Editor’s choice: NOPEX 2025
Credit: ASV Photography
Rosie Greenaway takes a break from the Natural Brands stand to walk the show floor at NOPEX in search of standout start-ups, impressive SKUs and compelling founder stories, bringing you her pick of the products for 2025.
Honey with heart
Relocating displaced Ukrainian honey producers, Bees Feed Families (BFF) has been enabling beekeepers uprooted by war to maintain their livelihoods by offering an organic haven for their hives in Germany, where honey production can continue until the bee colonies can be safely returned to the Ukraine.
Proceeds from BFF’s aromatic Acacia honey — which comes in clear and set options — go towards helping Ukrainian beekeepers broaden their knowledge and build sustainable businesses for a more secure future.
Granola gang
A founder set herself the design brief of ‘accidentally Wes Anderson’ for the aesthetic of her start-up organic granola business, and the rest is branding history.
Meet the Granola Fan Club — the premium, small-batch brand with big ambitions. Made in Devon since 2023 at Amie Martin’s micro bakery these organic, gluten-free granolas come in a trio of flavour combinations: zingy Coconut, Turmeric & Lime (editor’s pick); Sour Cherry, Almond & Cacao; and Hemp, Honey & Mulberry.
With an emphasis on gut-friendly soluble fibre, anti-inflammatory spices, healthy fats, protein, antioxidants and plant points, the collection turns to locally-produced organic ingredients to create its ‘breakfast upgrades’.
Amplifying voices
Femtech personal care brand GLORIAH is ‘here for the unheard’, amplifying ignored voices of women whose health has been misunderstood or underserved. Built on the ‘bold, rebellious spirit’ of the 1970s, the brand’s collection is about more than products; it stands for celebrating female empowerment, nurturing hormonal health and advocating for inclusivity and cultural change.
Standout products include Liberation Oil (inspired by the women’s liberation movement) and the Energise & Unwind Pulse Oil Duo, supporting hormones from morning to night.
A cleaner clean
Formulated by founder Lauren Daly to circumvent her own extensive allergies, Natrie is a concentrated non-toxic household cleaner free from 26 known allergens. Multi-purpose, versatile and powerful by design, Natrie adopts a ‘one bottle for every room’ approach, and can be used on all types of surfaces around the home simply by adjusting the ratio of solution to water.
All ingredients in the bergamot- and lime-scented spray are ocean-friendly, hormone-safe, vegan and cruelty-free.
Seeking serenity
Following on from Manifesto Nutrition’s 2021 Beauty Vitamin Gummies launch, founder Anna Marcovici has followed up with a calming sister SKU — Serene Vitamin Gummies, designed to balance mind and body with B6 for nervous system support and hormone regulation, and KSM-66, D3 and ashwagandha for stress, sleep, mood regulation and enhanced memory.
Housed in Manifesto’s trademark keepsake tin, the chamomile and lemon balm-infused gummies are raspberry flavoured and available in a bio-based refill pouch, offering a one month supply of ‘less frazzle, more dazzle’.
A winning recipe
Not all pasta is created equal. That’s the takeaway after meeting award-winner Emilia’s Crafted Pasta — the authentic pasta from Gragnano, Italy, extruded through bronze dye for a characteristic rough texture and slow-dried for up to 18 hours for easier digestion.
Art-inspired packaging adds Italian design flair to three pasta products: Rigatoni, originating from Rome, which the brand says pairs best with chunky tomato and veg-based sauces; Bucatini, the thick, spaghetti-like shape with a hole running through its core; and playful Sicilian Casarecce twists, friend to finely blended sauces such as basil pesto.
Wave of wellness
Coming soon is a new wave of functional wellness from Omoss in the form of three Organic Seamoss Beverages: Pure, focusing on the essential minerals of wildcrafted seamoss from the Irish coast, with a light, crisp flavour and no sugar; Mango, adding a hit of lion’s mane and gingko biloba for focus and memory; and Pomegranate, offering adaptogenic support with ashwagandha, holy basil and gotu kola.
The drinks are crafted using ultra-purified reverse-osmosis water, ensuring ‘clean, boosted hydration with science-backed ingredients that support clarity, recovery and balance’.
Clean beauty for all
Highly decorated with awards, Lyonsleaf is a Somerset-based organic skincare success story, invited to exhibit on the Suma Wholefoods stand.
Formulated with zero anti-microbial preservatives, emulsifiers, petroleum derivatives, artificial fragrance, colouring or synthetic chemicals, the range centres around simple, soothing, anti-inflammatory ingredients such as calendula, natural zinc and marshmallow. From multi-purpose beauty buys to comforting ‘there there’ balms for children, the range is a go-to for a spectrum of common skin complaints including low-level rosacea, eczema, nappy rash, acne, chicken pox blisters, nettle rash and perioral dermatitis.
Make do and mend
Founded on the principles of reducing clothes waste, Clothes Doctor aims to extend the lifespan of your wardrobe with a range of protective yet luxe products which turn the chore of laundry day into a ‘rewarding ritual’.
From Eco Liquid Detergent (for Cashmere & Wool or Silk & Delicates) and Pheromone Moth Traps to Tough Love Stain Removal and the nifty Knitwear Mist for refreshing fabrics between washes the range leaves no fabric behind, while the Cashmere Comb and Leather Care Kit help conscious clothes lovers care for their cherished garments for longer.
Mornings rituals
Morning rituals are going fully functional with Fungi Biotics Organic Coffee Pods, fuelled with 500mg of lion’s mane and chaga — the creation of a master blender the brand partnered with during R&D.
The Lion’s Mane SKU pairs Colombia Pitalito with the brain-boosting mushroom, while the Chaga variant marries the full bodied complexities of Nicaragua Maracaturra organic coffee beans with nature’s most potent antioxidant.
The final magic ingredient is the pod itself; each capsule is Nespresso-compatible, making it easier than ever for consumers to swap out their mainstream brew and weave healthy habits into their morning routines.
A moment for men
Sukin puts men’s skincare back on the map with a new line of Face Wash, Face Scrub, Face Shaving Cream, Shaving Gel and Beard Oil.
Believing that male skin needs more care and nourishment than many men are inclined to give it, Sukin has done the leg work and created a range that takes the complexity out of cosmetics and leaves skin feeling fresh and looking hydrated — as always, without parabens, phthalates, triclosan, petroleum, synthetic fragrances, silicones and animals derivatives.
Olfactory universe
Also turning their attention to men’s skincare needs is ATTITUDE which launched Super Leaves — Men, a range aimed at male consumers ‘seeking high-performance products and a refined olfactory experience’.
The line features four distinct fragrances (Sage & Eucalyptus, Amber & Citrus, Bourbon & Patchouli and Matcha & Bergamot) and answers every grooming need — from shower gel and body soap to deodorant and 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner.
The EWG Verified collection contains over 95% nourishing naturally derived ingredients and is enriched with rice protein, caffeine, avocado oil and extracts of watercress and Indian cress, known to revitalize skin and hair.
By Rosie Greenaway, editor