CBD CIRCUIT
PREVIEW: THE UK’S FIRST HEMP AND CBD
EXPO COMES TO TOWN
It’s been a while coming, what with a growth spurt in the
interest in CBD and hemp-based products across the UK. The
inaugural Hemp and CBD expo will take place in March.
Robert Sidebottom
Tommy Prendergast
until we got a clearer definition of them. However, we are allowing for
seed companies to exhibit.”
This trade show will take the form of a shared schedule among business
attendees and consumers. However, those with B2B tickets can avail of
some quiet time on the show floor as Saturday evening will be closed
to B2C ticketholders. Tommy says this will allow for meetings to take
place when it’s less busy.
Among the list of exhibitors are companies which specialise in everything
from skincare and beauty to oils and tinctures. The pair say there are
already plans for a second show.
One final note from the organisers adds to what seems to be the mission
of most in the industry. That’s to use their platform to educate others
about the potential behind CBD.
Robert and Tommy agree, saying it’s about “providing a platform to educate
everybody. We’ve been reaching out to gyms to invite personal trainers
to come and learn more about CBD. There are a lot of MMA fighters
and boxers incorporating CBD into their regimes and recovery. We’re
reaching out to people such as them to come to the show.”
The Hemp & CBD Expo takes place at the NEC March 2 and 3.
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We spoke to the show’s organiser Tommy Prendergast and non-executive
director of the expo Robert Sidebottom, about what businesses and
consumers alike can expect from the event’s spring debut.
First off, Robert addressed the timing of the expo and the challenges the
grey areas the UK industry faces: “I see the CBD industry and its massive
growth potential. But there are some issues with compliance and confusion
which really need to be addressed. There’s also the issue with novel
foods, in what iterations is CBD a novel food? Clarification is needed in the
marketplace.” Robert, who was, “involved in the early days of the Cannabis
Products Directive (CPD)” adds, “we need clear guidance.”
CBD and hemp trade shows have become almost commonplace across
the US, with shows coming up in locations where CBD has boomed stateside
such as Miami and Las Vegas. We asked Tommy what kind of research
went into this first UK show, given that there’s very little to base it off in
this country.
“In the leadup to this show, since we announced our show dates, we’ve
been to shows around Europe and in the US. We’ve done all of those
shows to see what’s going on on the Continent.”
He said that experience taught him what not to do in organising this event.
“The European shows were a lot more marijuana based. In the UK we
had to adapt slightly to what our market is able to do. That wouldn’t
really fly in the UK. The main thing we’ve tried to do is with the branding,
we wanted people to know this is not a festival.”
Part of that messaging also required turning down potential exhibitors
who wanted to promote their CBD flowers on site. That was a stance
Tommy says they had to take, given another “grey area.”
“We made the decision on CBD flowers not to allow them. It’s a grey
area. We know some people do it, we know some people don’t. In Europe
that would be allowed but for the UK we said we wouldn’t allow flowers