Pitch perfect: Holland & Barrett back at Natural & Organic Products Europe 2018

Natural and organic brands looking to secure a listing with Holland & Barrett International will get another exclusive opportunity to pitch their latest innovations to the retailer’s senior buying team at Natural & Organic Products Europe trade show, which returns to London ExCeL on 22-23 April.

Holland & Barrett’s buyers – including Lucy Pottinger, head of category for ethical beauty and aromatherapy, Lisa Sinclair, head of category for VMS, and Nick Janda, head of trade plan – will have plenty of new innovations to choose from for 2018. Over 700 exhibiting companies are now confirmed for this year’s event. And each has the chance to enter their new natural and organic food, drink, health, beauty and natural living products into the Innovation Pitch Live contest.

Competing exhibitors (those shortlisted before the show) will only have five minutes to impress the H&B judges when they take their turn to ‘pitch’ on the Natural Products Talk Theatre stage (Monday 23 April). They’ll also have to win over an audience full of visiting buyers and retailers in the process, as their votes may help swing the judges’ decision.

New start-up Turmerlicious was among the six exhibitors vying for a (potential) listing with Holland & Barrett last year. Within months, their products joined the retailer’s range of over 8,000 SKUs.

“As a business that is known for bringing innovative health products to the high street, we were delighted to get the opportunity for another live pitch session at this year's Natural & Organic Products Europe. Several brands we've met at the show in this way have gone onto have successful ranges in more than 750 stores across the UK and Ireland, and this year we are hoping to find more original and brilliant creations this industry has become known for,” says Pottinger.

“As a show, we’ve been supporting new start-ups in the health and wellbeing sector for over twenty years. We’re delighted to be working closely with Holland & Barrett, once again, to offer our exhibitors an exclusive opportunity to fast track their way to meet their buyers and – potentially – win a listing,” says Natural & Organic Products Europe’s event director Carol Dunning.

“It was standing room only in the theatre last year – and our visitors got to see some amazing presentations of the latest new products. If anything, this year’s competition is going to be even more intense – as more exhibitors are preparing to take part,” she says.

The Innovation Pitch Live is open to all companies currently booked to exhibit at Natural & Organic Products Europe 2018 (across all feature areas: The Natural Food Show, Natural Health, Natural Living, and Natural Beauty & Spa Show). To enter (and check terms and conditions), please visit www.naturalproducts.co.uk/holland-barrett-pitch-buyer.

Of course, Holland & Barrett buyers aren’t the only retailers looking to secure deals at the London show. Over 11,000 attendees are expected. Among them will be big name representatives from Boots, Waitrose, Ocado, Whole Foods Market, Planet Organic, Suma, Revital, John Lewis, Debenhams, Superdrug, Lloyds Pharmacy, TK Maxx, Aldi, Fortnum & Mason, and more.

Register for a free trade pass

Natural & Organic Products Europe – Europe’s biggest natural and organic trade event – returns to London ExCeL on 22-23 April. To register for a free advance trade ticket, please visit www.naturalproducts.co.uk (direct link: https://eventdata.uk/Visitor/NOPE2018.aspx?TrackingCode=PR1).

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Media enquiries & press pass requests to:

Please apply for press accreditation here: https://eventdata.uk/Press/NOPE2018.aspx
Emma-Louise Jones, Head of PR
t: +44 (0)1273 645134
e: ejones@divcom.co.uk
Website: www.divcom.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DiversifiedUK

Vicky Holman, Group Marketing Manage
t: +44 (0)1273 645117
e: vholman@divcom.co.uk
Website: www.naturalproducts.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/NatProductsShow
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Natural–Organic–Products–Europe/100622126677939

Exhibitor enquiries to:

Carol Dunning, Event Director
t: +44 (0)1273 645125
e: cdunning@divcom.co.uk