Last week, the Naturally Good Expo wrapped up and declared the most successful show since the start of the pandemic.
The annual two-day B2B expo held on 6-7 June at the International Convention Centre in Sydney – the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere – showcased over 200 exhibitors from around the nation in food, beverages, beauty, health and homewares, as well as more than 30 influential business speakers.
Naturally Good product manager, Sinead Kavanaugh, said the expo’s seventh year had exceeded all expectations.
“Given the challenges of the last few years, it’s been amazing to see all the industry support for businesses in the natural health space. We had incredible retailers attend this year’s expo and the feedback and interest from them has been phenomenal,” she said.
“This year’s theme was The Natural Step Ahead: Your Platform for Organic Growth, and we feel the expo lived up to that by helping and inspiring many exhibitors on their business journey. Exhibitors were constantly busy in meetings and made fantastic contacts.”
This year, some of the most unique Australian products in the food and beverage industry were front and centre including gut immunity boosting foods and functional beverages.
Platinum partners included Global by Nature; Oborne Health Supplies; and Unique health products; as well as industry partners such as FIAL, Australian Made, ANTA, Australian Organic Limited, and Complementary Medicines Australia.
As always, the annual Pitch Fest competition was fiercely competitive with innovative businesses including Good Edi; Pacific Harvest; San Elk; Compassion Cremery; and Teffkers – The Bakery Lab pitching to a range of experts and trade buyers. Compassion Cremery were crowned the winners for their unique Oat Crème Cheese product.
This year’s speaker sessions at both the expo and Business Summit on 3 June were packed with Australia’s most knowledgeable leaders providing expert insights. Popular topics included The Future of Healthy Food; Retailer Partnerships – Working Together For Success; The Future of Beauty; and Decoding Gen Z. Summit topics covered the areas of retail, consumer, sustainability and export strategy.
New this year was the first-ever Naturally Good Awards recognising the products and brands moving and shaking the industry. Award winners included Beter Confectionary for Best Food Product, Angove Naturalis Organic for Best Beverage Product, and Ethique for Best Beauty & Cosmetics Product.
Also generating interest was Australian Organic Alley, a dedicated area on the show floor showcasing certified Australian Organic members, and the Australian Made Pavilion.
Kavanagh said the expo continues to grow each year with the number of trade visitors and sheer volume of brands exhibiting.
“There is currently such high market demand in the natural products space, with the market predicted to grow even further over the next five years. We are thrilled at the great feedback from exhibitors, visitors and partners all round. We look forward to planning next year,” she said.
The Naturally Good Expo will return to Sydney next June at the ICC.