Natural Products Expo West is more than a trade show. 

To me, it’s a family reunion, a dizzying whirlwind of serendipitous connections, a welcome post-winter burst of California sun. It’s the sighting of celebrities – both real (“Did the star of ‘High School Musical’ just pour me a sample of cactus water?”) and industry (“There goes Wayne Wu in his iconic pants!”).

I started attending Expo West a decade ago. It was my very first trade show, and I didn’t know anyone. I nearly boarded the wrong bus in the Angel Stadium parking lot. I ate way too many samples of cricket protein bars and paleo granola. I got lost in the convention center and accidentally skipped an entire hall. You know, all the typical rookie stuff.

Every year since, I’ve come to look forward to those five magical days in Anaheim, consumed by the rush of community, innovation, passion and possibility. It’s a testament not just to New Hope Network - which does the tough work of organizing and running it - but also to the natural products ecosystem and the special energy within it. 

That energy became immensely palpable two years ago, when the business emerged from the pandemic hiatus, so joyous to reunite and pick up the pieces of what had been lost. We had relied on Zoom, LinkedIn and Clubhouse (is that still a thing?) to remain connected and up-to-date. We had proof business could continue without Expo, but its practitioners didn’t want to do without it. Nothing could replace that time together, in person. 

Ahead of our trek to Anaheim next week, the Nosh team has prepared a handy (and, at times, tongue-in-cheek) guide to the industry’s biggest event for first-timers, old-timers and everyone in between.

The ABCs of Expo West provides a lowdown on the language of the event. Study this on your flight!

We’ve compiled some tips on staying healthy and safe from seasoned attendees, including our resident germ ninja Ray Latif.

Avoid faux-pas moves like the Hawkeye, the hijack and the walkaway in our Expo etiquette manual.

No booth? No problem. Learn how to make the most of the event as a non-exhibitor (plus New Hope’s official stance on “backpacking.”)

Want to capture an investor’s attention? Check out this interview with Adam Spriggs of the Angel Group for best practices. 

For extra credit, rewatch the Community Calls on “The Expo West 411” with the New Hope Network team and “What Gets a Decision Maker’s Attention?” with The Fresh Market’s Wade Yenny and leaders of Goodles and Pocket’s Chocolates. 

Finally, submit your Expo-related news at https://www.nosh.com/submit/news.

We can’t wait to see you.

Monica Watrous (mwatrous@bevnet.com) is the Managing Editor of Nosh.