Sunday, March 20, 2005
MAR 20 - Event Review: NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO WEST
by Don Rose
(March 20: Anaheim, CA) Natural Products Expo West is billed as the world's largest natural and organic products trade show, and I can see why. Roaming the show floor at the Anaheim Convention Center (which takes all day, or better, two), I saw hundreds of booths -- there were finished products, the ingredients that make the products, as well as the supplies and services that help retailers sell them. Natural and organic product lines galore. NPEW has been bringing together top buyers and sellers for 25 years. Exhibitors at this Expo, I was told, reach the largest number of active, qualified natural and organic products buyers of any tradeshow on the west coast. Certainly it was the largest number of buyers of natural and organic products I had ever seen under one roof.
Natural Products Expo West - outside Anaheim Convention Center
With over 250,000 square feet of exhibiting space, representing every category in the industry, this is a must-see event if you sell, buy or write about natural and organic products. From established categories to emerging markets, Natural Products Expo West showcased the products and services driving the growth of the natural and organic industry.
Natural Products Expo West - the lively, crowded lobby
Thousands of buyers, sellers, media folks and VIPs attended the show from all over the world. Some highlights from the show floor: Two Laker girls signed pictures of their squad... Ed Begley Jr. touted his product line, Begley's Best -- environmentally friendly cleaning products available exclusively at www.EdBegley.com ... WILEY BOOKS had a booth featuring many excellent health-related tomes, including the new hardcover "FEED YOUR GENES RIGHT" by Jack Challem, which touts the new science of "nutrigenomics" (using what you eat to turn off disease-causing genes and slow down aging)... speaking of books, Irwin Zucker, founder of the BPSC (Book Publicists of Southern California), made the rounds at the show, along with author Bruce Braunstein (the next BPSC event is April 7 at the Sportsmen's Lodge)... speaking of sportsmen, MAGNA Rx was one of several libido-enhancing supplements being promoted at the show; they claim to be the top seller -- look for it at GNC stores... which reminds me, many VITAMIN vendors showcased a panoply of products as well, ranging from CalMax (surely you have seen that infomercial where Dr. Pinker tells you you haven't been getting enough calcium? Yes you have -- and you haven't!) to a product called Ultimate Cleanse from Natures Secret, which works wonders for your colon... and as far as FOOD was concerned, well, can you say "oh boy, SOY ahoy"? There were soy-based products everywhere.... including soy pasta, soy chips, and soy milk (the soy milk made by 8th Continent surprised me with how great it tastes -- better than any Vanilla I ever had, and that was the LIGHT version; cant wait to try their regular Vanilla)... and how can I help but heap heavenly praise on hemp, there were several examples of that wonderful stuff too, including Hemp Seeds, Hemp Oil and... say, can it be long before some bright biz whiz markets a line of Three Stooges brand seeds called sHemp Hemp? Oh well, I can't help it if I get so many ideas, just send me a royalty check... AND FINALLY, kudos to ETHOS, who sell a bottled water that not only tastes great, but also (via donating a portion of profits) helps kids worldwide get safe drinking water. Did you know that over one BILLION children on Earth do NOT have access to safe drinking water? I sure didn't. So do your body AND soul good, with something so good -- try Ethos Water (more info at www.ethoswater.com). And Ethos, if you're listening: put a number "2" between-and-under the H and O in your name -- H2O in your logo would look cool, and natural...
Dr. Weil speaking at the Nutracon Show, co-located with Natural Products Expo West
Overall RoseRating for this show: Excellent. Mark your calendar for next year's tradeshow dates: MARCH 24 - 26, 2006, once again at the Anaheim Convention Center. If you are in the natural product biz, or in the media, do yourself a flavor: Don't miss it.
(March 20: Anaheim, CA) Natural Products Expo West is billed as the world's largest natural and organic products trade show, and I can see why. Roaming the show floor at the Anaheim Convention Center (which takes all day, or better, two), I saw hundreds of booths -- there were finished products, the ingredients that make the products, as well as the supplies and services that help retailers sell them. Natural and organic product lines galore. NPEW has been bringing together top buyers and sellers for 25 years. Exhibitors at this Expo, I was told, reach the largest number of active, qualified natural and organic products buyers of any tradeshow on the west coast. Certainly it was the largest number of buyers of natural and organic products I had ever seen under one roof.
Natural Products Expo West - outside Anaheim Convention CenterWith over 250,000 square feet of exhibiting space, representing every category in the industry, this is a must-see event if you sell, buy or write about natural and organic products. From established categories to emerging markets, Natural Products Expo West showcased the products and services driving the growth of the natural and organic industry.
Natural Products Expo West - the lively, crowded lobbyThousands of buyers, sellers, media folks and VIPs attended the show from all over the world. Some highlights from the show floor: Two Laker girls signed pictures of their squad... Ed Begley Jr. touted his product line, Begley's Best -- environmentally friendly cleaning products available exclusively at www.EdBegley.com ... WILEY BOOKS had a booth featuring many excellent health-related tomes, including the new hardcover "FEED YOUR GENES RIGHT" by Jack Challem, which touts the new science of "nutrigenomics" (using what you eat to turn off disease-causing genes and slow down aging)... speaking of books, Irwin Zucker, founder of the BPSC (Book Publicists of Southern California), made the rounds at the show, along with author Bruce Braunstein (the next BPSC event is April 7 at the Sportsmen's Lodge)... speaking of sportsmen, MAGNA Rx was one of several libido-enhancing supplements being promoted at the show; they claim to be the top seller -- look for it at GNC stores... which reminds me, many VITAMIN vendors showcased a panoply of products as well, ranging from CalMax (surely you have seen that infomercial where Dr. Pinker tells you you haven't been getting enough calcium? Yes you have -- and you haven't!) to a product called Ultimate Cleanse from Natures Secret, which works wonders for your colon... and as far as FOOD was concerned, well, can you say "oh boy, SOY ahoy"? There were soy-based products everywhere.... including soy pasta, soy chips, and soy milk (the soy milk made by 8th Continent surprised me with how great it tastes -- better than any Vanilla I ever had, and that was the LIGHT version; cant wait to try their regular Vanilla)... and how can I help but heap heavenly praise on hemp, there were several examples of that wonderful stuff too, including Hemp Seeds, Hemp Oil and... say, can it be long before some bright biz whiz markets a line of Three Stooges brand seeds called sHemp Hemp? Oh well, I can't help it if I get so many ideas, just send me a royalty check... AND FINALLY, kudos to ETHOS, who sell a bottled water that not only tastes great, but also (via donating a portion of profits) helps kids worldwide get safe drinking water. Did you know that over one BILLION children on Earth do NOT have access to safe drinking water? I sure didn't. So do your body AND soul good, with something so good -- try Ethos Water (more info at www.ethoswater.com). And Ethos, if you're listening: put a number "2" between-and-under the H and O in your name -- H2O in your logo would look cool, and natural...
Dr. Weil speaking at the Nutracon Show, co-located with Natural Products Expo WestOverall RoseRating for this show: Excellent. Mark your calendar for next year's tradeshow dates: MARCH 24 - 26, 2006, once again at the Anaheim Convention Center. If you are in the natural product biz, or in the media, do yourself a flavor: Don't miss it.
