EXPO WEST 2022

#SpainFoodTechNation heads to Expo West, the largest natural and organic products event in the United States in Anaheim, California, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center this year from Thursday, March 10th to Saturday, March 12th. The show highlights innovative products with a focus on sustainability, lifestyle, nutrition, transparency and convenience trends. Everyone from media to bloggers, ingredient suppliers and retailers attend the event to trend spot and learn about the most innovative brands shaping the future of the $300 billion natural and organic industry.

The event will include 8 halls, a natural and speciality foods arena and a fresh ideas organic marketplace with more than 2,000 participating exhibitors. Several Spanish brands–that exemplify Spain's most developed, innovative and high-quality products across different food chain categories will showcase their products at the Spanish Pavillion. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn how these premium brands of the region are revolutionizing the approach to healthy living with the latest technological advancement in nutrition and innovation.

This year’s recently published Foodtech report reveals Spain has one of the most prolific ecosystems in the industry and is paving the way through various initiatives. Foodtech refers to all economic factors associated with innovation in the food industry, ranging from food production to food consumption. In the last year there was a significant increase in investment in both domestic and foreign funds specialized in the ecosystem and firm commitment of the Spanish Administration to promote innovation in the food system through the Next Generation Funds. Spain is the fourth largest agri-food power in Europe and tenth in the world with top quality products in the agri-food sector across international markets.  

Spain’s Foodtech industry is booming with more than 30,000 companies in food transformation, 50 specialized universities, 20 cutting-edge technological centers, and 407 Food tech startups. Spain FoodTech Startups Program, supported by ICEX and CNTA, has attracted more than 200 start-ups, applying for the first edition of the program, which include foreign entrepreneurs looking to establish their headquarters in Spain from other countries. Technology centers in Spain are developing advancements that bring efficiency to the system, as well as in the discovery of novel ingredients and product development. The development of healthier and more sustainable ingredients are driving a more efficient and sustainable agri-food system with transparency and traceability in the value chain.

Spain is spearheading the wave of alternative protein, which is gaining traction in the market with meat alternatives as one of the fastest-growing categories. Spanish chefs are also participating in the development of these new meat alternatives, including the world-renowned José Andrés, who joined the Board of Directors at GOOD Meat, the cellular agriculture arm of California-based Eat Just, and will be serving cell-cultured chicken in his US restaurant as soon as it gets legal approval.