Kawanasi Returns to BIOFACH 2024 to Strengthen Kenari's EU Presence
Originally published: 2024 · Last updated: August 2026
In February 2024, Kawanasi returned to BIOFACH Nuremberg, continuing its international development of Kenari Nuts and East Forest.
The return came after a significant year for Kenari.
In 2023, Kenari received EU Novel Food approval and East Forest achieved recognition at major international events including BIOFACH and Anuga.
BIOFACH 2024 therefore represented a different stage of development: strengthening market presence and relationships after the initial European breakthrough.
Returning to the World's Leading Organic Food Fair
BIOFACH describes itself as the world's leading trade fair for organic food and an important meeting place for customers, suppliers, partners and potential new customers.
The 2024 edition brought around 35,000 trade visitors from 128 countries together with 2,550 exhibitors from 94 countries.
For Kawanasi, this provided an international environment to continue presenting Kenari to organic food professionals and strengthening relationships developed through earlier exhibitions.
A Different Stage of the Kenari Journey
Kawanasi's first BIOFACH appearance came shortly after achieving organic certification.
The subsequent years involved:
international product presentations;
continued market research;
the European Novel Food process;
EU market authorization;
East Forest development; and
recognition at international food events.
By 2024, the conversation around Kenari had moved beyond simply introducing an unknown nut.
The focus was increasingly on building a sustainable international market around it.
Meeting Partners and Exploring Opportunities
International exhibitions are important not only for product visibility but also for relationships.
BIOFACH brings together buyers, distributors, retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and other participants across the organic value chain.
For Kawanasi, returning to BIOFACH provided opportunities to:
meet existing partners;
develop new relationships;
introduce East Forest to potential markets;
discuss Kenari as an ingredient;
gather market feedback; and
understand developments in the international organic sector.
This relationship-building is an important part of developing an emerging food category.
Continuing to Position Kenari
Kenari remains unusual in the international nut market because most consumers have never encountered it.
That creates both a challenge and an opportunity.
Kawanasi's role is not only to supply the product, but also to help international buyers and food businesses understand:
what Kenari is, where it comes from, how it tastes and how it can be used.
This is increasingly important as Kenari moves from a specialty product toward broader ingredient and food-business applications.
Looking Beyond the Nut
By this stage, Kawanasi was also developing Kenari beyond the traditional snack format.
East Forest provides consumers with a way to discover Kenari through finished products, while Kawanasi continues to explore opportunities for Kenari as an ingredient.
The East Forest platform currently presents Kenari for applications including bakery, confectionery, dairy, ice cream and other food businesses.
BIOFACH provides a useful environment for having those conversations with an international audience.
Continuing the International Journey
BIOFACH 2024 was not about making a first introduction.
It was about continuity.
After years of introducing Kenari, building certification and regulatory foundations and entering international markets, Kawanasi returned to one of the world's most important organic food platforms to continue developing the category.
The journey from an unfamiliar Indonesian forest nut to an internationally recognized product was continuing.