Tips and Tactics for Expo West 2025
Chat GPT, what’s Expo West?
Natural Products Expo West is one of the largest trade shows in the natural, organic, and healthy products industry. It is held annually at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, and is organized by New Hope Network. The expo brings together brands, retailers, distributors, investors, and industry professionals to showcase and discover the latest trends and innovations in the natural products sector.
Basically, this is dubbed the Super Bowl of Food. Tons of brands come here to showcase their products.
By the way, did you know 1/3rd of Super Bowl commercials relate to food?
I have gone to Natural Products probably 6 times already. I’ve been an exhibitor twice, I’ve always gone for free or discounted, and LOVE it. It’s so fun. There’s so much food and there’s so many cool and exciting brands.
However, I am not the main reason most companies exhibit. The core purpose of Expo West is to peacock your brand to get buyers to like you. That’s really all there is to it. It’s to get the buyer’s attention so they can begin or continue the conversation of putting you into stores.
So after a few years of going to Expo West, I have a ton of tips and tricks that would benefit you! By the way, I’m going this year!
Not only that, but I have a few experts who know the show quite well on today’s show. Enjoy!
So let’s start with actually getting a badge. Expo West is expensive and they almost doubled the price this year. Many are kind of up in arms about it but I find it fine. I think the premised quality has fewer freeloaders and more quality people. This will also challenge people who are actually serious about going. Am I serious about going? I wasn’t planning to go but I was complaining to my friend Hyunjoo from Sinto Gorment about Sobo Foods and she gave me a badge. By the way, Sinto Gourment is this fish-free kimchi we use in our kimchi dumplings, and I got to know Hyunjoo over the years and have been good business partners. It’s amazing what good relations get you in this world.
Anyway, I’m fortunate to have done this. There are a few more ways to get a free ticket to Expo. One, speak there. Ok, that’s a bit hard. Two, get a vendor to get you a ticket. However, that’s getting harder too. The easiest way to get a ticket to the expo? Is to help a booth out. The food industry helps each other out and you should be able to ask a friend to support them and go there. It’s a great ecosystem as brands offer sweat for Expo Tickets.
On the Exhibitor end, when are you ready for Expo West? In general, most brands are too early. In fact, I would only recommend you both here when you get a fantastic opportunity. The biggest issue is that the costs add up. The booth space, booth, the advertising, the sampling, the transportation, the labor, the hotel rooms, the Ubers back and forth, IT ADDS UP.
For Sobo Foods, we were able to get into something called the (included) program. This is a program spearheaded by Victoria Ho and Nona Lim. They set up shop to improve diversity in food and allowed select companies to booth at Expo West for free. This included Sobo Foods! We got a free hotel, a free booth, free freezers, free tickets, combined with the samples we delivered by car, and enticing young entrepenuers with free tickets, it was probably the cheapest booth in Expo West!
Ok, next is traveling. I am fortunate to have been able to drive down there down the beautiful 101 coast. I love that drive so much. Sometimes I’m in a rush and I take the 5 but not as fun, I scroll through TikToks when I drive so it flies back fast.
Most people will fly there and that’s fine. Some are like, no, go to the East Coast version. Well, one, Informa canceled that, and two, Expo West is just the one to go to. The thing about LA is that traffic sucks, it’s chaotic, and it drains you. Consider renting a car to save money as the Ubers add up.
Oh and lodging. I luckily have a friend who lets me crash (yes, I am showing my privilege but it took me 10 years of happenstance to get these opportunities so whatever). I was lucky to have met a fan of the show in Boston, we got to be friends, and then I cash at his and his girlfriend’s place with their corgi and cat! I treat them out to a nice dinner, we drink, chat, and just do fun stuff. I love it and Phil and Jinelle, you both are awesome. So for you, Expo West hotels are expensive and get booked extremely fast. I personally love the Disneyland-themed Airbnbs which is about a ten-minute drive. It was a lot of fun doing it with Better Meat Co. Had the kids bunk all to myself.
Anyway, getting to the show is alright. Parking surprisingly is pretty easy there but rideshare is simple. In my opinion, you’re in Los Angeles and I honestly believe no one cares what you wear. You know, looks a bit pro, but comfy sneakers will be so nice. Branded shirts are nice, be SoCal comfortable. You’ll see a mosaic of different things as you walk the swarmed hall.
So Hall strategy, there’s 5 or 6 halls (I dunno it keeps changing) in the Convention Center. Honestly, the only ones that really matter is Hot Products, and the more established Hall E. These all give bomb samples. The other halls are filled with established players with a lot of money. BORING. Sometimes you find some hidden gems but most of the time, they are the huge booths with not much happening. In my opnion, sticking to the Basement hall E and Hot products is all you need to get what you want.
Speaking of that, what’s the point of going to Expo West? Different organizations go for different reasons. Some are there to write a trend analysis the next day, some are there to steal your formulas (I know you were skeptically looking around Mila, Ajinomoto, and Pulmone), some go and meet their friends, and some try to actually get business.
I think the most important thing you need to set is a goal for your trip to Expo West. Without a goal, YOU WILL BE OVERWHELMED. Having a focused goal of say, trying all the new ice cream brands, finding a certain ingredient, and getting one buyer to notice you, is all the difference,
I give tours to people who aren’t familiar with Expo West. Not to flex, but I got a family office that wants to understand more of the industry and I’m their tour guide.
Having a goal is extremely important. In Isagenix, I had to scan all of the exhibitors and go hunting for ingredients. At Better Meat Co, we had no plan and not even any sampling so it was kind of pointless. At Sobo Foods, we were able to impress enough buyers to land KeHe and UNFI. If you know, you know.
Ok, what should you do after Expo West? Have dinner. Have dinner with a. friend, or colleague, or vendor or a research firm. Have dinner, enjoy a great steak dinner where someone’s paying for you. When I had leverage in the companies I worked with, oh I missed the food so much. Not this year though ugh…. By the way, if you know of any cool parties let me know. I’ll be hiding in the corner eating the free horderves.
Expo West is such a great time to meet with friends and industry colleagues Throughout the year, it’s been so rewarding seeing the same faces over and over again and watching them grow.
Expo West in general is a high stimulus crazy-town. Pace yourself, sit down once in a while, but never stop moving. Getting through all of it is tough but doable. Take a break, and go outside to the concert hall no one goes to!
So a secret hack is that on Friday, you have the potential to get samples no one wants to take back. This is why having your own car, having your own place, is so good. You stock up and honestly, just pack mule food that will last you a month. Groceries are expensive. Who knows, if you did pay full price, you might be able to make your money’s worth from the load alone.
Anyways, I think that’s enough tips. If you liked that let me know! And if you’re going to Expo West and recognize me in public, please say hi. Most importantly, invite to cool parties cause it makes me feel special and loved.
We also do a podcast interview with Kim Shaw and Jessica Rubino where they give some awesome tips on Expo West. They’ve been at New Hope Network.