Natural Products Scandinavia reports 57% increase in attendance!

Natural Products Scandinavia – the Nordic region’s only dedicated trade show for the natural health, nutrition, beauty, and self care market, has reported a significant 57% increase in attendance for its second year.  The event, which took place on 20-21 October in Malmö, Sweden, was co-located with the newly launched Nordic Organic Food Fair.  The combined events featured 290 exhibitors and attracted a record 3,158 attendees from 34 different countries.

When it comes to buying organic, and understanding the importance of natural, sustainable lifestyles, Nordic consumers have been driving market growth for years.  This was certainly reflected at this year’s event, which saw an increase in visitors (including key buyers and managers from leading health stores, pharmacy chains, wholesalers and distributers) from across the Nordic region (86% of total visitors compared to 73% in 2012); whilst the number of buyers and retailers from both Sweden and Denmark almost doubled for 2013.

With both visitors and exhibitors hailing the show has a great success, the award-winning Natural Products Scandinavia (which was named Best International Launch at the UK’s Exhibition News Awards earlier this year), has now rightly confirmed its place as an essential date on the international trade show calendar.

“We are absolutely delighted with the turnout of both visitors and exhibitors to the event,” says Sam Sloan, marketing director at Diversified Business Communications UK, the organiser of Natural Products Scandinavia.  “We always knew that there was a real need within the natural and organic industry for an event like this in Scandinavia but the way it has been so positively received this year has been beyond even our greatest expectations.  Thanks to continued support from across the industry, and some great new media and association partnerships this year, we now have a fantastic foundation from which to continuing building and developing the show for 2014.”

It wasn’t just the exhibition floor that was buzzing at Natural Products Scandinavia.  Aside from the wealth of products on display, attendees benefited from an opportunity to be kept up-to-date with all the latest research and developments by leading industry speakers in the show’s Natural Products Scandinavia Keynote Theatre.   Notable highlights included sessions by Life Europe’s managing director Lars Fins and Heta Pasi from Euromonitor; plus a panel debate addressing the strategic challenges facing the industry.  A post-show report on the topics covered in these sessions will be available on the show’s website (www.naturalproductsscandinavia.com) soon.

New Product Showcase

This year, the show’s New Product Showcase was a hive of activity – and for the first port of call for many visiting buyers.  Featuring over 70 entries for 2013, showcase visitors cast almost 700 votes for their favourites on Sunday 21 October.

This year’s winning products included:

• Best New Health & Nutrition Product: Biosym A/S – Omnimin Pure
• Best New Health Food & Drink Product: Little Big Shot – Little Big Shot- Healthy Energy
• Best New Natural Beauty Product: Börlind Natural Beauty/Nature Treats AB – Rose Blossom Vitalizer
• Best New Natural Living Product: Biofood –Sköljmedel Apelsinblom & Kamomill
• Best New Organic Drink/Beverage: Clearspring Ltd – Japanese Organic Ceremonial Matcha
• Best Organic Food Producer: BMS srl – MAIA ORGANIC
• Best New Organic Food Product: Biobandits – Delirious Dill Mustard
• Best New Organic Special Diet Food: Biovita – Purasana Super Food

The feedback received so far from exhibitors, visitors and the show’s seminar speakers have been overwhelmingly positive.

"We're really pleased, as it has been a really good show and we've had a very busy stand.  We'll be back in 2014," says Maja Sandberg from Swedish exhibitor Life Butiksdrift Sverige AB

"It's a fantastic venue to meet with people who work in the industry and want to find out products from Scandinavia,” agrees Martin Groth, area manager Sweden from Bio-Sym A/S.  “By the end of day one we already had some great key contacts."

“We had a really great reaction to the brands, and especially our new lines,” says Keith Garden, managing director of Only Natural (Higher Living and Dr Stuarts).  “We picked up two new distributors on the showfloor, which will help us continue the strong growth we’re seeing in the Scandinavian market.”

“Of all the shows we’ve done, the reaction here has been the best,” says David Sherman, international business development director at Little Big Shot – Health Energy Drink.  “It’s a very well educated audience in Scandinavia.  People instantly understand the product and that makes doing business really easy.”

“The whole event was an extremely positive experience for NATRUE, including the seamless organization.  Scandinavia is the perfect setting for all things natural and organic – and we made some excellent new contacts during our stay,” concludes Julie Tyrrell, the organisation’s director PA.

The full Natural Products Scandinavia exhibitor list is still available to search and view online at https://onlineexhibitormanual.com/divNPS13/exhifa/exhibitorList.aspx.

Natural Products Scandinavia and the Nordic Organic Food Fair will return to Malmö, Sweden, on 26-27 October 2014.  For more information, and to stay up-to-date with all the latest news and exhibitor information, please visit www.naturalproductsscandinavia.com.

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