Record-Breaking Natural Products Expo West Concludes, Grows World’s Largest Natural, Organic and Healthy Products Event
Key Trends Set to Drive the Future of the Natural Products Industry in 2014
Boulder, CO, March 10, 2014 – The move toward natural, organic and healthy products is not a fad, but a societal shift that is poised to grow to $226 billion by 2018 with an annual growth rate of 8.6 percent. New Hope Natural Media, a division of Penton, today announced Natural Products Expo West concluded a record-breaking event March 6-9 at the Anaheim Convention Center in CA. The event grew five percent percent bringing together over 67,000 industry members, more than 2,600 exhibiting companies and the most first-time exhibitors in the event’s history. From food and beverage to supplements and beauty to household and pet products, the event provided a window into the many categories driving the growth of the global natural products industry.
Co-located with Natural Products Expo West were Engredea and the NEXT Innovation Summit, the premier events for ingredient sourcing and product development, were co-located with Natural Products Expo to deliver a full spectrum of opportunities to enter, grow and succeed in the global health and nutrition marketplace.
“As we wrap up the 34th annual Natural Products Expo we are proud of our commitment to the natural, organic and healthy living community,” stated Adam Andersen, show director for Natural Products Expo West. “The macro trend and shift to healthier lifestyles created explosive growth this year. Our conference sessions offered attendees with the vital industry intelligence and the exhibit floor buzzed with activity as attendees met the passionate individuals behind the brands on the shelves today and the products of the future.”
With 635 first-time exhibitors at the event, there is tremendous energy, innovation and funding surrounding food entrepreneurs today.? Many Natural Products Expo West first-time exhibitors are ‘home cooks,’ passionate moms and nutrition-focused athletes who have launched their own products. New Hope’s NEXT Accelerator, which was launched in September 2013, offers an exclusive online community that connects startups with the information, expertise, advisors, service providers, partners and education they need to ensure product success.
New Hope’s industry expertise insights help the global natural products industry identify “what’s next” in the marketplace to assist them in taking their business to the next level. Key trends identified for the coming year include:
- The health & wellness consumers. The healthy eating movement is spreading across all demographic groups. Five distinct consumer segments, differentiated by lifestyles, behaviors, attitudes and beliefs about health and wellness have been created for the industry.
- Convenience & Accessibility:The importance of making nutritious, clean food more accessible and convenient across multi-dimensional demographics and how will it affect the health and wellness of all Americans.
- Labeling Transparency:Consumers are asking for transparency with regard to food/product labels, claims and certifications, including non-GMO and organic.
- Food tribes:The growing gluten-free, vegan, paleo and other special diet communities are fueling the healthy eating movement and changing the way people view food and community.
- The future of personalized health:With nutrigenomic advances and the rise of food intolerances and autoimmune diseases, we are learning that one person’s “medicine” is another’s “poison.”
