Maag Food’s meat companies participated in the Anuga food fair for the first time

12. January 2026

The Anuga food fair, held at the end of autumn (Anuga – the world’s leading trade fair for food and beverages), is one of the most important events in the global food industry and takes place every two years in Cologne, Germany.
As an event aimed at business clients, it is particularly important from the perspective of export opportunities. This year’s fair featured more than 8,000 companies from 110 countries and was visited by over 145,000 professional visitors from more than 190 countries.

The Anuga food fair brings together importers, wholesalers, retailers, distribution companies, and agents – making Anuga the most effective platform for establishing new business contacts. Maag Food participated in Anuga with its meat products for the first time. According to Janne Laik-Lõhmus, Director of Product Development and Marketing at Maag Food, this marked the company’s first major step toward increasing the visibility of its meat products exports and building international contacts. “Our goal was to introduce Maag Food as a company and present a selected range of meat products, test their reception on the international market, and receive direct feedback from potential clients in order to better understand the needs and trends of different markets. At the fair, we showcased four product categories: Crispy Fried Chicken products, meatballs, dumplings, and salamis. The impressions were truly positive! I did not expect working at the exhibition stand and presenting our products to be so engaging and exciting. The days passed quickly, and visitor interest was high. Our teamwork worked perfectly – everyone supported one another, and the atmosphere was encouraging and energetic,” says Janne.

Strong teamwork is the foundation of everything

“Our cooperation with Avalon Foods and Mest Food (both also part of the Maag Group – ed.) was very strong—thanks to their previous trade fair experience, both the preparations and the on-site work ran smoothly. We directed clients to one another, shared experiences, and together created strong synergy and a trustworthy atmosphere. The contacts gained at the fair are high quality, and follow-up activities are already underway with several potential partners. The organisation of attending the fair also went very well.
My special thanks go to Mait, our Export Manager for meat products, who actively contributed to both the trade fair stand concept and the creation of the catalogues – his hands-on approach made the collaboration truly effective. I would also like to give particular thanks to Sille, our Head of Product Development, with whom I set up the exhibition stand together the day before the fair and with whom it was a great pleasure to work ‘the first shift’ during the first two days of the exhibition. Our cooperation worked exceptionally well, and I dare to call it a model example of true partnership. In addition, a big thank-you to the rest of the team – Nele, Tiina, Sven, and Heino – who, with their energy and dedication, helped maintain the true Maag Food atmosphere at the stand. Our excellent location in the meat hall (one of the best spots in the entire hall) also proved very beneficial, ensuring high visibility and a constant flow of visitors,” Janne says.

Anuga offers both – valuable contacts and inspiration

What did Janne personally notice most while attending the fair? “The most striking overall trend was convenience – many producers focused on products that are quick to serve and consumer-friendly, such as even ‘one-bite’ lasagnas. Packaging and labelling requirements across different markets are also becoming an increasingly important topic – this is definitely an area that requires further attention. Halal certification also came up in several discussions, confirming the need to be prepared to meet the requirements of different markets. It was also very positive to see that Maag Food’s background and reputation (including our cooperation with Lidl on the German market) created trust and interest among potential partners. Walking around the fair on the last day together with my ‘shift partner’ Sille, we gathered a great deal of inspiration for new products and concepts, and the implementation of some ideas can be expected in the near future. Looking ahead, it would make sense to keep the focus of future trade fairs on the categories that attracted the most attention this time – Crispy Fried Chicken and meatballs—and to highlight them even more strongly, together with tasting opportunities, which help to engage visitors even more effectively.”

Maag Food’s Commercial Director, Sven Sooman, says that Maag Food as a company is still in the process of developing full-scale exports, primarily in the meat category. Sven sees Anuga as one of the best opportunities to present products to an international audience and to find new export partners. “Our goal was to introduce Maag Food companies and products, test their reception on the international market, and receive direct feedback from potential clients in order to better understand market needs and trends. This was our first time participating under the name Maag Eesti, sharing a stand with Maag Group companies Mest Food and Avalon Foods. We were located in the meat hall in one of the best spots, which ensured high visibility and a strong flow of visitors. The previous trade fair experience of Mest and Avalon (they have participated in Anuga several times) proved extremely valuable, making both preparation and organisation much easier. Nordic Milk and Deary were represented in the dairy hall in the Taste Estonia area, where they also already have prior trade fair experience,” says Sven.

Anuga as a market test lab

According to Sven, a significant number of visitors stopped by Maag Food’s meat and dairy booths over the five days. “It is difficult to estimate an exact figure, but each of our companies established dozens of serious business contacts with whom we will continue discussions. In the meat category, a major advantage was the joint stand with Mest Food and Avalon. Their existing customer base and long-standing relationships brought many visitors to the booth and created a synergistic atmosphere of cooperation.
The joint stand of Nordic Milk and Deary also attracted considerable attention and offered visitors the opportunity to sample our products. The exhibition days were intensive, with a constant flow of visitors, and the atmosphere was professional, positive, and energetic.
In the meat category, our Crispy Fried Chicken products received the most attention, clearly standing out from the rest of the assortment. Meatballs also generated strong interest, especially among partners looking to complement their existing product portfolios. Nordic Milk focused at the fair on low-fat products – such as quark products, cottage cheese, SKYR, and similar items – which attracted significant interest. Growing demand for high-protein products and curd snacks also deserves special mention. Among Deary’s plant-based products, options with high protein content and tofu bars attracted the most attention.”

Sven has previously attended trade fairs as a visitor, but according to him, being an exhibitor was a completely different experience. “What was most interesting was seeing how large-scale trade fairs are prepared and how work at the stand is carried out: meetings with potential partners, product tastings, and collecting feedback. It was exceptionally exciting to observe how people from different countries responded to our products – whether retail chains, importers, or food service distributors. We gained valuable new contacts and cooperation partners at the fair that would have been difficult to find through other means. Overall, Anuga was a very valuable experience for us – direct contacts, honest feedback, and real market testing provide a clear picture of how our products are received on the international stage. This is exactly what a market test lab is: a source of inspiration and confidence to continue developing.” 😊