"Three questions to" Christoph Minhoff

Pandemic, Ukraine war, energy crisis - the year 2022 held many challenges for the food industry. How are you heading into the new year?

The entire industry has been in a permanent crisis for three years - and the worst thing about it is that there is no end in sight at the moment. The Ukraine war with its far-reaching consequences and the politically generated energy shortage mean enormous uncertainty for companies. Many manufacturers do not know whether they will be affected by a gas shortage, whether they will still be able to afford electricity or whether electricity shortages are to be expected more frequently in the future. Add to that rampant inflation. None of these are good omens for the new year. Nevertheless, our companies have always been at the forefront of recognizing and solving problems. That's why I'm counting on the industry's creative problem-solving skills and assume that it will be able to draw renewed strength for innovation from this crisis.

Which food trends will play a role at the International Green Week?

Regardless of individual preferences, the big trend in nutrition is sustainability, and we are also demonstrating this together with our partners at our stand under the motto "Future Tastes Good." In order to make our nutrition more sustainable, there is no single, blissful miracle cure, but many different approaches and adjusting screws are required. We present the whole range of approaches: climate-neutral production, certified raw materials, plant-based foods, fully recyclable packaging or the use of innovative technologies from fermentation to new breeding methods. In the end, it is always the consumer who decides which approaches will prevail on the market. And for them, in addition to sustainability, taste and an affordable price are key decision-making criteria.

Mr. Minhoff, do you have a specialty that you are particularly looking forward to at the Green Week?

Basically, I try almost everything and look forward to tasting the innovative products of our partner companies at Green Week. But at the end of the day, it's often the things you're culturally rooted in that give you particular pleasure. And if someone then offers me a classic bratwurst, I'll gladly take it!