Naturally Good has wrapped for 2023 showcasing more than 270 exhibitors from around the nation in diverse areas of food, beverages, beauty, health, socially conscious products, homewares and more.
A multitude of influential buyers and retailers attended the June 5-6 B2B event – the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere – at Sydney’s International Convention Centre.
Product manager for Naturally Good, Sinead Kavanaugh, said the expo, now in its eighth year, once again was a great success.
“This year’s theme was The Natural Way to Retail and we are thrilled that so many brands made those all-important connections in order to get their products onto shelves,” she said.
This year’s partners included Global By Nature; Oborne Health Supplies: Unique Health Products; Dirty Clean Food; Imuni; Wiise; and Payoneer. Support from industry was strong with FIAL; Australian Made; Australian Natural Therapies Association; Australian Organic; Complementary Medicines Australia; and Small Business Organisations Australia all participating.
As always, the annual Pitch Fest competition sponsored by Wiise was fiercely competitive featuring some of Australia’s most innovative brands pitching to a range of experts. Peter Francis of Eco.pup was named the winner with other nominees Sip Co, Max + Tom, Fierce Inner Strength, and Sensoriam all applauded for their passion and innovation.
Pitch Fest judge Christine Pitt, from Food Futures Company, said Francis of Eco.pup, which develops hygiene products for dogs including shampoos and conditioners in spray bottles, had been impressed with his compelling presentation.
“A clear problem was outlined regarding the skin problems dogs suffer and an innovative solution was presented in the product,” she explained. “We also saw that there would be traction in the brand and that investors would be interested.
“All of the nominees had strong stories to tell in terms of sustainability and were able to communicate impactfully with consumers. It was a really exciting line-up and a very close competition.”
This year’s presentations at both the Summit and Speaker Series were packed with Australia’s most knowledgeable leaders providing expert insights. Popular topics included How Healthy Do We Really Shop; Navigating Sustainability; State of the Market – What’s Selling in Australia and Why; and Winning Strategies For Today’s Health Market.
Also generating interest was the Conscious Consumption Zone highlighting products that demonstrate positive social, economic and environmental impact.
Ms Kavanagh said the expo continues to grow each year with the number of trade visitors and the sheer volume of brands exhibiting.
“There is such high demand currently for products 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.”