With numerous international exhibitors and experienced trade visitors from the entire NGP industry, the third edition of EVO NXT in Milan came to an end on Friday (April 4). In the SuperStudio Maxi, participants not only had the chance to get to know the latest products and technologies from the NGP industry for two days. But also to gain an important knowledge advantage. With countless keynotes, panels and master classes, the program provided the perfect framework for this. International experts and industry insiders provided information and discussed the most important developments and challenges in the industry. The focus was on topics such as loss minimization, regulations and market trends.

Dortmund, 07.04.2025 – With the EVO NXT business festival, Messe Dortmund 2023 launched a modern format that perfectly suits the dynamic next-generation products (NGP) industry with its unique atmosphere. At the third edition in Italy, exhibitors, experts and participants demonstrated the great potential of the NGP industry. This was reflected in the large number of countries from which participants traveled to the fashion metropolis – including the UK, the USA, India and China. A large number of European countries such as the Benelux countries, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Estonia, Spain and the host country Italy were also represented. Renowned companies as well as promising newcomers and innovators came together and met important trendsetters and experts. The aim was to analyze the present and future of the industry together and benefit from the exchange of knowledge.

Special challenges such as regulation by politicians, the increasing health and environmental awareness of consumers and the development of the market played a central role at EVO NXT. Accordingly, these topics were of great importance in the top-class supporting program. Panels, key notes, master classes, product presentations and lectures were well attended on both days. In addition to the selection of relevant topics, this was also ensured by the list of speakers, which included representatives from renowned manufacturers such as BAT, Imperial Brands, ICE and CLEW, but also from important international industry associations such as the European Confederation of Tobacco Retailers (C.E.D.T.), the Federal Association of the Tobacco Industry and Novel Products (BVTE) and the Independent European Vaping Alliance, as well as scientific companies such as TobaccoIntelligence, Sanova and Euromonitor International.

Opportunities for cross-border exchange were actively utilized

The events on political regulations and the special requirements that the development of alternative nicotine products such as pouches entails were particularly conducive to intensive exchanges and lively discussions. EVO-NXT participants particularly benefited from the internationality of the participants and speakers. The unique opportunity to discuss these challenges with industry representatives and insiders from different countries was well received. The masterclasses in the Vision Room in particular were characterized by in-depth discussions and resulted in new, important and international business contacts.

New formats such as the hybrid event “Eyes on Brussels” on the second day of the trade fair also met with lively interest. Here, representatives from Tobacco Europe, the European umbrella organization for manufacturers of tobacco and nicotine products, discussed the most important political developments in Brussels and their impact on the nicotine industry with live guests in the Vision Room as well as with numerous online viewers. The participants clearly had a great need to talk, and the knowledge input was valuable for their own companies.

New partner GINN brought relevant topics to the stage

EVO NXT’s new partnership with the Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN) proved to be just as valuable. Four events in the EVO NXT programme were organized by GINN. All four featured high-caliber speakers – the EVO NXT Stage and the Vision Room were correspondingly full. On Friday morning, for example, GINN hosted the “Global Nicotine Industry Trends & Innovation” event – together with Tobacco Journal International. The event was moderated by editor-in-chief Marc Reisner. He spoke with Nihar Dholakia, Director at Dholakia Tobacco, Mónica Andrade de Orbe, Senior Consultant for NGP and GINN Country Manager Spain, Lukas Zdrazil, Brand Strategy Expert at ICE, and Ray Hou, HNB Product Director at REJO, about fundamental topics such as product development, consumer preferences, market dynamics and the regulatory environment. In the GINN Masterclasses, industry experts discussed the market situation and regulatory developments in the USA and Spain in a very target group-specific manner. They included, for example, Sydney Hiller from Sanova, Miguel Ángel Martínez Cuadrado, President of the Unión de Asociaciones de Estanqueros de España, Jacobo Truan Aguirre, Partner at EPPA, a management consultancy with extensive expertise in regulatory processes, and Lorenzo Guaragna, Head of Legal Analysis at TobaccoIntelligence.

Finally, visitors were given a “deep dive” into the practice at the third round of the Mission Mixologist Battle, which was realized together with partner Hertz & Selck, the Hamburg-based manufacturer of premium flavours. Live on Thursday afternoon, liquid artists Goran Kristic (GASD GmbH), Filip Tokic (Dotmod d.o.o.), Paulo Alves (Dexter/Feal) and two-time winner Cristian Gallardo González (Vapers Experience) shared their individual flavor creations with the audience. In the end, Goran Kristic came out on top, ending Gallardo González’s winning streak.

The popular – and sold-out – Get Together event concluded the first day of the trade fair. In a unique atmosphere, high above the rooftops of the lively Navigli district, the center of Milan’s nightlife, the networking continued outside the trade fair location. With refreshing drinks and an exclusive selection of food, business contacts were cultivated and, above all, new ones were made well into the night.

Four zones full of innovations

Of course, EVO NXT not only included top speakers and exclusive knowledge input, but also the international companies that use the stage of the business festival to present their product innovations and latest technologies. The concept of four thematic zones once again provided structure and an overview at the third edition. Innovative hardware designs, exciting liquid creations and nicotine-free options awaited visitors to the e-zone, where e-cigarettes, various fillings or individual parts such as mouthpieces or battery carriers were presented. The hemp plant was once again the focus of the Green Zone. The Heat Zone showcased the growing market for heat-not-burn products. And alternative nicotine products such as pouches and snus were on display in the O-Zone. The broad, international field of exhibitors in this area reflected the rapid development that this sector has undergone in just a short space of time.

Next stop: Prague

After the trade fair is before the trade fair. And so the organizers of Messe Dortmund are already looking to the future as part of the follow-up. “In recent years, EVO NXT has proven that innovative formats hit the nerve of the times, especially in a modern and dynamic industry such as the NGP industry,” summarized Angelika Bauer, Vice President of Messe Dortmund. “Here in Milan, we have once again brought together important industry representatives, decision-makers and trendsetters to drive this industry forward and prepare it for the future. By moving to Italy, we have automatically brought in new perspectives. A different attitude to life, a different regulatory environment, different organizations. It is precisely this change of perspective that we want to retain at EVO NXT. So I can already reveal one thing: We’re going on to Prague!”

The new home for next year’s edition has therefore already been decided. If you don’t want to miss out on further details, you should keep a close eye on the EVO NXT channels.