In our newest greening efforts for SupplyExpo/Expo West 2010 features some big initiatives:

 We will not be printing Buyers’ Guide book this year, instead we will print a much smaller Show Diretory Map. Visited our enhanced website and listings at www.supplyexpo.com/directory. On site you can access all event information at www.supplyexpo.com/mobile for easy use on your PDA

 We will no longer provide badge holders, those little plastic (actually ours were made of biodegradable corn) holders that you slide your badge and business cards into. So this year, you will just have your lanyard and your badge.

 We will not be mailing badges this year! A huge initiative in terms of the perception, but I think attendees and exhibitors alike will find it an easy process, and no one has to worry to remember to bring their badge.

More on badges: last year we moved our central registration, show office, sales office and press room and Global Resource Center to the third floor ballroom of the Anaheim Convention Center. All those resources will be in the ballroom again in 2010, and we have expanded our registration area and made it even easier to register onsite, or to just pick up your badge.

You can also pick up badges in the lobbies of Hall A and Hall E. If you are an exhibitor, we will have registration available in the Halls B/C breezeway near the loading dock. This should make your move-in easy!

How can you make this transition for yourself the easiest? Pre-register today! Go to www.supplyexpo.com/register and your badge will be easily printed out for you when you arrive on site. After you register, visit the Online Buyer’s Guide & Show Directory (www.supplyexpo.com/directory) to create YOUR “Expo Plan” and map out the booths that you want to visit during the show.

We are here to help! Contact us at tradeshows@newhope.com or 1.866.458.4935 to speak with a customer service rep.

See you in Anaheim.

As the Chair of Nutracon this year, I wanted to let everyone know that the program is essentially finalized with session descriptions complete. The 6 tracks this year have something for just about everyone and were designed to provide exactly that. From New Developments in Botanicals and Extracts to the Mainstreming of Natural Sweeteners, and healthy oils to antioxidant science, (not to mention Healthy Aging and Weight Management) we’ve got important topics, great speakers and more than a little bit of controversy.

For those of you that took in Slim-Slam last year (side by side presentation on the science of selected weight management ingredients) we’ve upped the ante this year and are running Slim-Slam II as well as Brainstorm, an evaluation of brain health/cognition ingredients. So we’ve got trends, cutting edge science, speakers like Dr. Gregory Berns, Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, Jane Brody and Dr. Brian Wansink and discussions on emerging products such as resveratrol and ‘experienced’ ones such as the ‘Future of DHEA’. I know many of you already have registration codes, but for those that don’t, drop me a line. I look forward to seeing you there for what promises to be one of the best Nutracon programs ever.

Len Monheit

Nutracon Chair 2010

posted by Penny Andino - drop me a line if you need a discount code penny.andino@penton.com

It is official: the 2010 panel of NutrAward judges nominated the following companies for best new ingredient and best finished product categories. Visit www.nutraconference.com for more information about the NutrAward or to register for the Nutracon, the premier pre-conference co-located with SupplyExpo.

Best New Ingredient*

1. FAST-C™, buffered and 90%+ acid neutralized Vitamin C, (patent pending)

Scientific Food Solutions

2. Cereboost™, American ginseng

Naturex

3. PromilinPRO®, A Patented Fenugreek Seed Extract

TSI Health Sciences

Best New Finished Product*

1. Nevella, probiotics no calorie sweeteners

Ganeden Biotech

2. Vectomega® whole food omega-3 DHA/EPA complex

EuroPharma® Inc.

3. VitaPQQ, pyrroloquinoline quinine

Quality of Life Labs

*alphabetical by product, not ranked in any order.

Voting begins the week of January 25, 2010.

Now the decision is up to you, the voters. Winners will be announced at Supply Expo, March 12-14 in Anaheim. Please vote at www.nutraward.com. You will need your Supply Expo (or Expo West) badge number to vote, so register now at www.Supplyexpo.com.

This is the time where innovative product development will set you apart from the competition. Innovation is the theme in which we have built the Nutracon 2010 agenda, understanding its importance in the industry today. I found this article in Progressive Grocer speaking to the importance of innovation for CPG growth, here’s a link to read for yourself.

Nutracon, is the premier conference for ingredient and technology innovation. Conference tracks include: Healthy Aging, Natural Sweeteners, Antioxidant Science, Weight Management & Obesity, Botanicals & Extracts, and Healthy Oils. Register before 2/5/10 at www.nutraconference.com/attend for an early bird rate. Dates: March 10-11, 2010, Anaheim, CA USA

Read about top 100 things to watch in 2010-everything from food, people, trends, and more… Stevia of course even made this diverse list at No. 86. Stevia and other natural sweeters will be discussed at Nutracon in 2010, www.nutraconference.com for more information.