The growing popularity of Asian, North African and Middle Eastern cuisines, including spice mixes, sauces and condiments like curry sauces, is driving the demand for cumin seeds in Europe. Cumin seeds are also used as an ingredient in products like cheese. Large importing and consuming markets, such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, offer opportunities. Offering high-quality, safe and sustainable products can provide a competitive advantage. New suppliers must be able to compete with established suppliers from India, Syria and Turkey.

Europeans increasingly rely on software and systems that are connected to the internet. This makes their data and systems vulnerable to cyber attacks. And no matter where a cyber threat comes from, it has the potential to be devastating to companies, their employees and their customers. This is why the European market for cyber security is very large and growing fast.

The European retail sector increasingly relies on technology. According to research by McKinsey, about 52% of the work in retail can be automated with current technology. This means that there is great potential for retail tech in general. The COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated this trend, making most European retailers interested in adopting at least one type of retail tech solution.

The European market for finance and accounting services is large, stable and growing. The biggest challenges for you as an outsourcing company are increasing automation and extra requirements in terms of security and corporate sustainability. However, there are good opportunities if you know how to use technological inventions and/or can offer added value through your services.

The demand for table olives in Europe is growing. A Mediterranean diet, a healthy lifestyle and the search for new flavours are the main drivers behind their increased consumption. Opportunities for new suppliers from developing countries can be found in large European markets such as Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Romania and Belgium. New suppliers must be able to compete with internal European competitors Spain and Greece, but also with emerging suppliers from Morocco, Egypt and Albania.

Citrus and tropical juices are increasingly used as ingredients in soft drinks, flavoured waters and smoothies. Sustainability is 1 of the most important requests influencing demand. There are opportunities for developing country suppliers in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. New suppliers must be able to compete with strong competitors, depending on juice type. The leading competitors are Brazil (orange juice), Argentina (lemon), Israel (grapefruit), Mexico (lime), Costa Rica (pineapple) and Peru (passion fruit).

Coconut is a popular flavour in sweet treats like chocolate bars, pastries and biscuits. This is why there is demand for desiccated coconut in Europe. Two aspects that have led to unstable supplies are older coconut trees and low farmer incomes. This has caused many supply chain stakeholders to focus on sustainability and take part in sector support projects. There are opportunities in large markets, such as the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.