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, 27 March 2024 – The Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA) is set to host EVO NXT, the business festival for the next-generation products industry, for the second time on 5 and 6 April 2024. Specifically for the Spanish market, the event offers a top-class programme with well-known speakers, exciting panels and master classes focusing on the development of the Spanish NGP industry and, in particular, the retail trade.

And there's a good reason for this. Recent studies assume that the value-add in the Spanish tobacco market is set to grow by an average of 2.74% p.a. until 2028. A major part of this growth could be achieved through NGP products, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco heaters. These alternative goods are gaining in popularity and could boost growth in the tobacco market if manufacturers and retailers capitalise on the opportunities. Salvador Vera Acosta, Vice President of the Unión de Asociaciones de Estanqueros de Espana, and Pádraig Ó hAnnracháin, Head of Purchasing and Marketing at Logista Retail Espana, will be focussing on the latter in the “Future of Retail” session. In this presentation, they will focus in particular on the future of retail in the area of new products such as e‑cigarettes, tobacco heaters and snus. Among other things, the experts will discuss the challenges and strategies involved in launching these products on the market. They will also shed light on future collaboration between wholesalers and retailers in the face of changing consumer demand.

Philippe Coy, President of the Confédération des buralistes de France, will provide an example of successful transformation in tobacco retailing in his presentation entitled “Transformation movement in speciality retail using the best practice example of the French Tobacconists”. This will focus on the transformation of the retail trade, necessary certification, appealing presentation and responsible selling by recognised specialist retailers. Coy will show how a diversified product range and adaptations to societal changes such as increased health awareness can also produce success in Spain.

In her master class by Unión de Asociaciones de Estanqueros de Espana, Inés Cancio Pastor, retail designer for Oh La Vache Studio and owner of a tobacco shop, will talk about how this transformation can be put into practice: “Visual Merchandising or How to Expose NGP”. The expert will explain what needs to be done to optimise the sale of NGPs in practice, i.e. on site in tobacconist outlets. Ms Pastor will offer practical tips on the positioning of NGPs and how to stand out from the competition, as well as emphasising how important it has become to have NGPs in one's product range at all.



Note on taking part in the master classes: Due to the expected high level of interest and limited capacity, registration is required for the master classes. Interested parties are welcome to register via the EVO NXT trade show website.