Tim's Blog

Normal 0 I have just returned from the Organic Expo in Melbourne. It is always a fascinating show and it is especially exciting to see the continual stream of new organic products in the marketplace.

While growth of the organic industry has undoubtedly been slowed by the Global Financial Crisis, the industry still continues to grow, and there is little question that it remains the fastest growing sector of the agriculture/food market.

This year at the Expo it was particularly noticeable that there are many new cosmetic and clothing/fibre products, and a lot of activity around baby foods and children's snack foods.

It was also interesting to see the number of new wines in the marketplace, and the very respectable quality of all the wine offerings in the show. I also found a new organic beer that I really liked, and that I think will be popular because it does not have the prominent hops flavour of all other Australian Beers. This characteristic does not bother me, or many other South Aussies, because we were weaned on Coopers Ale, and we drink a lot of Pale Ale. If you do not enjoy the hops flavour, it is hard to find a decent organic beer - although there are some British beers that are less hopsy.

I even learnt at the expo that Coles has launched a range of cleanskin organic wines at the very reasonable price of $9.99 a bottle, and that they stock nearly 50 organic wines at their First Choice liquor superstores.

The Organic Expo currently alternates between Sydney & Melbourne annually. The next expo will be held in Sydney in 2010.  Visit the website at www.organicexpo.com.au