell: “Eating is meanwhile about so much more than just nutritional intake – it's about enjoying food and bringing people together, and is part of our chosen lifestyle and thus of our identity.”
When it comes to ready meals, there is often a clash between the enjoyment of food and the need to eat healthily. Anke Frenzel, Managing Director of Ökofrost, the manufacturer of the BIOFACH trend product Vegan Pizza Salami, sees a mixed picture: “In the case of ready meals, consumers are already increasingly looking at calories and nutritional values, but also at organic sustainability aspects like animal welfare, and environmental and social concerns.” At the same time there has been a distinct counter movement. “On the other hand, in this complex, sometimes worrying world, many Germans are indulging in moments focused entirely on enjoyment, having fun and switching off.” In this context, uncomplicated products like pizza, ice cream or ready meals are especially in demand. “In 2024, for example, sales of our BioPolar pizzas were up 13% on 2023 levels.”
Creative combinations with a fun factor are also proving immensely popular. The BIOFACH trend product Pretzel & Milk chocolate bar by Naturata captures the essence of this idea. Liane Maxion, CEO of Naturata, describes the development process: “The mixture of sweet and savoury appeals to a lot of consumers, and this is what inspired us in our product development.” She adds with a wink: “What is more, we are in Marbach on the Neckar, not far from where the pretzel was invented. That’s why there’s also a little piece of home for us in our Pretzel & Milk chocolate bar.”
Current market research, like Mintel’s Global Food and Drink Trends 2025 underline this organic food trend. Consumers are increasingly willing to question learned health dogmas. They are comfortable with their day-to-day habits, even if these are not always perfect. Instead of proselytising, brands should pick up on this attitude: Those who offer products with unusual textures, surprising flavours, or emotional added value are seen as relevant and empathetic.
BIOFACH trend Culinary Ease, where quick meals meet high quality
High-quality organic foods are extremely popular, even when speed is of the essence. This is what the organic food trend Culinary Ease is all about. In their hectic everyday lives, people are increasingly resorting to quick, uncomplicated meals but don’t want to forego good organic quality. There’s a demand for products that satisfy hunger and taste delicious while giving you a good feeling.
“The current offering for snacking and eating on the go consists almost exclusively of sweet or low-nutrient products,” says Marie Luise Janknecht, founder and CEO of malu nutrition, the manufacturer of the trend product malunt vegetable bar. For Janknecht, the answer was obvious: “What was missing here was simply something savoury with vegetables.” The company’s solution: savoury vegetable bars, rich in fibre, plant protein, and with a whole serving of vegetables.
Bauck – the manufacturer of the BIOFACH trend product VeggieMix Kofta Couscous – shows how the segment is evolving. Meike Sültemeier, Head of Product Management, describes the shift: “We realize that when it comes to convenience products, consumers now expect far more than just ‘quick and easy’.” Although practicality and saving time are still key requirements: “At the same time there are growing expectations about quality, health, transparency and organic ingredients.”
And this is exactly where fairfood Freiburg – the manufacturer of the trend product Vegan bean stew with cashew and soy – comes in. Jule Mayr, Head of Brand & Direct Sales, formulates the needs of consumers thus: “A quick meal should not just make you feel full; it should also taste really good.” The company’s response is to offer fair traded organic ingredients, short supply chains, and a product that is in no way inferior to a home cooked meal.
Julius Palm, Deputy Managing Director of followfood – the manufacturer of the BIOFACH trend product Cheesy+Creamy Carbonara Style Noodles, stresses that the growing demand for fast but high-quality products needs to be considered strategically: “We want to bring sustainable foodstuffs to a wider public, so we have to ask ourselves who and what that wider public is. The ongoing trend towards convenience and snackification continues.” The company’s response is to rethink existing product categories to make them consistently organic and sustainable. “We want to provide better alternatives, so that we combine pleasurable eating with a good conscience in the wider community as well.”
BIOFACH trend Cheers to Every Moment brings fresh inspiration to the organic drinks offering
With its aperitifs, pick-me-ups or healthy thirst quenchers, the organic beverage segment is more diverse and innovative than ever. The organic food trend Cheers to Every Moment has the right drink for every occasion: alcohol-free, low-alcohol or fermented, but always with a special twist.
A prime example is Doc’s Ginger – manufacturer of the trend product organic ginger beer. Sandra Todzy, the company’s Head of Sales, explains: “The history behind Doc’s Ginger begins at the dentist – with our founder ‘the Doc’.” The first time he tried ginger beer he liked the taste but was not impressed by the usual formulation: “Too much sugar, artificial aromas, no genuine craftsmanship.” For him, the solution was obvious: “There must be a better way.” In 2021 he founded the company with partners from his dental practice with a view to developing an authentic, refreshing organic ginger beer which would be “crisp, fresh, natural, and uncompromisingly organic.”
The young company Kollektiv IV, which offers a conscious alternative to the traditional spritz with its BIOFACH trend product Røsabel Rosé Aperitivo, is driven by a similar mission. As co-founder Johannes Schubert emphasises: “With the Røsabel Rosé Aperitivo we wanted to create an authentic organic aperitif as a contrast to the large, established, conventional brands.” It is based on organic German wine obtained directly from the wineries. “An alternative to Aperol spritzes can therefore also be based on organic wine straight from the growers. Not only can it taste better; it is also more sustainable.”
In the fermented drinks segment, an old acquaintance is coming to the fore again: kombucha. Marc Fischer, CEO of Fischer Fermentgetränke, the manufacturer of the trend product coffee kombucha black pearl, has been monitoring the evolution of the drink for decades: “For more than 40 years, we have seen kombucha come and go as a trending product.” There is currently a growing interest in kombucha, above all among health-conscious consumers. For Fischer, the focus is on natural ingredients and transparency: “If its production is honest, real and natural, kombucha is a very healthy drink.” For him that means: no artificial additives, no added CO₂, no pasteurisation. Instead, a wide range of flavours and a clear connection to your own tradition.
Neumarkter Lammsbräu shows that community-driven product development can also work in the beverage segment. CEO Johannes Ehrnsperger tells of his company’s interactive campaign ‘Mix your thing!’ “Our fans really can get involved in creating our mixes.” More than 5,300 lemonade creations were submitted during the campaign. The result is this year’s BIOFACH trend product: “In the subsequent ‘vote for your favourite’ process, the now Mate Granate came out on top as the fan favourite.” Combined with high-quality pomegranate juice, a fruity variation of the Latin American classic emerged that was completely in line with the community’s tastes.
BIOFACH trend Functional Finesse as a response to individual nutritional needs
Functional foodstuffs are enjoying a resurgence, as reflected in the organic food trend Functional Finesse. More and more consumers are interested in products that offer added health benefits over and beyond the usual nutritional value, whether through added protein, fermented ingredients, or special active ingredients like mushroom extracts.
The trend towards functionality goes hand in hand with a desire for information. According to the Mintel Global Food and Drink Trends 2025 survey, consumers want clearly identifiable, reliable information about the health benefits of foods. Products that clearly communicate their ingredients and efficacy create trust, and this can be done, for example, by providing details about protein content, fibre, vitamins or minerals.
This also resonates with the brands represented at BIOFACH: “We are seeing a growing awareness about nutrition, especially in respect of origin, natural ingredients, and added health benefits,” says Renate Ladner, CEO and co-founder of LivQ Fermentationsprodukte, the manufacturer of the trend product Morgen Ritual (morning ritual). There’s a demand for products that are simple, honest and suitable for daily use. “Our aim was to develop a product that lets you start your day in a pleasant and uncomplicated way – in terms of its use and how it tastes,” explains Ladner. The focus is on natural ingredients, quality, and a mild formulation – “without exaggerated promises.”
International brands are also witnessing altered consumer behaviours. Stefan Sawinow, CMO of the YÖMilk Dairy Group, the manufacturer of the BIOFACH trend product collagen yoghurt, observes a new openness to functional foods: “It’s exciting to see how the stigma around healthy eating is disappearing. Our product is proof that health-conscious choices can be just as enjoyable as anything else.” The goal of the product development? “We aimed to make it easier for people to include healthy options in their daily routine without feeling that they’re giving something up.”
That the desire for functional foodstuffs has long since not just been a question of lifestyle is shown by the example of HistaFood – with its gluten- and lactose-free, low histamine and low fructose food products. “Many of our consumers have intolerances and are used to doing without a lot of foods. Our aim is to offer them products that enable them to have a diet that they not only tolerate but that is also tasty and uncomplicated,” says Mathis Heuser, Head of Marketing. But it’s not just about tolerability: “Our goal is to noticeably improve the quality of life of people with food intolerances and simplify their daily routines.”
BIOFACH trend Vegan en vogue: why vegan organic products are no longer just a substitute
A vegan diet has evolved into an expression of a new culinary identity. The organic food trend Vegan en vogue is proof of how vegan organic products are evolving from a substitute product to an enjoyable food category in their own right. The focus now is on creative recipes, high-quality ingredients and a range of flavours – without any animal-derived ingredients but with exacting standards of quality, naturalness and sensory sophistication.
Market data also confirms the importance of this segment: According to the German Nutrition Report 2024 from the German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture, 39 percent of people in Germany regularly eat alternative foodstuffs – 10 percent more than in 2020. In the same period, the proportion of those who opt for vegetarian or vegan alternatives to animal-based products daily doubled, from 5 to 10 percent. In this context, it’s also interesting to look at their motivations. According to the report, curiosity has been the biggest driver for trying vegan products for years now (69%). This is followed by taste (64%), animal welfare (63%) and climate and environmental aspects (60%). For some time now, therefore, the market has no longer been defined purely by ideology, and it is becoming increasingly important to enjoy the food on offer.
This is also reflected in the product development of international brands. “Consumers are increasingly seeking vegan products that don’t compromise on flavour—they want bold, satisfying taste experiences but along with clean, transparent recipes,” explains Tünde Udvardy, Export Manager at Biopont – the manufacturer of the trend product Millet balls with BBQ flavour. There is currently a particular demand for cheese-flavoured vegan snacks. “People look for indulgent, familiar tastes in plant-based form.”
Noa van Tuinen, Marketing Manager at Brinkers Food, the manufacturer of the trend product La Vida Vegan Pistachio Cream, has witnessed this shift: “We are seeing that consumers increasingly expect more than just plant-based credentials – the flavour and overall product experience are just as important.” Alongside intensive aromas, creamier textures and novel flavour combinations are also more in demand. “Vegan products are expected to deliver the same level of enjoyment as conventional ones.”
For Elisa Zamperoni, Corporate Export Director at Germinal Bio, the trend goes even further: “We are being asked to create vegan alternatives that don’t just imitate traditional dishes, but are also interesting in their own right, with their own identity.” A good example of this is the new pulses burger with pumpkin from Germinal Bio, which is also one of the BIOFACH trend products. “The idea came from the desire to offer a vegan burger that doesn’t try to imitate meat,” says Zamperoni. “Instead, we wanted to highlight genuine, seasonal plant-based ingredients. We chose pumpkin for its naturally sweet flavour and pulses for their protein content.”
This development is also confirmed by the current German Food Report 2025: The trend is moving away from mere imitation to plant-based innovation in its own right. Alternative protein products are increasingly evolving into new food categories with their own characteristics, based on ingredients like mushrooms or algae.
Vegan en vogue therefore means more than just “no animal products”. This organic food trend represents a new quality of plant-based products that exude confidence, create their own pleasurable food landscapes, and thus reach new target groups.
Looking ahead to the 2026 BIOFACH Trends 2026: what the organic food sector can expect
The BIOFACH Trends 2026 will be published at the start of the year to coincide with the trade fair and provide guidance for all those who want to help shape the future of the organic market. At the venue in Nuremberg, these trends can then be discovered during trend-themed guided tours and a panel discussion with the trend jury. In this way, visitors can gain direct insights into the key developments and driving forces in the organic food sector.
Footnotes:
1 The members of the 2025 trend jury were Karin Heinze, founder of BiO Reporter International, Julian Stock, Chair of the GOOD FOOD COLLECTIVE and Head of Sustainability at BLOOD Actvertising, Anne Baumann, CEO of the Association of Organic Food Producers (AöL), Fabian Breisinger, owner of All Organic Treasures, and Mirja Eckert, owner of the market and trend research consultancy THE NEW.
2 With Industry Trends, the jury also identifies overarching issues reflecting the key dynamics, developments and challenges in the organic sector. The BIOFACH Industry Trends in 2025 are:
We, Myself and I – organic brands need to credibly combine flavour, price-consciousness and sustainability.
Next-level Plant-based – plant-based organic food needs new and creative approaches to successful combine a focus on health, superior taste and a unique product profile.
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