Organic trade conference 2026: Green light for growth
Join Soil Association Certification for our annual organic trade conference on 15 October 2026 at the Barbican Centre, London
Event Details
Thursday 15 October
From £49.80 (inc. VAT)
The Barbican Centre, Silk St, London, EC2Y 8DS
Conference
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Now’s the time to turn momentum into market growth
Organic is entering a new era of opportunity. The UK market has doubled over the past decade, now worth £3.9 billion, and in 2025 organic food and drink unit growth outperformed non‑organic by 400% in supermarkets. Consumer interest continues to rise, with 83% of households buying organic, motivated by health, reduced pesticide use and animal welfare. Meanwhile retailers are giving organic more space and strategic attention.
Policy momentum is accelerating too. Scotland launched the UK’s first funded Organic Action Plan earlier this year, and Defra has confirmed that England’s plan is imminent. Businesses, governments and consumers are increasingly recognising organic as a “Swiss army knife” solution to the climate, nature and health crises.
Join Soil Association Certification’s organic trade conference as we bring together 200+ leaders from across the organic sector to explore how we collectively turn this momentum into sustained growth. We’ll share the latest consumer insights, policy developments, retail perspectives and international learnings, and discuss how we can strengthen demand, expand availability and support resilient domestic supply.
This is the key annual gathering for brands, retailers and producers shaping the future of organic.
This year's event is taking place at the iconic Barbican Centre, making it one of the last chances to experience the stunning Barbican Conservatory before it closes to the public in January for major renovations.
Sustainability is a key consideration in how we run our events, and we're pleased to be working with OLIO and the Barbican this year to ensure any surplus food is redistributed to local communities.
A nominal ticket fee applies to support running costs, ensure strong attendance and help us make the event more environmentally sustainable. Our certified clients receive a 70% discount compared with non-client ticket prices.
Tickets sold out last year – book early to secure your place.
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Agenda
Agenda summary
10.30: Arrival, networking and refreshments
11.10: Welcome and intro
11.20: Setting the Scene: A green light for growth
12.00: The state of organic in retail
12.15: From niche to mainstream: The future of organic in supermarkets
13.00: Lunchbreak
14.00: Breakouts
Breakout 1: Nailing your buyer pitch
Breakout 2: Making organic newsworthy
Breakout 3: Growing organic beyond the UK
15:05: From policy to progress: What happens next for organic?
15.50: Key learnings from the day
16.00: Drinks at the Martini Bar
Morning session
10.30: Arrival, networking and refreshments
With organic, tea, coffee and biscuits.
11.10: Welcome and introductions
With Lee Holdstock, Head of Regulatory and Trade Affairs, Soil Association Certification.
11.20am: Setting the scene: A green light for growth
After well over a decade of market growth, organic finds itself at a pivotal moment. Consumer demand is growing, retailer interest is strengthening, and across the UK there is increasing recognition of the role organic can play in delivering climate, nature and health outcomes.
In this opening address, Soil Association Certification Commercial and Marketing Director Alex Cullen will reflect on the progress made by the sector in recent years, outline the industry's priorities for future growth, and share how the wider work of the Soil Association is helping turn momentum into market success.
With the launch of a new English Organic Action Plan, the question is no longer whether organic has an opportunity, but how quickly the sector can seize it.
Led by:
Alex Cullen, Commercial and Marketing Director, Soil Association Certification
12:00: The state of organic in retail
Drawing on the latest data, Head of Retailer and Business Insight at NielsenIQ, Mike Watkins, will provide an essential overview of organic performance across UK retail, exploring changing shopper behaviours, category trends, retailer activity and the wider forces shaping the market.
From the rise of online and evolving consumer priorities to emerging opportunities around health and wellbeing, this session will set the evidence base for the conversations that follow and highlight where the next phase of organic growth could come from.
Led by:
Mike Watkins, Head of retailer and business insight, NielsenIQ
12.15: From niche to mainstream: The future of organic in supermarkets
With supermarkets accounting for almost 70% of UK organic sales, retail will play a critical role in the sector's future growth. Organic sales in supermarkets grew by 7% in 2025 to reach £2.6 billion, with retailers investing in their own-label ranges and online continuing to outperform, accounting for a quarter of all organic sales.
Yet organic still represents just 1.6% of total food and drink sales, highlighting the significant opportunity that remains. This panel will explore how retailers can unlock further growth, how organic fits within wider health and sustainability strategies, and how brands can stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace. We'll also discuss the evolving role of online retail, changing shopper behaviours, and what retailers and suppliers can do together to grow the category.
Featuring leading retailers and organic brands, the discussion will share perspectives on the opportunities, challenges and innovations shaping the next phase of organic growth.
Panellists:
Susan Thomas, Commercial Sustainability Consultant
Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight, NielsenIQ
Simon Hinks, Product Director, Ocado Retail
Chair:
Alex Cullen, Commercial and Marketing Director, Soil Association Certification
Afternoon session
13.00: Lunch
Served with organic tea and coffee.
14.00: Breakouts
Breakout 1: Nailing your buyer pitch
What makes a buyer say 'yes'? In this practical, interactive workshop, food industry commercial expert Susan Thomas will help businesses refine how they present the value of organic to buyers. We'll explore how to move beyond features and certifications to communicate the benefits that matter most to buyers, from availability and price to category growth, stakeholder scrutiny and supply chain resilience. Attendees will leave with a buyer-first way of thinking about their proposition and messaging, ready for use in their next buyer meeting.
Led by:
Susan Thomas, Commercial sustainability consultant, Snowstorm Consulting
Breakout 2: Making organic newsworthy
As consumer interest in health, sustainability and food transparency grows, organic brands are uniquely positioned to be part of the stories shaping today's news agenda. This interactive session will explore how to turn your organic story into compelling PR opportunities, from tapping into emerging consumer trends and seasonal moments to collaborating with other brands and sector campaigns. Through practical examples and group discussion, you’ll leave with fresh ideas for making organic work harder for your brand.
Led by:
Liz Williams, PR, brand communications and social media consultant
Niamh Noone, Head of Marketing, Soil Association Certification
Breakout 3: Growing organic beyond the UK
Growing domestic demand is vital, but if the UK is to realise the full potential of organic, export markets must be part of the conversation. This panel will explore how countries such as Ireland have successfully used export growth to strengthen their organic sectors, and what lessons the UK can learn as new Organic Action Plans begin to take shape. Bringing together experts from trade, policy and business, we'll discuss market opportunities, barriers to growth, and how a stronger export focus could help build resilient supply chains, support farm businesses and drive long-term sector growth.
Led by:
Conor O’Sullivan, UK Market Manager, Bord Bia (Irish Food Board)
Lee Holdstock, Head of Regulatory and Trade Affairs, Soil Association Certification
15.05: From policy to progress: What happens next for organic?
The launch of an English Organic Action Plan marks the biggest shift in organic policy for more than a decade. But what will it actually change? Bringing together leaders from across the sector, this discussion will explore the opportunities the plan creates for businesses and farmers, where the barriers to growth remain, and what industry needs to do next to ensure the plan delivers lasting impact. From market development and supply chains to farm livelihoods and consumer demand, we'll examine how the sector can turn policy momentum into tangible growth.
Panellists include:
Helen Browning, Organic farmer and Chief Executive of Soil Association
Chair:
Alex Cullen, Commercial and Marketing Director, Soil Association Certification
15.50: Key learnings from the day
With Dominic Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Soil Association Certification.
16.00: Drinks in the Martini bar
Carry on the conversation at The Barbican's Martini bar, where you can have a drink on us.
Speakers
Simon Hinks
Product Director, Ocado Retail
With a lifelong passion for food – from studying Food Technology at university to working with farming and food operations across the globe – Simon has built a career around developing robust, efficient, and sustainable food supply chains. At Ocado, Simon has been part of a team that has seen organic overtrade significantly relative to the size of the business, reflecting how online retail can play an outsized role in bringing organic to a wider audience.
Susan Thomas
Commercial sustainability consultant, Snowstorm Consulting
Susan helps food businesses build and deliver commercially viable sustainability strategies. She works with retailers and their suppliers, often alongside their NGO, trade body or professional services partners, leveraging her sales background to drive sustainability into core commercial practice. Susan was formerly the Senior Director of Sustainability at Asda, and a Senior Director on the PepsiCo UK sales leadership team.
Liz Williams
PR, brand communications and social media consultant
After working at several PR agencies, Liz moved in‑house to M&S where she was Head of Food, Drink, PR and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for 11 years. She now supports a range of clients to develop their business through effective communications and generating stand‑out press coverage across national and specialist titles, including most recently on organic consumer PR for Soil Association Certification. Liz's experience across food, drink, hospitality, lifestyle and CSR spans 20 years.
Helen Browning OBE
Chief Executive of Soil Association, Soil Association Certification Director and Soil Association Exchange Director
Helen is Chief Executive of Soil Association, and farms with her daughter under the Helen Browning’s Organic brand. She has worked in food and farming policy, including the Government’s Policy Commission on the Future of Farming, the England Animal Health and Welfare Implementation Group and the Food Ethics Council. She is a trustee of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission and the National Trust. She has an OBE for services to organic farming.
Conor O'Sullivan
UK Market Manager, Bord Bia (Irish Food Board)
Responsible for supporting the growth of Irish food and drink in the UK, Conor works closely with customers and industry stakeholders across the UK food system to strengthen market opportunities for Irish suppliers. A key focus of his work is Origin Green, Ireland's national food and drink sustainability programme. Origin Green brings together farmers, industry and government to drive measurable sustainability improvements while supporting the sector's long term resilience and competitiveness.
Alex Cullen
Commercial and Marketing Director, Soil Association Certification
Alex leads the commercial and marketing functions at Soil Association Certification, supporting organic farmers, growers and brands, making the case for organic, and engaging the public with the benefits the sector has to offer. Alex has a wealth of marketing and behaviour change experience across leading brands and causes in Fast‑Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), retail and the NHS.
Niamh Noone
Head of Marketing, Soil Association Certification
Over the past eight years Niamh has supported organic sector growth by leading dynamic marketing campaigns like Organic September, fostering sector collaboration and developing messaging around the benefits of organic food and farming. Working closely with the Soil Association charity, Niamh has also helped develop impactful statements based on peer‑reviewed research, and navigated the complex regulatory space around making environmental and health claims about organic.
Dominic Robinson
Chief Executive of Soil Association Certification and Soil Association Certification Director
Dominic brings extensive experience from environmental organisations and worked closely with Soil Association Certification, as a member of its Scrutiny Committee, before becoming CEO in 2022. His career spans senior roles at Severn Trent Water and Forestry England, leading large‑scale land and certification programmes. Having an interest in the environment from a young age, he studied Geography at Cambridge University and went on to study Environmental Technology at Imperial College London.
Louisa Pratt
Operations Director, G's Fresh
Louisa is Operations Director for G's Fresh in Spain. Responsible for all things customs and Brexit‑related, she also co‑leads on third‑party logistics and customs solutions for UK retailers. Louisa steers G's engagement with the UK Government on policy change, regularly feeding into SPS agreement conversations. Before joining as Brexit Project Manager in 2019, she organised international mining conferences worldwide and was involved in establishing the Instituto del Futuro in Lima, Peru.
Lee Holdstock
Head of Regulatory and Trade Affairs, Soil Association Certification
Benefiting from over 27 years of experience in food and textiles, Lee is a trusted expert in sustainability, responsible business, and organic trade who manages a range of trade and regulatory projects for Soil Association Certification. By helping hundreds of businesses build capability in marketing, communications and supply chain, and navigate the changing regulatory landscape, Lee is part of a team that actively supports the growth of an organic market now worth over £3.9 billion a year.
