BALTIMORE, M.D., Sept. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 35th annual Natural Products Expo East, the industry’s largest event on the east coast, hosted over 29,000 attendees with more than 1,550 brands.  Exhibitors showcased the latest innovations shaping the future of organic and natural food and beverage, personal care and supplements. The show, produced by New Hope Network, was held September 11^th-14^th at the Baltimore Convention Center.

The U.S. natural products industry hit $219 billion in annual sales last year, and industry sales have been more than doubling since 2007, according to New Hope Network’s Nutrition Business Journal. Much of the growth in natural and organic products comes from entrepreneurs, including an increasingly more diverse group of leaders who better represent changing demographics and tastes.

This year’s exhibit halls showcased the latest products from 537 new companies making their Natural Products Expo East debut and 261 international brands. Retailers, distributors, investors and more come to the show to spot the brands disrupting the consumer goods marketplace. Thousands of attendees walked the halls of the Organic Pavilion, the Hot Products Pavilions and the inaugural Hemp Pavilion to find the newest products coming soon to store shelves.

“Every fall the exhibit halls at Natural Products Expo East are bursting with products that are increasing consumer awareness about the importance of organic and supporting trends within plant-based, hemp and agricultural innovation,” said Lacey Gautier, Group Show Director. “It’s inspiring to also see the organic pioneers continue to strengthen the impact organic has on the natural products industry.”

“Attending Expo East helps me stay relevant as a buyer in the industry. I am thankful for the opportunity to connect with so many great people, taking advantage of show specials and the education opportunities. I’m appreciative for the hard work and dedication of all who make Expo East possible,” said Sherry Murer from Organic Harvest in Alabama.

Education sessions and special events were held throughout the convention center and nearby hotels during the week, gathering passionate members of the industry to focus on changing the future for good. Expo East education highlights included a keynote by Shawn Achor, bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential. The second annual Hemp & CBD Summit centered around increasing integrity by nurturing a responsible and transparent hemp industry; and Breaking Up the All-Male, All-White Board examined why we need more women and diversity on natural products industry boards and how we get there.

The winner of Natural Products Business School’s Pitch Slam was Goodwolf Water Kefir. The NEXTY Editor’s Choice winners were Seal the Seasons Tri-State Berry Blend, Gotham Greens Pestos, The Real Co. Organic Raw Coconut Sugar and Farmer Focus Organic Free Range Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast. A full list of the winners of the 2019 NEXTY Awards, representing what tomorrow's healthy living landscape will look like, can be found online.

The content and research team at New Hope Network tracked 15 trends this year, for detailed descriptions and examples of exciting new products that exemplify each trend, visit the online gallery at newhope.com.

In 2020, Natural Products Expo East will change locations to the Philadelphia Convention Center from September 23^rd-26^th. The event has called Baltimore home for over a decade and the team thanks Visit Baltimore, the City of Baltimore and the Baltimore Convention Center for their support and partnership over the years. The 40^th annual Natural Products Expo West will take place March 3^rd-7^th at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Natural Products Expo East is produced by New Hope Network and is co-located with All Things Organic/Biofach America and Harvest Festival.

Follow @NatProdExpo and #ExpoEast on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, and visit us on Facebook and LinkedIn for ongoing conversations.

About New Hope Network
New Hope Network, by Informa Markets, is at the forefront of the healthy lifestyle products industry. With solutions for the complete supply chain from manufacturers, retailers/distributors, service providers and ingredient suppliers, the network offers a robust portfolio of content, events, data, research and consultative services. Through its mission of growing healthy markets to bring more health to more people, New Hope Network helps businesses identify the people, products, partnerships and trends that create better opportunities and connections. For more information visit www.newhope.com.

About Informa Markets:
Informa Markets is made up of the top events, education, data and content brands across the global health and wellness industry. This powerful alliance serves a world-wide network of CPG brands, manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, distributors, investors and service providers.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9bc66041-23f7-448d-ad98-d3425cf32058