What's In-Store London · Tuesday 10 November 2026
Demand creation in CPG
Grocery prices are up more than 30% in four years, and for most of that time rising prices were unavoidable due to Input costs, energy and wages. Price did the growing because it had to, and shoppers have largely absorbed it.
The interesting question is what happens next. Even through the inflation years, some categories grew through creating demand. They found new shoppers, new occasions, new reasons to buy. Energy overtook cola. Mochi reinvented ice cream desserts. Beans and olive oil went premium. This morning is for the people looking to grow outside of price, told by the ones who already have.
See the programmeSave me a space
8:45 to 12:30, breakfast included. Free to attend.
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- Date
- Tuesday 10th November 2026
- Timing
- 8:45 to 12:30. Breakfast included
- Venue
- The Royal Institution, London
- Format
- Half day, in person, breakfast included
The programme
30 min
Breakfast and arrivals
Doors open at 8:45. Breakfast, coffee and time to find the people you want to talk to before the room sits down.
15 min
Demand creation in CPG: what's next for brands?
The global state of shoppers, grocery, and the levers to drive growth outside of inflation.
Nick Theodore, CEO and Founder, Vazen
15 min
The changing shape of the category function
How the category role is changing, the capability gap opening up, and the questions senior teams should be asking now.
Mark Walker, Global Strategy Leader, IGD
15 min
Building a category vision that earns retailer buy-in
Purina's category team on building a vision that earns retailer buy-in. For category teams who want to make a stronger case to retailers.
Tamsin Eaton, Category Controller, Purina
Heather Allsop, Customer Category Manager, Purina
20 min
Ask Vazen: the drinks category, answered
Real category questions, answered live on real shelf data. Co-op's buyer and Red Bull's category manager join Christian to show what's shifting, what's working at fixture, and what to do about it.
Christian Martin, Retail Partnerships Director, Vazen
Michael Williams, Senior Buying Manager, Co-op
Kyle Sexton, Category Manager, Red Bull
30 min
Coffee and conversation
A proper break, and for most people the most useful part of the morning.
15 min
The challenger story: how mochi got a shelf
The story of a brand that created demand where the planogram said there was none.
Ellen Paterson, Senior Category Manager, Little Moons
Niamh Quinn, Vazen
15 min
AI as a growth lever for CPG brands and retailers
What AI changes for a category team chasing volume, what it doesn't, and what has to be true before its recommendations can be trusted in a range review.
Joshua Evans, CTO and Founder, Vazen
15 min
Closing keynote: where Co-op finds its next growth
A retailer's view of where the growth is coming from now that price has stopped doing the work.
Lyndsey Thornton, Head of Commercial, Dairy & Protein, Co-op
10 min
Networking
Time to carry on the conversations with the speakers and each other.
The venue
The Royal Institution, London
21 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BS. A few minutes from Green Park and Piccadilly Circus.
- Doors
- 8:45
- Sessions
- 9:20 to 12:15
- Room until
- 12:40
- Cost
- Free to attend
FAQ
Questions
What does it cost to attend?
It is free, and that includes breakfast and refreshments through the morning. You just need to get yourself to Mayfair.
Who should I bring with me?
Whoever you would want in the room with you. Plenty of people bring a technical or data colleague, and the programme is built so both get something out of it. Register them separately and we will make sure you are seated together.
Is this a sales pitch?
It is mostly other people talking. Vazen leads three of the sessions, and the rest are a retailer, IGD and CPG brands walking through their own category wins. You will get a proper sense of what we do, but the day is built to be useful whether or not you ever work with us.
Will the sessions be recorded?
No. Sessions are not recorded, so our speakers can be candid. Everyone who registers will get the slides and a follow-up report after the event.
What if I can only make part of the morning?
Come for what you can, it is genuinely fine. Sessions run to time, doors open at 8:45, and there is a half hour break at 10:40 that makes slipping in or out easy. The room is ours until 12:40.
How do I submit a question for the live session?
We would love one. Send it with your registration or put it in through Slido on the day, and we will answer as many as we can live, on real supermarket shelf data.
Register
Building the future of category leadership
Tuesday 10 November 2026. The Royal Institution, London. 8:45 to 12:30, breakfast included. Free to attend.
120 places. Registration closes 30 October 2026.
Bringing a technical or data counterpart? Register them separately and we will seat you together.
You are on the list.
Confirmation is on its way to your inbox. Joining instructions and the final running order follow closer to the day.