Preview of Natural Products Expo West 2018

I’m once again a part of the New Hope Blogger Team for Natural Products Expo West 2018. This is what…my 5th year on the team?

Check out my reviews from 2013 (before I was even on the team), 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017…

Expo West is my favorite place over the years to find the best editorial content for both this site – Celiac and the Beast – and the magazine that I am the managing editor for – Gluten Free & More Magazine. However, I’m proud to say that I earned this spot as Celiac and the Beast – because, I am the best version of myself on the show floor. Yes, humble brag.

I spend weeks talking with PR firms and brand managers trying to schedule my few days on the show floor, bouncing from booth to booth finding the best possible products to show off for the upcoming year.

But I can’t do what I do without the rest of the amazing blogger team. We’re always sharing our best finds and contacts because we’re a group of trusted ladies that are just slaying it in the blogging world for natural products. This includes my personal friends – Colleen of FODMAP Life (ps, she’s my life saver for my Low FODMAP diet), Jackie of My Vegan Journal,  Kathlena of The Allergy Chef (new to the team this year), Krysten of Krysten’s Kitchen (new to the team this year), Leah of Mamavation, Lindsay of Fit and Awesome, Sarah of A Gustsy Girl and Paleoish Mama, and Stephanie of Sweets 4 Epi Girl (new to the team this year).

Check out what they’re saying: FODMAP Life, and Sarah Kay Hoffman.

So what am I looking for on the show floor this year?

• Gluten-free, certified preferred – anything, I’m fair game, as long as it is safe for me and tastes good.
• I’m looking specifically for things filling a white space. Girl, I don’t need any more gluten-free bars, or AP flour mixes with the same-old same-old ingredients
• Also dairy-free
• Also egg-free
• Top 8 free foods
• Natural beauty (also gluten-free)
• Natural home products (also gluten-free, getting a theme here?)
• Natural feminine care (yes, my vagina is also gluten-free)
• Natural cleaning products (also gluten-free)

And if I find something really awesome, they’ll get a #CATBApproved sticker. And it’s gonna be awesome.

Things I’m already excited about. There are a trillion brands that have pitched me and I’m sure I’m missing some great stuff. If you have a brand that has a great gluten-free product, please email me at CeliacandtheBeast(@)gmail.com.

• Canyon Bakehouse NEW Hawaiian Bread
• NEW Bonafide Provisions items (plus a rebrand)
• Hope Foods NEW flavor Buffalo Bleu (cheating, it was at WFFS18)
• NEW Purely Elizabeth certified GF/Vegan oats
• PopChips new Peanut Butter-based Nutter Puffs
• MadeGood Foods new chocolate chip cookies
• Lotus Foods NEW Rice Ramen Noodle Soup – can’t wait for Tom Yum
• NadaMoo NEW Flavors: Strawberry Cheesecake, Cookie Dough Fudge, Caramel Cold-Brew + Cookies
• Base Culture NEW Breads
• Elmhurst Naturals NEW Chocolate Peanut Nut Milk
• Wellnut Butter (I’m cheating they were at WFFS, but I am going to steal a jar at this show).
• Nona Lim NEW Noodle Bowls – GF/Vegan
• REBBL NEW flavors
• Hail Merry NEW bar bites
• Kite Hill NEW yogurt tubes
• Birch Benders NEW paleo mixes and frozen waffles
• Epic Provisions NEW oven baked pork rinds
• The Honest Stand NEW vegan cheeses
• Daiya Foods NEW products (shhhhh it’s secret, but it’s awesome).

And there are a ton of products that I already found on the show floor of Specialty Foods Show Fancy Foods earlier this year. Check out my Instagram to see photos from that show! And yes, I am still trying to write a blog post for this…I’ve been just a little busy.

Make sure you stay tuned to my Instagram during the show, and follow #ExpoBlogger and #NewHopeBlogger and #ExpoWest on Instagram!