Podcast: Newtopia Now comes with new direction, energy

Newtopia Now has certainly made a name for itself.

Formerly Natural Products Expo East, the show held in Denver last month had an all-natural buzz to it and served as a springboard to successful events moving forward.

The show had over 550 exhibitors, with 180 exhibiting for the first time at any trade show, and over 7,000 attendees, according to show officials.

Heavy hitters in the natural and organic food industry like Whole Foods, Target, and Sprouts Farmers Market were also in attendance.

The core goal of Newtopia Now is to create a meeting place for CPGs and retailers in the natural and organic market, according to New Hope.

The show was divided up into four sections or “neighborhoods”: “Thrive,” “Glow,” “Regenerate,” and “Represent.”

Newtopia Now also had a kitchen area where natural and organic dishes were being created, a café, and a Tasting Bar located right off the show floor where attendees could sample various products of the show.

There is a lot of work that goes into show planning, and with the new name the effort took on more importance.

Supermarket News sat down with Jessica Rubino, vice president of content for New Hope Network, at the show to talk about what went into the name change, the energy during the first day of the event, and some of the features.