Grains, pulses and oilseeds are often used in healthy snacks. Their nutritional value is positively received by health conscious consumers. As an exporter, you can target the market for specific ingredients, specialise in processing ingredients or consumer products. The further you develop your supply chain, the higher will be your investment and your responsibility in food safety and information to consumers.

Currently, the European market for fonio is in its early stages of development and still niche. Therefore, marketing fonio as a specialty grain offers the most opportunities for this product. In this market, it will compete with other nutritious, gluten-free grains, such as quinoa, amaranth and teff. There could be an interesting future for fonio in Europe with the right marketing efforts and reliable supply.

Common beans such as kidney beans and white pea beans are a traditional food common in many cuisines in different cultures. You will find most demand for these products from bean packers and the canning industry, while new convenience and healthy bean products are slowly emerging. These new products generate buyers’ interest in new supplying sources, but you must be able to deal with increasing product standards and strong competition from well-established producing countries.

Chia is a relatively new product to Europe. With its nutritional and functional properties, demand for chia seeds has grown to roughly 20,000 tonnes (2022/2023) from only a few thousand tonnes in 2012/2013. There is potential for further growth, especially through new product developers that use chia as an ingredient. But the trade remains opportunistic with fluctuations in prices and product availability.

Tuna is the most consumed fish species in Europe, but the by-catch species of tuna fisheries, such as swordfish, Patagonian toothfish, mahi mahi and butterfish, have a strong market presence and growing popularity in certain niches and countries. There is less data available on these by-catch species than on tuna, so they have more specific market requirements, routes to market and product forms than other fish. Still, due to their unique qualities, these species are hard to substitute.

With a competitive price, Pacific white shrimp has gained market share in the European market over the last years. For Pacific white shrimp, it is important to realise that there are 2 markets within Europe: North and South. While the South predominantly imports raw head-on shell-on products and headless shell-on products, the northern market is more oriented towards peeled and cooked products. In Southern Europe, the key importers are Spain and France. For the North, these are the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

Black tiger shrimp is considered a premium product for niche markets. The food service, organic and ethnic retail markets prise this shrimp for its large size and desirable colour, taste and texture. Due to the high availability of Pacific white shrimp, however, it is a challenge to remain price-competitive on sizes in both species. By meeting the necessary requirements in these niche markets, you can get your product to reach the markets demanding it.

Demand for dried chillies in Europe is driven by popularity of the international cuisine and interest in mild chilli flavours. Opportunities for new suppliers from developing countries can be found in large consuming markets such as Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France and Poland. Competitive advantage for emerging dried chillies suppliers can be gained by offering high-quality, authentic, safe and sustainable products.

Curcuma longa (turmeric) is a key ingredient of curry powders that is widely used in South Asian and Middle Eastern-style dishes across Europe. Curcuma longa is also used as a natural colourant in the food industry for a wide variety of products. In addition to these uses, the product has become a trendy ingredient in healthy diets, opening up promising opportunities for market growth in the short, medium, and long term. 

Europe is an interesting market for exporters of dried ginger. Demand has grown significantly over recent years and this trend is expected to continue. Chinese and Nigerian companies are the main suppliers of both whole and ground ginger to Europe and will be key competitors for new entrants. New supplying countries with high-quality ginger should consider accessing a niche market in Europe, for example the organic and fair trade ginger market.