A glance at the planned panels and master-classes addressing the event's key topics – innovation and the market – and its special focus on the mega-trends of cannabis and pouches underline the exclusive line-up of this programme.

Dortmund/Málaga, 21 March 2024 – This year, EVO NXT will once again be focusing squarely on the latest trends and challenges in the NGP industry. Right at its début event last year, the business festival in Málaga established itself as an innovative forum for the industry drawing an international audience of professionals thanks to its truly unique concept.

From 5 to 6 April 2024, the festival is again set to bring together leading international experts with exciting businesses and interested trade visitors. Surrounded by the Mediterranean flair of the Spanish city, the programme will offer a wealth of highlights that will include leading experts talking about the latest market developments and ground-breaking innovations.

In recent years, a key driver in the NGP market has been government regulation. New policies and new legislation are demanding constant adaptation – and are increasingly diversifying the markets in different countries. As a result, EVO NXT will also focus on regulatory developments and the resulting opportunities and risks. This year, special attention will be paid to cannabis and pouches.

Making sense of the rapid developments in cannabis and nicotine pouches

On the afternoon of Day 1, Lucas Pinto, consultant at Euromonitor International, will speak on policy-makers' decisions in Europe – especially in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands – and the opportunities they open up for the industry. The topic will then be discussed further in the panel discussion entitled 'Regulation of Cannabis in Europe – Update and Outlook, Risks and Opportunities' which will feature prominent legal experts. Also present will be Ricardo Geada from Lawrence Stephens, Portuguese specialist lawyer Ricardo Rocha from PLMJ and Fernando Martín, partner at LOYRA Abogados.

Jonas Lundqvist, CEO of the Nordic Nicotine Pouches Alliance (NNPA) and Robert Casinge, editor-in-chief of pouchforum.eu, will provide initial impetus on the subject of pouches. Immediately afterwards, Patrik Strömer, Secretary General of the Swedish Association of Snus Manufacturers, will talk on Sweden's recipe for success in this rapidly growing sector. A master-class entitled 'The EU Pouch Report – an analysis of the market for nicotine pouches' by Lundqvist and Casinge in the afternoon will provide a more in-depth introduction. In 60 minutes, they will provide a compact overview of the European market for nicotine pouches, current trends and regulatory challenges.

How sustainable products and agile techniques are shaping the industry

Thanks to the high level of innovation shown by businesses, NGPs have been able to increase their market share steadily in recent years. One aspect increasingly gaining traction is sustainability. Not just regulatory measures, but above all the increased environmental awareness of consumers are driving developments here. Accordingly, the programme is peppered with highlights relating to this trend.

On Friday morning, Raul Pop, representative of the Circular Economy Coalition Romania (CERC) platform and the environmental protection organisation ECOTECA, João Nitsch from the Landbell Group, a consultancy firm for sustainable waste disposal, Peter Beckett, EU Public Affairs expert and partner at Three Six OneLO, and Ao Weinuo, founder and Secretary General of the Electronic Cigarette Professional Committee at the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce (ECCC), will discuss the question of when it pays to be sustainable in a discussion panel entitled 'Sustainability & Recycling – the new blueprint for success'. On Saturday, Jose Becerril, Senior Consultant at Euromonitor International, will give a lunchtime outlook on how sustainable practices are set to change the tobacco industry during the next decade and beyond.

Delegates with a desire to discover more about technical innovations can also look forward to exciting features including the discussion panel on 'Tech Innovations in the NGP Industry' which will offer insights into current developments. In his master-class entitled 'Agile Innovation for NGP', Aron Byrne-Carter, Managing Director at NGP Trends, will explain how businesses can not just keep pace with the dynamic market environment, but also become pioneers through the use of agile techniques.

“The course for the future is being set in Málaga”

“We're delighted that once again our festival programme is brimming with highlights this time around, and that we've been able to attract a large number of top-class speakers who will be sharing their expertise on the premier topics currently driving the industry. This emphasises once again the importance of EVO NXT as a place where the NGP industry gets together. Once again, the course for the future is being set in Málaga this year,” emphasized Angelika Bauer from Messe Dortmund, organiser of EVO NXT.