Plant Based World Expo Breaks Buyer Record
Plant Based World Expo North America, billed by its organizers as “the leading 100% plant-based trade event,” marked its fifth iteration at the Javits Center in New York City by breaking a record for the number of buyers in attendance, with 2,451 registrants at the show, two-thirds of whom had direct purchasing power. The buyers spanned the foodservice, retail, hospitality and distribution sectors. Other attendees included senior executives from major companies, menu planners, product developers, academic researchers and government officials.
As an example of the importance of live events for making business connections, buyers and exhibitors took part in an expanded Hosted Buyer Matchmaking Program during the event, which facilitated 500-plus pre-scheduled meetings in a dedicated area on the expo floor. Retailers and suppliers were matched using retail insights from Chicago-based SPINS, which provides retail consumer insights, analytics and consulting for the natural, organic and specialty products industry.
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The show floor provided many examples of global innovation, with participation with exhibitors and products from around the world, including Mexico, the United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil. One notable innovation was Burr Ridge, Ill.-based Milkadamia’s “milk leaves” – dried sheets that can be rehydrated with water to create creamy nondairy milk. One leaf makes the equivalent of 8 ounces of milk and the product comes in a flat pack featuring 94% less packaging waste and 85% less transportation weight than cartons.
The expo also revealed key industry trends such as an ongoing shift toward whole food-based products that prioritize natural ingredients over creating like-for-like meat analogs. Trends were also discussed widely in the educational program sessions, all of which, for the first time in the event’s history, were open to attendees and exhibitors at the show, with the aim of creating a collaborative atmosphere for various sectors to interact with one another and for learnings to be shared.
Among the sessions, SPINS CEO Jay Margolis led a keynote on integrating plant-based products into everyday meals, joined by Joseph Saine, director of sales at Redwood City, Calif.-based Impossible Foods, and Jonathan Lawrence, VP of merchandising - center store and founding member at Downers Grove, Ill.-based Fresh Thyme Market, offering a deep dive into consumer behavior and the adoption of plant-based meats.
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Additionally, on the first day of the show, plant-based business community VEGPRENEUR hosted its inaugural awards ceremony in partnership with Plant Based World Expo. After more than 450 individual product tastings judged by sustainability, taste, packaging, innovation and market viability, 16 winners were revealed at a ceremony. Honorees included Milkadamia, Seed & Shell, Nature’s Fynd, UNCLE NICK’S, Voyage Foods and Yo Egg.
“This year, we marked the fifth annual edition of Plant Based World Expo with true collaboration from across the sector,” noted Jonathan Morley, Plant Based World Expo event director. “We are thrilled to have hosted so many buyers at our event and showcase the longevity and importance that the plant-based food industry holds. We firmly believe that the plant-based food sector holds the key to food system transformation that is desperately needed in 2024 and beyond. It is our privilege to create a space for the wider food and beverage industry to learn about the opportunities it presents, and further efforts to change the world for the better.”
The event will return to the Javits Center on Sept. 24-25, 2025. Plant Based Expo is produced by Fairfield, Conn.-based JD Events.
