International buyers signal growing demand for African wellness innovation

International buyers, distributors, retailers and hospitality operators from across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America converged on Cape Town from 29–31 May as The Good Life Show strengthened its position as one of Africa’s leading market access platforms for wellness, sustainable living and conscious consumer brands.

The sixth edition of the event brought together more than 250 exhibitors, sponsors and partners alongside hosted buyers representing retail, distribution, import, foodservice and hospitality organisations from Poland, Sweden, Kenya, Morocco, Finland, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Mauritius.

Through private, pre-scheduled meetings, product discovery sessions and curated networking opportunities, the programme connected African producers with buyers actively seeking innovative products aligned with the growing global demand for healthier, more sustainable and purpose-driven consumer choices.

Buyers attended with clear sourcing objectives across natural and organic products, plant-based innovation, health drinks, speciality foods, coffee, tea, superfoods, snacks, clean beauty, supplements and sustainable lifestyle products – reflecting the growing international appetite for products that combine wellness, authenticity and sustainability.

Among those attending was Johan Adelstal of Swedish retailer North Parade, which supplies more than 200 speciality stores across Scandinavia. “We are looking for products with great taste, good stories behind them and passionate people. Over the past two days, I’ve met so many incredible producers with energy and passion. We’ve seen flavours and concepts from Africa that are really interesting and unlike anything else.”

Marek Schejbal of Green Seed, Poland, which operates across more than 20 international markets, said the level of innovation on display exceeded expectations. “We saw things here that we had never seen before. The level of innovation was incredible. There are definitely companies that can grow beyond their local markets and appeal to consumers internationally.”

The strong interest from international buyers translated into meaningful engagement throughout the three-day event.

The Hosted Buyer Programme was facilitated by Ndarama Works, the pan-African economic advisory consultancy that partnered with The Good Life Show as its official B2B Global Trade Engine, helping connect African producers with international buyers and market opportunities.

“We are incredibly encouraged by the outcomes of the hosted buyer programme,” said Precious Mahove, chief operating officer of Ndarama Works. “The programme demonstrated the value of bringing the right buyers and suppliers together in a structured environment. We saw meaningful conversations, strong connections and clear opportunities emerging for future partnerships and growth.”

For organiser Live Events, the response from international buyers reinforced the growing relevance of African wellness, food and lifestyle products in global markets.

“What has been particularly exciting this year is seeing international buyers recognise the quality, innovation and originality coming out of Africa,” said Heidi Warricker, chief events officer at Live Events. “The conversations taking place here show that African brands are not simply participating in global wellness and sustainable living trends. In many cases, they are helping to shape them.

“The Good Life Show creates a unique environment where producers can connect directly with buyers, distributors and strategic partners actively looking for innovative products and new supplier relationships. Those connections create meaningful opportunities for growth both regionally and internationally.”

The City of Cape Town, official Host City of The Good Life Show, welcomed the event’s contribution to entrepreneurship, innovation, investment and economic growth.

Alderman James Vos, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, said the event aligns strongly with Cape Town’s vision of building an economy of wellbeing while creating opportunities for local businesses to scale and access new markets.

“The wellness and organic economy is one of the fastest growing sectors globally, creating exciting opportunities for innovation, investment and entrepreneurship. Through business support programmes, supplier development initiatives and partnerships with the private sector, we are working to ensure local businesses are well positioned to meet changing global consumer trends, particularly the growing demand for products and services that are good for both people and the planet.

“Events like The Good Life Show provide an important platform for entrepreneurs, local producers and emerging brands to showcase their products, connect with new customers, access new markets and grow their businesses.”

The event also highlighted the growing maturity of Africa’s broader sustainable food and organic agriculture ecosystem.

On 29 May, participants in the South African Organic Sector Organisation (SAOSO) and IFOAM Organics International’s Agroecology and Organic Agriculture Leadership Course celebrated their graduation during a special ceremony held at the show, underscoring the importance of leadership development, skills transfer and sector capacity-building in strengthening the long-term competitiveness of organic and agroecological agriculture.

“The future of the agroecology and organic sector is in good hands,” said Matthew Purkis, operational director of the SAOSO Foundation. “Through their personal development plans, participants demonstrated the vision, commitment and leadership required to help transform South Africa’s agricultural sector and drive more sustainable food systems into the future.”

The success of this year’s Hosted Buyer Programme reinforced The Good Life Show’s growing role as a gateway between African innovation and international market opportunity, creating meaningful connections that continue long after the exhibition floor closes.

The Good Life Show now heads to Johannesburg, where the next edition will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 18 to 20 September 2026. Hosted Buyer applications, trade visitor registrations and exhibitor enquiries for Johannesburg remain open.

Image credit: Matt Withers