Natural & Organic Products Europe 2017 Opens this Weekend

Over 10,000 attendees are expected to pack the aisles to discover what’s new and next at the industry showcase. Opening at 9.30am on Sunday 2nd April (and closing at 5pm on Monday 3 April), the trade event will bring together 700 leading exhibitors with key buyers and retailers from across the food, beauty, health and eco-label categories.

Representatives from companies like Amazon, Waitrose, Ocado and Whole Foods Market, plus thousands of independent retail outlets, wholesalers and distributors from across the UK and Europe have already pre-registered to visit.

Thanks to a 15% increase in exhibitor numbers for 2017, the show will feature over 700 exhibiting companies from around the world. As its biggest edition yet, Natural & Organic Products Europe is set to launch thousands of new natural and organic products, including supplements, botanicals, herbal medicines, superfoods, personal care and beauty, eco-household, and food and drink onto the European market.

The full exhibitor list is available online at naturalproducts.co.uk/exhibitor-list

Show features for 2017 include international pavilions from the likes of Italy, Philippines and the USA, as well as a new Vegan World area (supported by The Vegan Society), the Soil Association & Organic Trade Board Pavilion, Soil Association Organic Beauty Pavilion, Thai Beauty, and NATRUE Pavilion.

All products (over 325 across 13 categories) entered into the show’s two New Product Showcases will have to win over the show’s visitors before making it through to the awards judging round.

Designed to promote the best new natural and organic innovations over the last twelve months – visitors can vote for their favourites from 9.30am on the opening day. The products to have secured the most votes will then be judged by an independent panel of leading industry buyers. Their top picks will be announced the following morning (Monday 3 April) at the prestigious Natural & Organic Awards Europe, hosted by Madeleine Shaw (open to exhibitors and press attendees only).

Over 70 speakers – across three theatres – have now been confirmed.  Full speaker details and session times are available at naturalproducts.co.uk/seminars

Highlights include:

Natural Products Talks Theatre

Taking the temperature of health food retailing in 2017: editor-in-chief Jim Manson and publisher Dominic Roberjot from Natural Products News
The power of protein in 2017: Mark Tanous, co-founder of Bounce Foods; and Nick Morgan, Bounce’s nutritional expert and founder of A Word on Nutrition
Brexit question time (panel session): featuring Graham Keen, executive director of HFMA; Patrick Ahern, director general of EHPM; Dr Robert Verkerk, executive & scientific director of Alliance for Natural Health; and John Weaver, CEO of Tree of Life
In conversation with Ella Mills, founder of Deliciously Ella: hosted by Diane Millis, acting editor of Natural Products News

Natural Beauty & Spa Theatre

Mitochondria – the ‘powerhouse’ of cells and its role in the ageing process: Egzona Makolli, Kinetic Natural Products Distributor
Organic beauty in the making – journey of a pioneer: Daniel Galvin Jnr (Keynote)
What buyers want – a sneak peek into the world of a buyer: Joanna Lynch, medicines, wellbeing and suncare buyer at Waitrose
Sustainability in the beauty industry (panel session): featuring Jayn Sterland, MD of Weleda; Jo Chidley, founder of Beauty Kitchen; Dr Mark Smith, director general of NATRUE; Joanne Hill, owner of Amaranth; journalist Jo Fairley; and moderated by Helen Yeardsley, director of Pegasus PR

Natural Food Kitchen

Mezzogiorno – southern Italian cooking: Francesco Mazzei, chef patron at the Sartoria in London’s Mayfair
The Fuel Food Cookbook – easy stress-free, sugar-free, wholefood recipes: Oliver McCabe, retailer and ambassador of Independent Health Food Store Association of Ireland (accompanied by Kate Fearnley of Viridian Nutrition)
Suma healthy vegan paella cook-off: Elaine Hutton & Lisa Morris, Suma Wholefoods’ co-operative kitchen
Speciality choices: Holly Shackleton, editor of Speciality Food Magazine
Superfoods made simple: Rick North, Ali Wilde and Emily Kynoch from Naturya