If you're attending the 25th annual Natural Products Expo East (which will be held in beautiful Boston from Wednesday, Oct. 13-Saturday, Oct. 16), the following itinerary of grocery-related events will help you ake the most of your time.

Wednesday, Oct. 13
Making Your Deli a Destination*
When: 10:45 a.m. to noon
Where: Level 2, Room 251
Are you making the most of your deli? Learn how approaching your foodservice operation from a restaurant point of view can increase traffic and boost sales.

Retail Merchandising—When Center and Perimeter Collide*
When: 1 to 2:15 p.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 251
Which nuts pair well with leafy greens? When does caramel belong in the
produce section? Learn the ins and
outs of cross merchandising in this
informative session.

New Face of Your Dairy Case*
When: 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 251
Today's consumers are looking for more than milk and butter in the dairy case. Learn merchandising essentials and which products are dairy-case “musts.”

Organic Harvest Festival and Spirit of Organic Awards
When: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Seaport World Trade Center
Join your colleagues for live music, casual conversation, organic food and drink, and the Spirit of Organic Awards presentation. 

A New England Dinner with Organic Family Farmers: A Benefit for the Organic Farming Research Foundation and Farm Aid
When: 7 p.m.
Where: The Exchange Conference Center
This affair, benefiting two worthy causes advancing the goals of organic agriculture, promises an evening of music, food and fun. Tickets are $150.

Thursday, Oct. 14
Catering to a Multicultural Palate
When: 8 to 9 a.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 252B
Discover the hottest multicultural trends and learn how retailers and manufacturers can bring these products to grocery and foodservice.

Featured speaker: Gary Hirshberg, president and CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm
When: 9 to 10 a.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 253BC
Stonyfield's mission is to promote healthy food for people and the planet. Learn how Hirshberg and his team have realized this vision and what he sees for the future of the naturals industry.

Cross Agency Integration—An Update from NOP and USDA
When: 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 254A
Officials from the National Organic Program will address the fine balance between enforcement and market stability that is so critical for organic
businesses, as well as market
surveillance, labeling and the “made
with organic” category.

Health Benefits of Organic—More than Eating Well
When: 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 254A
Get a front-row seat to a discussion with researchers from the President's Cancer Panel on the breakthrough organophosphate study published in Pediatrics. Learn how to leverage studies for the benefit of your organic business.

Community Celebration
When: 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: Westin Waterfront, Garden Terrace
Oktoberfest, this year's theme for the second annual celebration, marks the 25th anniversary of Natural Products Expo East. Grab a stein and say “cheers!” to the accomplishments of friends and colleagues throughout the years.

Friday, Oct. 15
Breakfast by the Bay
When: 7 to 8:30 a.m.
Where: Level 3, Grand Ballroom Lobby
Complete with sunrise views over Boston Harbor, this event will feature healthy and delicious food provided by Earth Balance.

Keynote: Alicia Silverstone
When: 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Where: Level 3, Grand Ballroom
As a well-known actress, Silverstone leverages her fame to promote key issues, including health and the environment. Away from the screen, Silverstone is author of The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet (Rodale, 2009).

Organic and Natural—Finding the Way Forward
When: 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 254A
In this provocative, debate-style session, panelists will get to the heart of the organic versus natural issue. The organic industry already knows this is a major issue—so what is the business community's role and responsibility?

OTA Annual Dinner and Dance
When: 7 to 11 p.m.
Where: Boston Center for the Arts
Join more than 400 new and old colleagues and friends who gather together for this annual organic community event. Tickets, which range from $90 to $105, are available from the Organic Trade Association, ota.com.

Saturday, Oct. 16
Surviving a Recall
When: 8 to 9 a.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 251
Do the words contaminated peanut butter strike a chord of panic in you? Learn from the Food and Drug Administration and a retailer who developed a recall response protocol about how best to survive a recall.

Food Safety Developments—A Regulatory, Legislative and Supply Chain Update for Organic Companies
When: 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Where: Level 2, Room 254A
Panelists will update the organic
business community on legislative, regulatory and quality-assurance issues related to food safety.

* This session is part of the Retailer Workshop, which costs $95, or $75 for Natural Products Association East members.