Tickets now on sale for upcoming SWA conference
THE Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) has confirmed details for its upcoming Connex Conference as it plans to welcome members from across the industry in May.
Taking place at the Voco Grand Central Glasgow Hotel on Thursday 28 May, the upcoming conference will feature an evening dinner hosted by broadcaster Zara Janjua with tickets on sale now.
The event follows last year’s well-attended ‘Kaizen’ annual conference in Aberdeen and, in a similar vein, will shine a spotlight on the wholesale sector’s most pressing issues including shifting consumer behaviour and disruptions across the market.
This year’s conference is titled Connex with a theme of ‘Supply, Sustain, Support’, echoing its recent publication ‘Championing Scotland’s Food and Drink Wholesalers’ which contained messages aimed at political candidates ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections.
The SWA has said the Connex Conference will take a look to the future of the sector with the ambition of equipping attendees with suitable knowledge and insights to help them take advantage of emerging opportunities across the trade in Scotland and consider how the channel could reposition itself to thrive in the face of ongoing challenges.
Delegates can expect to gain fresh intelligence from its Building Wholesale Resilience morning sessions which promises to explore the Scottish and UK-wide markets, the emerging trends within them and the real-world impact these are having on consumers.
And with the conference taking place just two weeks after parliamentary elections, the SWA’s head of public affairs Jayne Swanson will provide some post-election coverage of Scotland’s new political landscape and what it means for the wholesale sector.
Another key component of the day will be the Vendor Village exhibition which will feature producers, suppliers and SWA members to introduce more brands and companies to wholesale members. There will also be special UK deposit return scheme compliance clinics as part of this, extended producer responsibility sessions, employment rights and diversity, equity and inclusion session to offer further hands-on support, advice and help build new partnerships.
To book tickets for the conference and see further information about the event, members of the sector can visit this link.
Colin Smith, chief executive at the SWA, said: “Following last year’s first new-format conference, we have drawn on feedback to curate this packed programme for our 2026 Connex Conference as we strive to ensure that the event remains relevant to members, suppliers and stakeholders.
“It will also provide a valuable platform for networking by creating an environment that is conducive to encouraging discussion and sharing information – something SWA members have told us they want.
“We will announce our full list of speakers and panel participants in the coming weeks but as space is limited, I would encourage you to secure your spot as soon as possible to ensure that you can be part of an event that promises to inspire and empower.”
