New Hope Reschedules Expo West 2021, Releases New Health Guidelines

Media company New Hope announced today that trade show Natural Products Expo West 2021 will be rescheduled, moving from March 2021 to May 24- 27 2021. The organization also released new guidelines for vendors and attendees as it works to evaluate safety measures in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

New Hope has already been forced to cancel both Expo West and Expo East — trade shows that are major draws for their role in introducing new products and programs within the natural products category — for 2020 in light of the pandemic. The organization promised to notify attendees no later than 12 weeks prior to the show’s 2021 start date if another cancellation becomes necessary.

“We hope the additional 12 weeks will result in more of the progress and recovery needed to return to travel and gatherings with the necessary security and safety assurances in place,” New Hope wrote in an email message. “We are committed to providing timely and transparent communication as we navigate this next phase together.

If it does ultimately move forward, the exhibition halls at Expo West 2021 will be open over three days, rather than the standard staggered opening over four days. Education sessions (which normally require an additional fee to attend) will be included as part of all show passes, with limited capacity to allow for social distancing. These sessions will also be live streamed as part of a “virtual” attendance option.

Exhibitors and sponsors, meanwhile, received an additional survey via email asking if they would like to move their booth or sponsorship to the rescheduled event or if they would like to “cancel our participation, vacate our booth and release any corresponding marketing or sponsorship opportunities.” It was unclear from the survey if sponsors and brands would be offered a refund or credit if cancellation was necessary.

New Hope also launched a revised “COVID Health and Safety Measures” website page which detailed the efforts the organization would take to ensure the safety of attendees and exhibitors. In addition to increased cleaning, New Hope plans to utilize electrostatic disinfection systems on the show floor, remove the aisle carpet to allow for better cleaning, and collect waste more frequently.

Exhibitors will also be able to purchase booth cleaning services which will “include top to bottom sanitization of booths.”

Abiding by all “crowd density standards” issued by the state and local government, New Hope also plans to make show floor aisles one-way only. Registration counters will be equipped with plexiglass shields and will not require “direct contact” with a show representative, as it has in the past, in order to allow for less crowding.

Sampling, a key part of the shows in past years, will still be allowed, though all attendees and exhibitors will be required to wear masks while “on campus” or on shuttle buses. Those brands that do sample will be required to keep open food covered, wear gloves and have hand washing capabilities in their booth.