New Hope Network has announced the cancellation of Natural Products Expo East due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 crisis on events and travel. In light of this decision, they’ve also announced that they will be launching a digital platform that can serve as a springboard for new products companies would otherwise debut at in-person events.
 
“While we were excited to welcome the community to Philadelphia Sept. 23-26 for Natrual Products Expo East and have spent the last three months creating detailed health and safety plans for the event, we have made the difficult decision to cancel,” New Hope said in a statement. “We’ve learned from surveys and conversations that many community members, including retail buyers, are not confident they will feel safe traveling to or attending a large event in September. A potential lack of buyer participation, along with the show changes we would need to make to ensure the health and safety of the Expo East community, would have prevented us from delivering the quality experience and return on investment our exhibitors, sponsors, and the broader community deserve and that we strive to provide.”
 
New Hope reports that they will be refunding all paid Expo East 2020 badges and education registrations, and its sales account managers will work with exhibitors and sponsors on credit or refund plans.
 
In a time when both Expo West and Expo East have been cancelled, New Hope has announced that it is launching Spark Change, a series of digital events and exhibits which will commence in August. It will allow brands and innovators to engage in product discovery, education, and connection with retail buyers, consumer influencers, investors, and others.
 
“To our exhibiting community, we are excited to discuss with you how Spark Change will help your company connect directly with retail buyers, influencers, investors, and others who can help you build and grow your business in this challenging and fast-changing CPG environment,” New Hope said. “We invite you to learn more about Spark Change during our community digital launch event this August.”