Below a round-up of some of the social events where the supplement industry can catch up with old friends and colleagues and connect with new ones.
Before the exhibition halls open to the public, the American Herbal Products Association hosts its annual AHPA Herb Walk, a guided tour of the 26-acre botanical gardens at Fullerton Arboretum at California State University and its permanent collection of culinary and medicinal herbs featuring over 4,000 plant species from around the world. Guides include Catherine Hunziker of WishGarden Herbs, Feather Jones of Canyon Spirit Ventures, Roy Upton of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and David Winston of Herbalist & Alchemist. Bus transportation to and from the Anaheim Hilton and the Fullerton Arboretum will be provided (March 4, 1 to 5 p.m.).
That evening, the American Botanical Council welcomes members by RSVP to the 20th Annual American Botanical Celebration and Awards Ceremony to honor outstanding contributions to the herbal community (March 4, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Hilton, Pacific Ballroom AB).
The new Expo West Block Party takes over the Grand and Arena Plazas, with live music and food (March 4, 3 to 6 p.m.), and the Power Up Experience & Happy Hour connects emerging brand founders with key industry leaders (5 to 7:30 p.m., Hilton, California D, separate registration).
The Natural Products Expo West Pitch Slam competition features pitches from 10 emerging brands and a Q&A with the judges followed by networking (March 4, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Marriott, Marquis Ballroom Center). Off site at the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, Vitamin Angels hosts its annual celebration, with food and drink, special keynote speakers and networking with some of the biggest brands in the VMS space (March 4, 6 to 8:30 p.m., ARTIC).
The next day, Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN) welcomes all to a networking reception focused on working together to support gender parity from the boardroom to the research lab for the betterment of businesses and consumer health, empowering women to unlock their potential (March 5, 4 to 6 p.m., Hilton, California B). Immediately following, the AHPA Member Reception invites members and friends for refreshments and networking at the Sheraton Park Hotel’s Garden Ballroom and Patio from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. No registration required.
An Organic Night Out: Honoring The Year’s Best in Organic, an awards show and dinner hosted by The Organic Center and Organic Voices, will celebrate the success of organic brands, companies and leaders working to advance consumer education, crop production, soil health, food safety, climate action and sustainability (March 5, 6 to 9 p.m., Marriott, Marquis Ballroom Center, separate registration).
The following afternoon, J.E.D.I (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) Community Happy Hour welcomes attendees to toast a more inclusive equitable and diverse natural products industry (March 6, 4 to 6 p.m, Arena Plaza), followed by the NEXTY Awards Ceremony, a throwback prom-themed celebration of the CPG’s next-gen innovators (March 6, 6 to 8 p.m., Marriott, Marquis Ballroom Center). The LGBTQ + Allies Networking Reception gathers community members and allies for an evening of drinks, networking and fun (March 6, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Hiton, California A).
On March 5 and 6 at the Grand Plaza, attendees can join in early morning yoga sessions from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and take in the live music from musical guests including War & Treaty and Margo Price from 6 to 8 p.m.
The festivities wrap up on March 6 with the What’s Up with Supps Artificial Insanity future networking event at HEAT Ultra Lounge that promises “a mind-bending, futuristic vibe with interactive installations and out-of-this-world experiences”, including “AI-powered kale chips, algorithmic smoothies, and nutritional supplements that “know” you better than you know yourself.”
