Along with some of you, I had the opportunity to attend the Vitafoods trade show in Geneva, Switzerland last month. Having attended that show off and on over the past six years, I can honestly say that it gets better every time I go. What was once mostly an overseas venue for US companies to market their ingredients to foreign customers, is now a vital international marketplace with a wide range of dedicated country pavilions including the USA, Belgium, China, Japan and India as well as a wide range of companies from throughout Europe. The show floor has truly taken on an international feel and even a burgeoning finished products exhibit area has been added in recent years.

VItafoods also just announced a companion show to launch in Hong Kong in 2011 called Vitafoods Asia.

All of this increased activity, combined with the rising profile of the Health Ingredients Europe show, points to the continued globalization of the nutraceutical, functional food and beverage marketplace. This exchange of ideas and cultures bodes well for industry growth over the coming years, as well as for cross-cultural innovation that I believe will help drive product development for the future.

We should all embrace and encourage this trend toward globalization as it will benefit companies on both sides of the transaction.

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