Webinars: An Effective B2B Food & Nutrition Digital Marketing Solution in 2026

Buyers in B2B food and nutrition do more homework than ever before. They form shortlists early, compare proof points side by side, and only then engage suppliers. This buying behaviour is exactly why webinar marketing stands out as an effective solution. 

Webinars combine long-form video education with active engagement, live interaction, and measurable outcomes: they deliver proof, build credibility, and generate qualified, GDPR‑compliant leads—all through one format. 

And if this isn't enough to convince you of the value webinars bring, Smartcore's B2B Food and Nutrition Marketing Report 2026 shows clearly why. 33% of the suppliers surveyed pointed to webinars as the content type that delivers the best quality leads (and perhaps this is why 18% selected webinars as their top investment channel). Interestingly, 30% of the buyers surveyed said they prefer suppliers to engage them through webinars, with 22% saying that they themselves typically research new suppliers at webinars and 29% saying they find webinars and videos among the most valuable content types when conducting this supplier research. 

In short: webinars can help both sides, buyers and suppliers, meet each other where they already are.

This blog post covers all things webinar marketing. You'll learn more about why webinars work in today's B2B food and nutrition landscape, how to plan a high-performing webinar, and how to secure measurable ROI before, during, and after the webinar. Let's dive in! 

Who are we? An Informa Markets brand, Smartcore is your best-in-class B2B food and nutrition marketing solutions partner for  smarter digital campaigns that help ingredient suppliers reach their buyers and drive business growth. As the official digital marketing provider for exhibitors at Vitafoods Europe and Fi Europe, we boost your event visibility and connect you directly with the right attendees. Download our Digital Media Kit  to explore products, packages, and prices.

Why Webinars Work in Today's B2B Food & Nutrition Landscape

Webinars work because they align with what buyers actually need to move forward: clear evidence, trustworthy context, and time to evaluate. The live sessions encourage direct interaction through Q&A and polls, and the on‑demand access keeps the discovery going after the fact. For suppliers, this combination translates into engaged audiences, richer intent signals, and high‑quality leads your commercial teams can prioritise.  

Webinars also bridge the gap between short-form video and long-form demos or deep research. Short clips are excellent at building initial visibility; webinars extend that attention into in-depth evaluation. In a single webinar session, you can clarify specifications, show certifications and approvals, explain fit and use cases, and demonstrate outcomes through case studies—all while capturing engagement data that helps your team score, segment, and follow up. 

How to Plan a High-Performing Webinar

• Impact starts with a timely, tightly defined topic: Choose a challenge your buyers are actively researching and frame your webinar around the outcomes. Use industry trends, regulatory shifts, and questions your sales team hears most. At Smartcore, our editorial teams across Fi Global Insights and Vitafoods Insights collaborate with market experts to identify the hottest trends, the ones that matter now—this ensures strong participation from quality prospects, ones highly interested in what we showcase.
• Structure matters as much as subject: A clear agenda, logical story flow, and visible proof points keep attention from start to finish. Build in attendee interaction at planned moments so that they can see how your offerings apply to their own situations (think a poll to surface priorities or a live Q&A to address barriers). Then, ensure every step has an easy next step—this could be a resource to download or a spec sheet to review, converting attention into action. 
• Promotion is where attendance is won or lost: Make sure you're segmenting your audience by role and interest. Make registration pages simple and credible with speaker credentials, learning outcomes, and who should attend. Use concise, benefit‑led copy in emails and coordinate the webinar timing with your broader campaign calendar.

How to Secure ROI Before, During, and After the Webinar

You want to ensure return on investment throughout the webinar lifecycle, not only at specific moments.

1. Before the webinar day, boost anticipation with teaser snippets, problem‑solution messages, and a clear promise of what buyers will learn. Run email campaigns, plan social media posts, and use gated registration forms to capture attendee information.
2. During the webinar session, capture intent signals and make assets easy to access so that attendees can validate details without friction (think whitepapers, reports, demos). Monitor metrics such as session duration, click-through rates, and interaction levels to identify interest and refine your follow-ups. 
3. After the webinar session, keep momentum with on‑demand access, a short highlight reel for quick sharing, and personalised follow‑ups. Repurpose your strongest content moments across email, social media, and your website to continue to attract and convert prospects beyond the live date.

Partner with Smartcore: B2B Food and Nutrition Webinar Sponsorship Opportunities

As a supplier of food and beverage or nutraceutical ingredients, products, or services, we can help you in your webinar marketing journey—whether that entails partnering together on an editorial webinar or hosting a tailor-made one for you. Here's what it looks like:

1. Editorial Webinars: These are based on trending market topics. You'll choose a topic from our webinar calendar and a package for brand awareness, lead generation, or thought leadership. Reach 27,000+ buyers with your brand featured across pre- and post-webinar emails, the programme and registration pages, and the webinar platform. Get in front of 500+ targeted attendees live and on-demand, with your content available for download. Receive 300+ GDPR-compliant leads from the webinar session, our gated wrap-up report, and your supplier showcase (in select packages).
2. Custom Webinars: These are based on your bespoke ingredient, product, or solution narrative. From preparation and promotion to comprehensive reporting, you'll get end‑to‑end webinar production support. The webinar itself includes a 45-60 minute interactive session, hosting for 12 months, a dedicated programme manager to handle all coordination, logistics, speaker training, and the option to develop your programme or work with our team. We'll also run a dedicated marketing campaign, share detailed post-webinar reporting, and finally, 150+ GDPR-compliant leads.

Want to see successful Smartcore webinar partnerships in practice? Read what SynbioTech and EffePharm had to say. Then get in touch for a live demo of our webinar marketing solutions, or request a personalised, commitment-free webinar quote today.