Gluten-free, sugar-fee, fat-free… current food industry trends at Riga Food 2024

Just a couple of years ago, very few really understood what gluten is and that food can also be gluten-free. And gluten intolerant had very little choice of items to eat. Nowadays, everything is different. Range of gluten-free products is both rich, and also tasty. These products are enjoyed not only by those following doctor’s prescription. Current lines of gluten-free products will be well represented at the food industry trade fail Riga Food 2024 on 5-7 September at the Ķīpsala Expo Centre. Here is a sneak-peek at some of them:

Cookies made 100 % from fruit and berries
Can you even imagine cookies made 100% from nothing but fruit and berries? Well, “Lāči” has them. Their healthy fruit and berry cookies are vegan, nutritious and tasty. It is a wonderful treat that can be enjoyed at any time of day – on weekends and special occasions as much as on regular weekdays. No added sugar, no flour, no eggs, no E food colour additives, and no gluten. Cookies contain key fibres and other soluble or insoluble fibres, including natural pectin. It is good for vegans and vegetarians. “Lāči” cookies have unique production process, which makes them light, airy and melt in your mouth. Every bite is a perfect mix of sour and sweet. You can choose between several favourite flavours: banana-apple, raspberry-apple and strawberry-pineapple.

Gluten-free vegan dumplings
Do you know what the new taste of Latgale is? Traditional Latgalian cuisine has acquired a new line of innovative gluten-free vegan products. “Safīra L” and Lienite Litavniece will bring two new products to the Innovation Booth – gluten-free vegan dumplings and pate ‘Vegan gluten-free salty delight’. If you are new to this kind of products, “Safīra L” tasty treats will be your perfect introduction into this world. Satisfaction guaranteed. By the way, you can choose between plum and nut gluten-free vegan dumplings!

Mouth-melting vegan cinnamon twists
Rich cinnamon and sugary taste! These twists are gluten-free and also vegan as they contain no animal-based foods. To take care of those who are allergic to products containing gluten, “Liepkalni” bakery in Rūjiena started its line of vegan products several years ago. Based on feedback from non-gluten product consumers, company added another subdivision of vegan products more recently. It caters to those who face very difficult choices when it comes to sweets and need vegan variety of gluten-free products. Gluten-free vegan cinnamon twists will melt in your mouth and taste the same as traditional cinnamon twists. Highly nutritional and a taste to enjoy over and over!

Gluten-free sausages
This product has convincingly won the hearts of young consumers. “Silāres gaļsaimnieks” sausages contain no gluten, harmful E additives or dairy products. “Opinion that gluten-free and dairy-free foods are bland and hard to eat is a stereotype. We are here to show to the contrary. Our products will amaze you with their lightness and pleasant taste, which will also be appreciated by the little consumers,” Kaspars Kūriņš, CEO of “Silāres gaļsaimnieks”, says.

Flourless cherry cookies with dark chocolate
Fity’s flourless cookies ‘Cherry and dark chocolate’ are rich with fibres and protein – that is the main characteristic of this product. These cookies are made from buttercream and contain no margarine. There is no wheat flour or flavour enhancers. These cookies come in different varieties: oatmeal, egg, various seeds, nuts and dried berries. Quality of ingredients, taste, nutritional value and balance are the main features of these cookies. And, of course, the main ingredient is love and joy!

Egg-white protein smoothie with orange flavour
Fiteg2 orange smoothie contains 60 % liquid egg-white, 8 % concentrated orange juice and 8 % orange puree. Refreshing smoothie with a punch of lemon puree, paprika oil extract and citrus fibres will make your breakfast unforgettable. It uses sucralose as a sweetener. There is no fat, milk or gluten. It is tasty, healthy and can be consumed any time of day or night. Moreover, Fiteg2 is free from gluten, soy and lactose, which makes it perfect for those who need special diet and Ovo vegetarians. It is also a good fit for those who enjoy active lifestyle, including children and athletes exposed to strenuous workouts, also young mums, senior and people with special dietary requirements. Only 51 kcal per 100 ml! This product is not sold in the retail stores yet.

Bordeaux label cherry, cranberry and strawberry jams
Pūre range of tasty products has a new addition – the Bordeaux label line of cherry, cranberry and strawberry jams, and cranberry syrup. Bordeaux label indicates that this is a high-quality product from Latvia. Products meet all applicable regulatory requirements and are fit for schools, kindergartens, social institutions and healthcare providers. Pūre’s new products are for everyone who appreciates products that contain no colourants, preservatives, flavour enhancers or sweeteners.

Locally-grown walnut
Everyone has become health-conscious these days, and nuts have become a staple on everyone’s menu as they contain omega fatty acids and protein, and are generally very good for those suffering from cardio and thyroid problems. Although, many believe that nuts can only grow in southern hemisphere, and the only nuts that grow here are hazelnuts, walnut nursery that grows selected varieties of walnut trees near Lake Usma has successfully operated for a decade already. “Walnut Latvia” (SIA “Westlake”) is a sustainable farm that dazzles. It follows the traditional walnut growing techniques and will offer its locally-grown walnut at the Riga Food 2024.

Seed crackers with almond
Consumed by everyday rush, in an attempt to manage bigger and bigger workload, we often forget to take care of ourselves and our bodies that need nutritious food to keep the body going and sustained longer. That is exactly what Perfecto had in mind when creating these crackers. Perfecto team came up with this idea a couple of years ago, but it took a while to come up with the right recipe for these crackers. The target was minimum sugar, as much good fats as possible, while also keeping the right taste balance. “3-seed crackers with almond” is a unique gluten-free snack that is extra nutritional but will not lie heavy on your stomach. Chia seed, sunflower seed and pumpkin-seed crackers are hand-made. They contain no gluten, E additives or flour, but are rich in protein and various fibre.

Always Ready (“Vienmēr gatavs”) muesli bar
The new Always ready muesli bar is now available on the Latvian market! It has already received the Bordeaux label for its quality and nutritional characteristics. This muesli bar is a product of careful research, with the best taste, nutritional value and convenience in mind. Product contains dates, raisins, sunflower seed, peanut, oats and soy protein. Each of the ingredients has been carefully chosen to give body the necessary nutrients and energy. This muesli bar is perfect for those who love fitness and those that want to enjoy a healthy treat on any day of the week. It is a great choice for those looking to get the right daily dose of protein as 100g-bar contains 16 g of protein.

Products listed above will also be on display at the national stand of Latvia, operated by the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics, and Innovation Booth, operated by Latvian Technological Centre and supported by Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), and company representatives will gladly answer all your questions.

But that is not all - from 5th to 7th of September visitors of Riga Food 2024 at the Ķīpsala International Expo Centre will also have a unique opportunity to see a wide variety of vegan, organic and gluten-free products from exhibiting companies that are represented in scope of 12 national stands. More at: www.rigafood.lv

Riga Food is organised by BT-1 International Expo Company. www.bt1.lv

Follow Riga Food on social media:
www.facebook.com/rigafood
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Opening hours:
5–6 September: 10:00–18:00
7 September: 10:00–17:00

Entrance fees:
Adults: €7
Disabled: €5
Family ticket (2 adults +1 child aged 7-18): €14
(+ €2 for every next child)
Free entrance for children under 7
Ticket presales for cheaper prices: www.bt1.lv/rigafood/buytickets.php