The bustle of Natural Products Expo West comes to a standstill during that magical moment when your dream buyer finally arrives at your booth: They admire your backdrop, listen attentively to your honed pitch, love your product (we hope!), and the whole show smiles on you.

But how do you make sure that magical moment actually happens? Here are a few things you can do—ahead of and during the show—to make it more likely. 

Five things to do before you leave for Expo West

Start with a strategy. Do you know who is right for you? Do you have a channel and retailer strategy tailored to your brand goals and budget? If not, that’s a good place to start. Consider whether the right approach for you is local, regional, national, natural, etc. Figure out your overall approach and which retailers are a good fit. Just because you’ve heard of Safeway doesn’t mean you should focus on them in year one. Pro tip: our Retail Sales tracker lists all U.S. chains—use it!

Know the buyers. Do you know the name of your buyer? You can search retailer submission portals, trade show portals, call the retailer’s office (old school!), ask a friend or a broker or ask on our Startup CPG Slack. You can find quite a bit of information on LinkedIn by searching and by following other brands and founders, who often tag the buyer when they get into a store. Pro tip: If they accept your request, you can often see their email on their profile under Contact Info.

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Build a relationship. Don’t just wait for Expo! Work your usual sales approach through brokers, LinkedIn, local events and email outreach. Even if they don’t respond, they will start to become familiar with you. I personally put a lot of energy into posting on LinkedIn to share good energy and good momentum; I found buyers got very familiar with me that way.

Show them you know them. Do they work off a review calendar for product categories? If so, when is yours? Can you learn what they care about from their LinkedIn posts, what media they read, etc.? What distributor do they use? Have you been inside their store to look at the set, and do you have an opinion where your product should go? Do your research; this shows retailers and buyers that you are not just spraying and praying, but that you’re thoughtful in your approach.

Get down with their friends. Distributors are sometimes just as critical as the buyer, if not more. Sometimes they even make new product recommendations to the buyer. Treat every KeHE & UNFI person like a buyer and ask them what they do. Getting them on your side can unlock huge introductions and opportunities.

Related:Foods, beverages, pet treats and plant care brands compete at Pitch Slam

What to do when Expo West starts

Make your list. Make a prioritized list of your target buyers attending the show. Search LinkedIn (#expowest tags), ask brokers, ask people via email. Look at the speaker list, sometimes you can see at least one place you know the buyer will be (e.g., a panel). Hopefully, you’ve emailed any you know before the show with a killer data slide and your booth number. Offer your cell number in case they have trouble finding you on the floor.

Talk to everyone. If you don’t know your buyer’s name but you see someone from their store walk by, ask them, “Hi, I was wondering if your Pantry buyer is here? What’s their name?” They will always tell you, and if you get them to like your product, they might even text them a photo and your booth number.

Ask for intros. If you really need something, ask for it. Ask for help from friends at the show. Many people who stop by your booth will offer, “How can I be helpful?” Don’t be shy! People like to help, especially when they love your product. In the early days when you don’t know many buyers personally, intros from others can be one of the best ways to meet them.

Shoot your shot. If you see your buyer at a panel, in the hallway or they fly by your booth, wave them down! Get their attention. Ideally, you’ll always have product with you at every event. If you feel nervous, the 100% tried and true is to stick out your hand and say “I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m so-and-so, and I’m planning to submit for your review.” I personally hate asking buyers for their card; I never get turned down if I ask to write down their email address to follow up with a sell sheet over email.

None shall pass: Nobody should walk by your booth without your seeing them. You want to be out in front of your booth, scanning every retailer badge, not relying on them to look your way. It’s great to have someone serving up samples so you can focus on badge hunting and critical conversations. And remember: if they try to walk by and/or say no thanks, ”I just wanted to introduce myself” works wonders. Lastly, ease up if they seemed closed off. You’ll get to try with them again next year.

Good luck to all of you, here’s to a wonderful Natural Products Expo West 2025!

Startup CPG has 30 member boots exhibiting at Natural Products Expo West this year. Find them on ACC Level 3 in the Hot Products Pavillion, Booth No. 7805.

The State of Natural and Organic 2025 presents data and highlights the trends and consumer insights brands and retailers need empower their businesses this year. The session is 8:30-10 a.m. Wednesday, March 5, at the Marriott, Marquis Ballroom Center. It also can be livestreamed through the Expo West Event App or New Hope Network's YouTube channel. Daniel Scharff will be a guest in the panel discussion.