junho, 18 2026

By Jamille Nunes, WWF-Brazil 

The flavors of sociobiodiversity once again featured at NaturalTech 2026, this time with recognition in the form of an award. During Naturaltech, the largest trade fair for natural, organic, and wellness products in Latin America, held from June 10 to 13 in São Paulo, Brazil, baru was awarded in the 4th edition of the WELLNOW Awards. The award highlights products in the fields of health and innovation, and Copabase’s coated baru nuts were recognized in the Food category. 

Beyond this highlight, sociobiodiversity products have increasingly been recognized as one of the “jewels” of the fair. 

Presence in 2026 

“The public reception this year was incredible. Many people were already coming to us because they had discovered us last year or in previous editions,” says Alexandre Lage, commercial manager at Central do Cerrado. 

In addition to associating the products with their nutritional attributes—such as baru, known for its protein content—Lage notes the public’s discomfort with the high presence of artificial products. Visitors see the sociobiodiversity stand, along with others featuring family farming and organic foods, as the “jewels of the event,” he says. “There are many compliments from end consumers, nutritionists, industries, and retailers,” he adds. 

At the collective sociobiodiversity stand, Central do Cerrado led operations, while partners such as WWF-Brazil, Conexsus, and SEBRAE helped expand connections between these businesses and market opportunities. Lage emphasizes that, year after year, the collective participation has become increasingly impactful. 

And this has been reflected in sales. According to preliminary figures from Central do Cerrado, sales to end consumers increased by 25% compared to the previous edition. “That is a very interesting number, considering our stand is ‘small’ compared to others at the fair,” says Alexandre. 

Biome tour and recipe demonstrations 

The stand also hosted the Biomes Tour, visits by groups of nutrition professionals who received more in-depth information. Visitors were able to explore products such as babassu coconut oil, organic corn grits, Brazilian nuts, and coated baru nuts—the most sought-after items among attendees. 

Another Naturaltech initiative where sociobiodiverse production took center stage was Taste & Talk. On stage, hosted by WWF-Brazil, the audience learned recipes from the book “Culinary à Brasileira.” The presentation was led by chefs Carina Muller and Roberta Azevedo, who demonstrated the preparation of a raw tart made with Amazonian ingredients. 

Post-fair outlook 

The joint presence reinforces the importance of sociobiodiversity as a link between environmental conservation, health, nutrition, and well-being. “When end consumers or companies choose to invest in these sociobiodiversity products, they are contributing to the sustainable management of biodiversity and to the ecosystem stewardship carried out by traditional communities. Our consumption choices have an impact, and we want to increasingly support society in reflecting on the importance of these products,” says Ícaro Carvalho, conservation analyst at WWF-Brazil. 

Alexandre Lage also highlights that the space enables dialogue with multiple stakeholders, such as retailers, industries, and both B2C and B2B clients for business development. 

For Carvalho, “these spaces act as a bridge between producers and consumers seeking innovative, sustainable, and nutritionally rich products.” In addition, participation in fairs of this scale is important “to ensure they receive the visibility they deserve.”