Hot Trends and the Inside Scoop at Natural Expo West

Herein are the ramblings of an exhausted participant of the Natural Products Expo West. Over the past 10 years I've been involved with the natural products industry in a variety of capacities. I've attended hundreds of seminars, conferences, or trade shows, and served on numerous panels, or made presentations to various professional organizations. It has been well beyond just pet products, these experiences include human food, supplements and personal care items too. I was happy to serve on a panel and also give a presentation at the Natural Products Expo West this year in Anaheim, California. Expo West is much more than the premier trade show for the healthy products industry. It attracts more than 53,000 natural industry professionals from across the globe sharing, learning and exchanging ideas and information with one another. It incorporates the Nutracon conference, the Healthy Baking Seminar, the Fresh Ideas Organic Marketplace, and the Supply Expo, which together represent the entire life-cycle of healthy products. Thirty years ago, Expo West was a tiny show, regarded as an event for hippies and the fringe. Today, Natural Products Expo West ranks in the top 100 shows in the US and one of the fastest 50 growing trade shows in all of North America. This year it covered 300,000 square feet of the Anaheim Convention Center and featured over 1,900 exhibitors from over 30 countries. The reach is so huge because it includes natural and organic specialty foods, supplements, health and beauty personal care, natural living, household products, everything organic and pet products too.

This week's episode of The Palm Springs Savant & Co radio show covers highlights of the Expo West. It's all about the current and hot trends for healthy living, from my perspective. This year's Expo has even more energy and buzz than usual. The education and events were heavily attended, with people using social media activities, posting comments live via Twitter and Facebook. Personally, I found tweeting boosted the experience and interaction levels. I engaged in online discussions with people attending the education sessions or expo, despite having not met them in person.

What is it about the health and wellness industry that continues to experience such growth and fascinate consumers? Well part of it is that the concept of health and wellness has evolved to mean everything is connected. From the earliest ages, what we eat, the environment in which we live, even interactions with other species all have an impact. Despite advancements in modern medicine, there is an even greater interest in healthy and alternative lifestyle management. During one of the sessions I attended, it was discussed that most physicians still practice disease management, instead of proactive optimal functioning living.

The panel experts discussed that healthy living must be introduced at the earliest ages in life rather than when "health problems arise". The notion is that long before the onset of age-related diseases, such as obesity, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s or diabetes, people can affect their health starting at childhood. Some experts believe that many diseases begin to germinate in childhood, which is why they urge consumers to start making changes early in life. Reducing exposure to pesticides and toxic chemicals is perhaps one of the most important, but a close second is to start with a healthy diet of foods minimally processed, without artificial colors, flavors or ingredients. Fresh foods are best. Prioritize what foods you can select as organic, and do your best to wash produce thoroughly before consuming. Carefully select vitamins and supplements for quality and potency. Most of all, read labels and ask questions. The Natural Products Expo West is an important annual industry event because it continues to bring forth product innovation-and discussion about what can help promote healthy living naturally. I hope you take the time to look at what you consume and read labels. Regardless of your budget, my advice is to avoid pre-made foods (usually anything in a box), reduce sugar intake, and consume more fresh vegetables and fruits when possible. I'm not a doctor, nutritionist or health professional, nor do I suggest this post is complete in its health advice. It is merely my opinion on the benefits of consuming natural products in your life. Oh- and don't forget your pet too. Better nutrition makes a huge difference in a dog or cat's life.
-Rick Rockhill

A Day of Zany Fun at the Natural Products Expo West

Every year I attend the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California. It's a huge industry trade show for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, media and service organizations within the natural and organic industry. This year I was a speaker at one of the conference sessions, and gave an address about trends in Pet Health and Nutrition. I also sat on a panel discussion with three other industry experts discussing regulations, pet nutrition and the vitamin/supplement products too. I really enjoy participating in conferences and try to speak at a few each year. For me, today was all about getting around to all the trade show booths. Like everything I do, I try to have fun and look for interesting things along the way. Well either that or strange things seems to find me. In any event I almost always have a camera handy. Take this first photo, above left. It was for a company that makes all kinds of things with ginger- cookies, candy, etc. The people working the booth all had their faces made up to look something like ginger root- all flaky and layered. It struck me as amusing. Click on the photo above left to biggify it and check out their faces more closely.

above: Then there was this cute bumble-bee girl who was so bubbly. I just had to get a photo with her.

above: And then the cow-girl. Or should that be cow-woman. Or bovine-female? ah, fugget-about it. I just like finding creatures like these for photo-ops for the blog.

above: and then there was this smokin' hot blond chick, wearing a skin-tight black patent-leather body suit. The guys walking by were all bumping into each other, as their heads were turned watching her as she stood in her booth.

above: these are always so corny, but I got a kick out of it for some reason.

above: who says just because its natural and organic that it can't be fun or taste good? These samba girls were dancing up a storm and attracted quite the crowd, too. Tomorrow I'm back at Expo West to make my way through the show floor. Still plenty more to see, and miles to go before I sleep.
-Rick Rockhill

A Glimpse of the Natural Products Expo

This past Friday and Saturday I attended the annual Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, CA. It is the premier trade show for natural, organic, holistic and healthy products. Many years ago Expo West was a small show for hippies who ran health food stores. With the explosive growth of the natural products industry, today it is a huge trade show attracting over 52,000 industry professionals (manufacturers, buyers and retailers) who attend to find the best products of the industry today and the up and coming trends of the future. After attending this show for many years, I have become an advocate for natural and organic products. I believe we can improve our health by eating that foods that are minimally processed, and made without artificial preservatives, chemicals or additives. I try to buy organic foods because I want to avoid pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones or bio-engineered ingredients in my foods. I attend this show to increase both my professional and personal knowledge of the industry, and to expand my horizons as well. Since I know some competitors follow this blog, I certainly won't disclose all the interesting things I learned that pertain to my job (that would bore you to tears anyway). Instead I'll share a few silly photos for you. For instance, take this photo above left. I was drawn into the "Pirate’s Booty" booth by these two models dressed as pirates. Pirate's Booty is air-puffed rice and corn with white cheddar cheese. They were so much fun, I'll give them a plug. They also make Veggie Booty, Smart Puffs, Tings, Dude’s Chips, Chaos, Antique Potato Chips, Soy Crisps, Awesome Party Chips, and Blue Organic Tortilla Chips. Of course, I took the opportunity to sample each of these at the booth....mmmm.


above: Some of the vendors at this show go all out and have interesting displays in their booths. This vendor had a tree with colorful lanterns hanging overhead.
And Now For Something Completely Bizarre...Ear Candles.
I stumbled on a booth that was demonstrating something called ear candles. I took a photo of this woman in the booth who was demonstrating the ear candles on some man. Out of curiosity, I went to the website of the company who makes these ear candles. Here is how they explain what ear candles are (this directly from their website, so I want to credit this explanation as their own words): "Ear candles function as an energetic modality comparable to the fields of reflexology and acupuncture. These modalities encourage healing as the body shifts from a sympathetic to a parasympathetic state within the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Many practitioners believe that this shift in the ANS enables healing within the ear, sinus and lymphatic systems. The vortex pattern occurring inside of the ear candle in conjunction with the warm compressed air into a highly stressed nervous system initiates the flow of energy, that serves as a catalyst that shifts the body into a relaxed state. This encourages the lymphatic system, sinuses, and Eustachian tubes to begin healing itself. This shift in the human body’s autonomic nervous system from a sympathetic to a parasympathetic state is well known in the fields of reflexology and acupuncture." Far be it for me to pass judgement, but this was a little strange.
How About a Gluten-Free, Wheat Free Wedding Cake?

above: A team of bakers assemble, frost and decorate a fabulous chocolate wedding cake that was gluten and wheat free. Everything they sampled was so delicious!

A Throw Back to the Past...

above: I thought this was fun. It's a hippie puppet driving a VW bus with his dog in the passenger seat. In a way, it was an homage to time when you could only find these products in small health food stores. Today natural and organic stuff can be found virtually everywhere. Maybe the hippies were right all along, just ahead of their time.

-Rick Rockhill