Superfood: a trend of innovation and awareness

On 9 and 10 November we were protagonists at B-Open Trade, a sector fair for certified organic operators. In addition to being a great experience which allowed us to meet shopkeepers, associations and colleagues from other product categories, we were also able to talk about our favorite topic – i superfood – at two conferences, together with the Italian Organic Association.

S superfoods, in fact, are a real trend today but this should not be understood just as a "fad". It is a market trend, which denotes the great attention and awareness of consumers.

The evolved consumer in the post-pandemic scenario

Also thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led us to rediscover home-made food and the value of nutrition as a support for good health, we are all more careful about what we put in our cart and on our plate.

These data clearly emerge from many researches, for example from a study by Astra Ricerche (September 2021), according to which Italians are increasing their consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, and are decreasing the presence of meat, dairy products, processed foods and alcohol on their tables.

Not only that, according to Nielsen surveys at the end of 2020, consumers are increasingly attentive to sustainability and the environment: as many as 78% of Italians say they are willing to pay a little more for a food product if they are sure that it is more ecological and respectful of the planet.

Superfood as food innovation and the future of the Planet

Our beloved superfoods, both those in our range and many others that we don't yet have among our products - but which we are studying for you! – are a great resource for humanity. No, we are not exaggerating, and scientific research increasingly demonstrates this.

An example? Many of these supervegetables are able toabsorb CO2: spirulina algae, for example, used in Valdelsa to reclaim entire industrial areas, or sea wheat, recently discovered by a Spanish chef.

Another peculiar characteristic of superfoods is their adaptability and strength. Since these are ancient and robust plants, native to their regions, are able to grow luxuriantly even in extreme climates, as demonstrated for example by the Biosaline Agriculture Center in Dubai in a recent study on the cultivation of samphire in the desert.

This means that, even if our splendid planet were to continue on its path of overheating - and we must ALL work hard to ensure that this does not happen and the trend is reversed! – this type of resistant vegetables will probably help us in our diet.

Finally, a truly "space" nod: the world's space agencies are studying in particular spirulina, because this superalgae is capable of growing even in the absence of gravity, and could therefore be a fundamental resource for space exploration and our approach to Mars!