Focus on better business for retailers
Business expertise for retailers and the latest product developments at Europe’s top natural products showcase
There’s a strong emphasis on the business of retailing, especially for independents, at Natural & Organic Products Europe.
The show’s Natural Products Talks Theatre will feature a mix of fast-paced TED-style talks with lively panel discussions and interviews. Highlights include:
- Retailer-focused sessions on successful growth strategies, including opening a second store
- Rent and rates, hosted by the British Independent Retailers Association (bira)
- The latest consumer research from the Soil Association, including a comprehensive trade overview of the 2018 Organic Market Report, and
- The ‘Health Check in Natural Products Retailing’ 2018 survey results, hosted by Jim Manson, editor-in-chief of Natural Products Global.
ORGANIC DEBATE
Chief executives and senior managers from the Soil Association, Sustainable Food Trust, Riverford, Daylesford and Ocado are among the speakers in the new-format Natural Food Talks Theatre.
Zac Goldsmith, Conservative MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston, will also be speaking. A lifelong environmentalist, animal welfare campaigner and passionate advocate for organic food, he’ll be talking about what should happen to British agriculture post Brexit on the show’s second day.
WHEN 22-23 April 2018
WHERE ExCeL London
WHO Trade Only Event
OPENING HOURS
Sun 22nd April 9.00-18:00
Mon 23rd April 9.30-17.00
BREXIT
The government’s recent pledge of delivering a ‘Green Brexit’ and commitment to ‘conserving natural capital’ has been widely welcomed by the organic and sustainable farming community. But what does a Green Brexit actually mean for organic? Is it a transformative moment in agricultural history?
These are just some of the questions to be tackled by Soil Association chief executive Helen Browning OBE, Sustainable Food Trust’s CEO Patrick Holden CBE, and Riverford founder Guy Watson in a Keynote panel discussion.
CLEAN-LABEL
Whether it’s down to health, environmental factors or sustainability, the ‘clean-label’ movement shows no signs of abating. Retailers and buyers wishing to take advantage of this growing trend will find a host of innovative VMS and health products at the show.
According to Mintel, “products will need to satisfy an even greater number of requirements to meet consumers’ and regulators’ demands as expectations for clean-labels evolve”.
Health and wellness exhibitors at the show, such as Wild Nutrition, A.Vogel Herbal Remedies, Coyne Healthcare, BioCare, Natures Aid, Terranova, The Naked Pharmacy, Wiley’s Finest, Garden of Life and Viridian Nutrition, have been advocates of clean-label vitamins, minerals, nutrition powders and supplements for a number of years.
To view the initial exhibitor list, visit www.naturalproducts.co.uk/exhibitor-list.
RETAILER SHOP TALK
Meanwhile, bira will also be in action at lunchtime on the first day as part of its partnership with the National Association of Health Stores (NAHS). The two organisations are introducing a much-needed retailer initiative, ‘Shop Talk’.
This is a new annual NAHS/bira lunch for independent retailers to network together informally and talk over the latest business advice and best practice ideas with three leading bira retail experts. Topics include:
- Digital Influence – how simple digital actions can have a significant impact on bricks and mortar retailers
- Changes in the future of payments, and
- The rising problem of retail crime.
“This new initiative offers an ideal way to keep in touch with other health store retailers and experts who understand the challenges involved in running a successful independent store,” says Carol Dunning, NPE’s event director. “It’s a great way to network and find out first-hand what other retailers are doing – what works and what doesn’t, what can work and what can’t.”
Gary Trickett, NAHS chairman, adds: “The NAHS is delighted to be working with bira and Natural & Organic Products Europe to host this important new annual networking event as part of our ongoing three-year plan designed to increase standards, education and communication for independent retailers.”
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