Tradeshow Look Ahead: Gareth Baguley, Vitafoods Europe 2026

Gama spoke to Gareth Baguley, Brand Director, Informa Markets, ahead of the latest edition of Vitafoods Europe.

 

What are your overall expectations for the 2026 edition of Vitafoods?

There’s a real momentum growing across the nutraceutical sector right now, undeniably fuelled by rapid developments in scientific research, weight management solutions and technology. Our ambition is to harness that energy and turn it into powerful partnerships and real commercial impact.

As such, 2026 is the most ambitious edition of Vitafoods Europe to date. It will be our largest and most exciting year yet as we welcome around 30,000 visitors and 1,600 exhibitors from more than 135 countries. We’ve designed this year’s show to amplify every aspect of the experience; a new hall means more space to explore, more breakthrough innovations to discover, more high-quality content, and more opportunities to forge valuable community connections. Over three days, we’ll not only reflect on the incredible progress the industry has made in the last year, but also how we can actively shape what comes next.

 

Following the successful move to Barcelona, the show is expanding by 20% this year. How is this extra space being used, and what opportunities does this growth unlock for attendees?

A 22% increase in floor space doesn’t just mean more space for exhibition stands – although there will certainly be a greater breadth of exhibitors on show – it also means we can enhance the overall experience. For attendees, the additional hall enables a broader and more diverse range of suppliers, ingredients, finished products, and technologies to explore. For exhibitors, it means the opportunity to meet more potential customers.

The space has also allowed us to double our dedicated networking space, and in 2026, we’re introducing new features, like an additional VIP lounge and a Community Lounge for associations and industry groups. It also means we can create spaces that support wellbeing, giving people areas to rest and re-charge away from the busy show floor.

In all, this additional space unlocks greater opportunities for collaboration, discovery and connection, and the show’s growth ensures we’re evolving to meet the needs of a thriving, growing industry.

 

You’ve introduced new Innovation Award categories for weight management and nutricosmetics. What is driving the focus on these specific sectors for 2026?

The Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards were established to recognise the latest innovations in our industry. So, it makes sense that the awards evolve with the developments shaping the sector.

In the last 12 months, weight management and nutricosmetics have been two of the most dynamic and fast-evolving areas in the market. The rise of GLP-1 medications is shifting consumer expectations around metabolic health, with around 1.6 million adults in Great Britain and 13% of the U.S. population now using GLP-1 treatments. Nutricosmetics, meanwhile, is being fuelled by growing consumer understanding of the relationship between nutrition and skin health. 62% of people now believe diet directly impacts skin quality and this is driving interest in ingestible nutricosmetics like collagen, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant supplements. In response, the industry is rapidly innovating and adapting its approaches to these areas, and by recognising these sectors within the awards, we’re highlighting the developments driving these high-growth categories forward.

 

Beyond the major headlines, which specific niche categories or ingredients are you seeing gain the most traction among exhibitors this year?

What we’re seeing right now is a mix of fast-moving trends and continued momentum in categories that have shaped the market over recent years. Areas such as nutricosmetics and GLP-1 support solutions are the headline trends, emerging as clear fast movers and generating significant R&D and commercial interest. At the same time, established categories like gut health, immunity, cognitive wellbeing and healthy ageing remain steady climbers. Rather than slowing down, these are evolving through new science, formats and ingredient combinations, and we expect to see lots of solutions in these areas on the show floor.

In particular, gut health continues to expand beyond just probiotics into next-generation biotics, synbiotics and other microbiome-targeted formulations. We expect to see deeper conversations around clinical validation and regulatory substantiation, as well as innovation in delivery systems that improve efficacy and enjoyment. Similarly, as the concept of “healthspan” gains traction, life stage nutrition continues to be a big focus. Brands are moving towards more precise, needs-based solutions, including women’s health and healthy ageing, to condition-specific support. This is closely linked to demand for multifunctional ingredients, like omega-3s, which offer clinically backed support for heart, brain and metabolic health across our lifespan.

Thanks to an expanded show floor, there will be even more variety on show this year. Exhibitors will be sharing breakthrough innovations in novel areas, as well as in established categories. In addition, features such as the New Ingredients Zone and New Products Zone will offer a curated snapshot of what’s driving growth in nutraceutical product development.

 

With increasing pressure on supply chain transparency, how are the show’s content programmes addressing sustainability and accountability this time around?

As consumer expectations around traceability and sustainability continue to rise, brands are under greater scrutiny to demonstrate credible commitments and measurable impact. In response, the Vitafoods Europe 2026 programme creates space for open, solutions-focused dialogue on how businesses can strengthen infrastructure, improve accountability and drive meaningful social and environmental progress.

Across the Vitafoods Europe Conference and the Vitafoods Insights Theatre, the 2026 agenda is designed to deliver practical, actionable insights across the full nutraceutical value chain, from ingredient sourcing through to finished product. Highlights include technical sessions exploring sustainable advances in film coating technologies and strategies for building safe, traceable supply chains, alongside commercial discussions on turning claims into action and how purpose-driven start-ups can attract investment to scale sustainable impact. There will also be sessions covering diversity and inclusion and social responsibility across the show and as part of the Women’s Networking Breakfast. More to come on the full agenda soon!

 

About Vitafoods

Vitafoods Europe has been bringing the global nutraceutical community together every year to connect and do business, since 1997. It offers the perfect platform for businesses to thrive and forge long term collaborations, enrich their understanding and initiate critical conversations around the most pressing issues concerning the health and nutrition industry.

www.vitafoods.eu.com/en/home.html