As I write this, the WholeFoods Magazine team has just returned to New Jersey from Anaheim, CA, where we enjoyed a whirlwind of a week at Natural Products Expo West. The show floor was hopping each day, with healthy crowds sampling the latest products, learning about innovations, taking deep dives into the science and trends at education sessions, and enjoying the many networking events both before the show floor opened and into the evening hours after it closed.
This was a special show for WholeFoods Magazine, as we celebrated our 40th anniversary under the ownership of the Wainer Family. WholeFoods Magazine launched in 1977, and in 1984 Howard Wainer became an owner. Today, Heather Wainer, our Publisher and VP of Media, leads the team. It was a pleasure and an honor to take part in two fabulous celebrations marking the milestone at Expo West.
On Thursday evening, we attended the What’s Up With Supps event to network with industry friends new and old. In a fun twist, attendees wore their favorite pajamas to the event, which was a cozy bit of fun after long days at the show. The event was held in support of the Make-A-Wish foundation, to make a difference in the lives of children facing critical illnesses. There was a silent auction to raise funds for Make-A-Wish, plus a loaded dance floor for those in the mood to boogie and a relaxation center courtesy of Radicle Science for those looking to unwind. A highlight for us was a vibrant speech by Heather followed by a shower of colorful confetti celebrating the Wainer Family’s 40-year milestone.
We followed that up on Friday with a champagne toast at our booth. It was a joy to see so many industry friends come to raise a glass!
Stay tuned for our coverage of trends and highlights from conversations we had at the show. We’ll be sharing in-depth coverage on WholeFoodsMagazine.com, as well as in our May print issue (our annual SourceBook Directory).
A quick sampling of the trends we spotted at Expo West:
The Mushroom Boom Continues
- Women’s Health at Every Life Stage Takes Center Stage
- Men’s Grooming Gains Steam (and nothing is taboo)
- Regenerative Organic Keeps Growing
- Gummies Get Healthier Makeovers
…and much, much more. We will be sharing the scoop on all of the latest!
Also see the winners of the 2024 Natural Choice Awards.
We met with many of these standout companies at the show, and we’ll be sharing more on their latest offerings on WholeFoodsMagazine.com!
Not all the news we got at Expo West was positive.
On March 13, Sami-Sabinsa Group announced that Dr. Muhammed Majeed, the company's founder and chairman, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family, following complications from surgery. Please join us in remembering this industry leader. The company also announced the new leadership. His daughter, Dr. Anju Majeed, succeeds him as the chairperson of the Sami-Sabinsa Group, while son Shaheen Majeed has been named Global Managing Director & CEO.
Also on March 13, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) held a press conference concerning the law to restrict access to certain supplements, which is set to take effect in New York on April 23, 2024. Learn how both CRN and the Natural Products Association (NPA) are taking action to help protect the industry and consumers from a law that has been called misguided and unconstitutional.
