A line-up of experts will deliver key insights into the hottest trends and topics currently driving the natural and organic food sector at this year’s Naturally Good Expo on 3 June at Sydney’s ICC.
The summit will cover the core areas of retail, consumer, sustainability and export strategy.
One of the anticipated speakers will be Grant Davidson, one of Australia’s leading strategic branding agencies, Davidson Branding. Mr Davidson will be covering the topic of ‘Roaring forties – New rules for marketing to millennials.’
“Currently millennials – those aged 26 to 41 – are dominating much of the purchasing in the natural food space, particularly as they enter into their forties. In Australia, millennials with a combined disposable income of around $530 million per year, now account for one in three purchases in the marketplace.”
Mr Davison says effective marketing of impactful messages is vital to producers getting an edge over competitors. “Millennials are the most health-conscious consumers in the food space, and are prioritising ethical, sustainable and healthy products. Producers need to convey a strong back story with transparent production practices, why the company exists and what benefits the product delivers health-wise.
“This needs to be covered across all areas such as packaging, social media and websites. In FMCG, In the average supermarket, there are 30,000 SKUs on display in a 30-minute shopping experience. So, there are 1000 SKUs a minute, which means packaging has to work really hard and be concise.
“There are lots of ways to reach millennials and being across all platforms is essential. Any producer who is not doing this will be overlooked and those who do will have a competitive advantage.
“However, the key is to continually review your strategy. As detailing health benefits for products is becoming more the norm in the category, you will increasingly have to look at introducing more points of difference.”
Naturally Good Product Manager Sinead Kavanagh says in previous years, business representatives attending the summit have said the information gleaned, and connections made on the day has been invaluable. “For some it’s helped transform their business. And often just being around fellow trailblazers and networking with fellow industry peers will inspire a marketing or creative burst.”
Other sessions of key interest include:
- The State of the market – What’s selling in Australia and why: Jarna McLean from IRI Asia Pacific
- Maintaining a competitive advantage at retail: Ranged Director and Power Ranger Jessica Maree Gordoun.
- Getting ranged at retail in 2022: HealthyLife General Manager Merchandise & Partnerships Martine Cooper.
- Million-dollar marketplaces – Growth beyond bricks & mortar: Scalzo Foods Innovation Sourcing Manager Ben Whyatt.
- Crowdfunding – Is it worth the effort?: Chief Nutrition co-founder and CEO Brock Hatton.
- Reconnecting Australia to the world – Sharpening your export strategy: Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre (FIAL) Managing Director Dr Mirjana Prica, Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL) General Manager Commercial Rod Arenas.
- Aligning to true north – Driving ROI with audience centric marketing: The 6AM Agency founder and CEO Gillian Fish.
To book a ticket at the early bird rate, visit the Naturally Good website here. Business Summit ticket holders will also gain free access to the exhibition held 6-7 June at the ICC Sydney. View the full program here.