Natural & Organic Products Expo reveals speaker line-up

Natural & Organic Products Expo (NOPEX) has announced this year’s seminar programme for when it returns to ExCeL London on 14-15 April. With over 50 industry experts confirmed, including senior professionals from Waitrose, Holland & Barrett, Planet Organic, Marks & Spencer, Abel & Cole, ScoreApp, Soil Association, and IFOAM Organics, the show organisers have stated that it is their “best ever” speaker line-up.

All talks at the show are free to attend and will cover topics like Net Zero, inclusivity, sustainable retail, organic farming, vegan shopping, global product trends, and more – offering buyers and industry professionals an insight into the fast-moving trends within natural, organic and sustainable food and health.

Unmissable headliners
Retail expert, broadcaster and author Mary Portas will headline the show, as well as Planet Organic’s founder Renée Elliott. Co-founder of ScoreApp and best-selling author, Daniel Priestley has also been confirmed.

Sponsored by Viridian Nutrition, Daniel Priestley will advise how indie retailers can use their skills and experience to create a loyal and committed following in a community. By spotlighting issues that mean something to a target audience, this talk will help attendees become a key person of influence (14 April, 1pm).

Big name retailers
Leading retailers like Holland & Barrett and Waitrose will also take to the stage.  Titled ‘How to Keep a 150-Year-Old Business Alive,’ Rachel Chatterton, Head of Food and Beverage Development at Holland & Barrett, will explore the challenges on the UK high street and will share insights into how H&B approach food development, the criteria for working with new suppliers and where they plan to take their food range in the future (15 April, 2:15pm).

Oliver Chadwyck-Healey, Branded Innovation Manager at Waitrose & Partners will give a brief insight into the way buyers and the Branded Innovation team at Waitrose work – in his session titled ‘What makes Waitrose, Waitrose’. He’ll talk about the retailer’s targets and motivations that they work to, as well as the pressures and constraints (15 April, 11:15am).

Attendees should also attend a session with Mike Barry, Former Director of Sustainable Business at Marks & Spencer. Mike Barry will delve into what it looks like to build a sustainable food system for the future. He’ll also look at trends that bigger businesses are already adopting and what else can be done to see change at the rate that we need it (14 April, 2:30pm).

Panels on timely topics
As well as keynotes, attendees can look forward to engaging with some of the industry’s most influential names and discussing cutting-edge topics in a range of panel sessions. With Net Zero targets to think about, Lee Holdstock (Soil Association Certification); Charles Redfern (Organico Realfoods); Ed Ayton (Abel & Cole), and Matthew Unerman (Compassion in World Farming) will be on an important panel titled Net Zero and Beyond (14 April, 4pm).

European organic advocates, IFOAM will host a panel on the organic market. Hear from organic experts Soil Association Certification the highlights of the 2024 Organic Market Report and join leading voices from the organic movement in Europe to hear how they are supporting the organic sector and the industry wide vision making organic accessible and affordable for all (15 April, 3pm).

Joanna Wierzbicka, Deputy Director of IFOAM Organics Europe: “IFOAM Organics Europe is pleased to cooperate with Natural and Organic Products Expo. Our partnership combines knowledge and passion to promote the growth of the organic sector in the UK, and beyond. I am looking forward to the session, where we will be delving into European market data and engaging in discussion on challenges and opportunities of the organic industry growth in the UK. IFOAM Organics Europe proudly joins the event, committed to strengthening our organic community.”

Lastly, visitors can join an exciting panel titled ‘Breaking Barriers: Empowering Black Founders in Retail’ to hear the challenges and opportunities that three business leaders have faced and their top tips for success (15 April, 4pm).

For more information and to view the full schedule, visit www.naturalproducts.co.uk/seminars-main-stage.