Spread The Love at Expo West: The Super Bowl of CPG

If you’ve been hearing the buzz around Expo West and wondering what it’s all about, you’re not alone.

For those who aren’t familiar, Natural Products Expo West—better known as Expo West—is essentially the Super Bowl for CPG brands. Hosted annually at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, this event brings together thousands of natural and organic brands, buyers, distributors, retailers, manufacturers, and industry leaders under one roof.

It’s where innovation launches.
It’s where partnerships are formed.
And for small businesses like ours, it’s where big dreams take shape.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane and share what Expo West has meant to Spread The Love over the years.

Expo West is the largest natural, organic, and healthy products trade show in North America. Brands showcase new product launches, rebrands, and category innovations to key decision-makers from grocery chains, food service distributors, and e-commerce platforms.

Attendees range from:

• National and regional grocery buyers

• Distributors and food service partners

• Retail merchandisers

• Media and influencers

• Fellow founders and entrepreneurs

And yes, you might even spot celebrities like Jennifer Garner, Gal Gadot, or Joe Jonas walking the floor supporting their favorite brands or investing in better-for-you businesses.

But beyond the celebrity sightings and flashy booths, Expo West is about something much deeper: community, innovation, and the future of CPG.

As a women- and minority-owned nut butter company built on clean, ultra-creamy, single-ingredient products, Expo West has always been a milestone moment for us.

It’s where:

• We showcase our Naked Organic Peanut Butter and other clean-label nut butters.

• We connect with retailers looking for high-protein, plant-based options.

• We tell our founder story face-to-face.

• We meet fellow brands who care about ingredient integrity just as much as we do.

For a bootstrapped brand, Expo West isn’t just another trade show; it’s a stage.

2017 was the first year we exhibited at Expo West.

For a small business like ours, this was HUGE.

We had a modest booth, big hearts, and a mission: prove that clean-label nut butters deserved a seat at the table. Walking into that massive convention hall felt overwhelming, but also empowering. We weren’t just dreaming anymore. We were building.

That year marked the beginning of our evolution from local favorite to nationally recognized natural products brand.

2019 was bold.
2019 was loud.
2019 was the year of the Clean AF Movement.

We leaned fully into our commitment to clean-label, no-palm-oil, no-added-junk nut butters. While many brands use oils, sugars, and fillers, we stood firm in our belief that if it’s not good enough for us, it’s not good enough for our customers.

Our Clean AF message resonated deeply with buyers and fellow founders who were equally passionate about ingredient transparency.

(Check out our blog all about the Clean AF movement)

Fast forward to 2023, and what a moment it was.

We exhibited again and had our whole team together for the first time. There is nothing more special than seeing your vision come to life with the people who help make it happen every day.

This year, we proudly unveiled our 10-year anniversary rebrand with our new jar design.

The refreshed look reflected:

• Our growth

• Our maturity as a brand

• Our bold, bright visual identity

• And our continued commitment to ultra-creamy, drizzleable perfection

Expo West gave us the perfect stage to say: We’re just getting started.

Not every year we exhibit; sometimes we just walk the floor.

Last year, we explored the show floor, connected with partners, and supported our favorite fellow brands. 

And yes, we brought our legendary 15-pound pail of peanut butter to show off. Because when you’re proud of your product, you go big.

Walking Expo West reminds us that this industry is built on collaboration. Today’s booth neighbor might be tomorrow’s retail partner.

If you’re a CPG founder wondering whether Expo West is worth the investment, here’s our honest take:

It’s not just about orders written at the booth.
It’s about visibility.
It’s about positioning.
It’s about momentum.

Expo West is where the natural products industry gathers to shape what’s next.

And for Spread The Love, it has been part of our story, from scrappy startup booth to polished anniversary rebrand.