Natural Food Expo has unveiled its best-ever speaker programme for its highly anticipated event.
Co-located with Natural & Organic Products Expo, the pioneering show is known as the leading platform for showcasing trends and innovations in the natural and organic products industry.
This year’s speaker programme promises to inspire, educate, and empower category buyers from across a range of retailers.
Headliners confirmed include: Retail expert and TV personality, Mary Portas OBE; Founder of Planet Organic Renée Elliott; and Award-winning entrepreneur and best-selling author Daniel Priestley (sponsored by Viridian).
As well as these exciting sessions, attendees can join a talk with Mike Barry, Former Director of Sustainable Business at Marks & Spencer.
Mike will delve into what it looks like to build a sustainable food system for the future.
Big-name retailers like Holland & Barrett and Waitrose will also take to the stage.
In a presentation entitled 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.
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, the targets and motivations that they work to, as well as the pressures and constraints.
Oliver will also provide insight as to why, and how brands can make a real impact in Waitrose.
The Net Zero and Beyond Panel is another important session for supermarket professionals who have crucial net-zero targets to achieve.
The panel, featuring Soil Association, Abel & Cole, Compassion in World Farming, and Organico Realfoods, will delve into the role food systems have and will answer the question – with the triple-barrelled nature-climate-health crisis unfolding, should we be thinking beyond carbon?
For more information and to view the full seminar schedule, visit www.naturalproducts.co.uk.
Natural Food Expo will take place on 14-15 April at ExCeL London. Book your free trade ticket here.
This article was written in partnership with Natural & Organic Products Expo.
