Expanding wholesale opportunities with Conaxess Trade

In early 2025, Oriola entered a strategic partnership with Conaxess Trade, a European service company making its first move into the pharmaceutical sector after taking over the Nordic distribution of a broad OTC pharmaceutical portfolio. The transition required a partner with deep regulatory expertise and operational capacity, and Oriola was selected to guide it.

The collaboration began with a complex onboarding process shaped by the unique nature of Conaxess Trade's business and its entry into a regulated market. Cross-functional teams from sales, quality, advisory services, and IT at Oriola worked intensively to ensure compliance and seamless integration. Operations ramped up during the first quarter of 2025 across Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway. 

“Oriola’s expertise has been a key facilitator helping us take our first steps into the Nordic pharmaceutical market. Their deep understanding of the sector and hands-on approach have enabled us to navigate a complex process and market with confidence,” says Jens Gjedrem, CEO of Conaxess Trade Nordic.

Conaxess Trade brings a service and brand-driven, focused growth-oriented approach that challenges established processes and encourages us to evolve our ways of working. The partnership engages both of Oriola’s segments – Distribution and Wholesale, including Advisory services – and spans both OTC pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceutical consumer products such as food and wellness products.

“Conaxess is not only a customer but also a supplier in our wholesale business, making this a truly cross-functional and cross-market collaboration,“ says Stig Tornell, Executive Vice President Sales at Oriola. “It’s a good example of our strategic focus on expanding markets and deepening customer relationships by combining operational excellence with commercial agility.”