Eco Living Scandinavia (ELS) and the Nordic Organic Food Fair (NOFF) returned to MalmöMässan last week to celebrate the co-located shows’ tenth anniversary.
ELS and NOFF marked their tenth editions by welcoming 3,858 visitors over the two days – an increase of 5% from 2021.
Dedicated to showcasing and celebrating the latest innovation in organic food and drink and sustainable beauty, health and eco living products, the events offered the chance for retail buyers to sample products, network with new and existing contacts, learn and share ideas, strike business deals and engage with a seminar programme which featured over 60 speakers.
At NOFF, Poland was crowned ‘Country of the Year’ for its commitment to organic practices, and Polish Ambassador to Sweden, Joanna Hofman, was welcomed for a ribbon cutting ceremony as the show opened on day one.
A new look and layout for the co-located shows included three revamped sub-areas, refreshed branding, a new beauty influencer event and the biggest hosted buyer programme to date. The hall was also home to the Innovation Awards, in which accolades were handed out for outstanding NPD from the past 12 months; the first ever ‘EgenVårdDistribution: LIVE Pitch to the Buyer’ session; and the Who’s Who in Green Beauty Scandinavia, which recognized the work of committed personalities within the sustainable beauty space.
I love the buzz, the inspiration and the innovation
Organizer Diversified Communications reports that, as a result of both shows’ evolution, it recorded a 20% increase in buyers who have a purchasing power of more than €5,000,000.
Melina Viking, event director, comments: “This year’s event has reflected the true resilience of the organic and sustainable sectors. With the cost of living going up, the importance of creating a sustainable future for coming generations is stronger than ever before. Sustainable circular communities are central to this, and our exhibitors and visitors have proven to us yet again that this is the future of business! Reaching ambitious targets to become carbon neutral, produce more organic food and becoming healthier nations should be everyone’s top priority. The Nordic Organic Food Fair and Eco Living Scandinavia are the essential trade events to help the industry reach these targets. See you next year!”
Visitors included senior representatives from many leading Scandinavian retailers and organizations, including Mats Nilsson, managing director of Svensk Egenvård, who calls ELS ‘the show for the industry’. “It’s the perfect event in the Nordic region to find the newest products for my business. I love the buzz, the inspiration and the innovation across the show floor, plus I learn so much from the speakers in the seminar sessions.”
It is a vital show for us
Antonis Sioulis, managing partner for RECO EXPORTS, says the combined events are ‘great for the industry’ and a ‘fantastic opportunity’ for exporters and brokers from Greece, while Catherine Rose-Bloom, senior product developer at Holland & Barrett International, praises the ‘wildly inspiring event’ for its ‘mind-blowing innovation’ and says the retail giant will continue to visit in future.
Attending NOFF was David Morrin, commercial director of Wholefoods Ireland, who comments that the unique attraction of the food fair was the opportunity to ‘find products off the beaten track – outside of the UK and Ireland’.
“We have struck up some good business deals. I also come to explore the latest trends; coming in November helps me get ahead of the coming year. It is a vital show for us, as more people are demanding sustainable products in the Irish market. So, coming to an event like this allows me to bring back diverse and innovative products to my retail base.”
NOFF returns to MalmöMässan on 15-16 November 2023. For more information visit www.nordicorganicexpo.com.
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