Holland & Barrett to host live pitching session at Natural Products Scandinavia 2018

Holland & Barrett, one of the largest health and wellness retailers in Europe, is to host their first exclusive live pitching session inMalmö Sweden, at this year’s Natural Products Scandinavia and the Nordic Organic Food Fair trade shows (14-15 November).

The ‘live innovation pitch’ with Holland & Barrett is a popular initiative which annually takes place in London at Natural & Organic Products Europe. And due to its ongoing success, the same format is now open to companies currently booked to exhibit at Natural Products Scandinavia and the Nordic Organic Food Fair – the Nordic region’s biggest trade shows for natural and organic. The shortlist of companies will be decided (from a list of nominations) by Holland & Barrett Sweden before the show.

Taking placeon Thursday 15 November, in the Natural Theatre at MalmöMässan, Sweden, competing exhibitors will be invited to ‘pitch’ their new products or product innovations to Holland & Barrett Sweden’s senior buying team, including CEO Rikard Furusten and Sunniva Åhlstad, category manager. They’ll also have to win over a theatre audience full of visiting buyers and retailers in the process, as their votes may help swing the judges’ decision.

“I’m looking forward to finding and exploring new, innovative and interesting products that can help people to easily choose a healthier lifestyle; preferably products that are unique in our field,” says category manager Sunniva Åhlstad. “Natural Products Scandinavia is a great place to explore trends, meet colleagues in the business and create beneficial networks for Holland & Barrett,” she says.

Holland & Barrett have 1368 stores in 16 different countries around the world. Its rapid international expansion has been achieved through a combination of franchising and merging of stores, which included the acquisition of Hälsa för alla, in 2017, a Swedish specialist natural health and wellbeing retailer with 12 outlets across Stockholm. With 18 stores now in Sweden, Holland & Barrett is continuing to grow its prominence in the Nordic region, along with the hundreds of innovative natural and organic health and wellness brands within it.

“This exciting new initiative provides the perfect chance for ‘up and coming’ brands to potentially secure a life-changing partnership with a leading retailer. We are looking forward to seeing the innovation across the stage and all our wonderful exhibitors should start nominating themselves now, as it’s an opportunity not to be missed!” says Fiona Allen, the show’s portfolio director.

Of course, Holland & Barrett buyers aren’t the only retailers looking to secure deals at the Malmö show. Over 5000 attendees are expected. Among them will be big name representatives from Life, ICA Sverige, Coop Danmark, Coop Sverige, Åhléns, Magasin du Nord, Helsam A/S, Matas, Sunkost Kjede AS, Ruohonjuuri OY, and many more.

Register for a free trade pass

Natural Products Scandinavia and the Nordic Organic Food Fair will return to Malmö, Sweden, on Wednesday and Thursday 14-15 November. For more information and to register for a free trade ticket, please visit www.naturalproductsscandinavia.com or www.nordicorganicfoodfair.com (direct link: www.eventdata.co.uk/Forms/Default.aspx?FormRef=NPSB8Visitor&TrackingCode=NPUK429).

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Media enquiries & press pass requests to:

Please apply for press accreditation here: www.eventdata.co.uk/Forms/Default.aspx?FormRef=NPSB8Press
Sharna Waid, PR Manager
t: +44 (0)1273 645144
e: swaid@divcom.co.uk
Website: www.divcom.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DiversifiedUK

Exhibitor enquiries to:

Fiona Allen, Portfolio Director
t: +44 (0)1273 645124
e: fallen@divcom.co.uk
Website: www.naturalproductsscandinavia.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/NPScandinavia
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NaturalProductsScandinavia
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups/4499812

Scandinavia office:

Lars Larsson, Nordic Manager
Nordenskiöldsgatan 13, S - 211 19 Malmö, Sweden
t: +46 702 661170
e: llarsson@divcom.co.uk