Natural Products Expo West provides assistance for California fire recovery

In addition to donations from these Informa Market brands, trade show attendees will have opportunities to support the affected communities at the Anaheim Convention Center. Find out more.

February 16, 2025

3 Min Read
Upper left: Smoke blows over Malibu Beach. Right: A QR code on a sign links to county resources. Bottom left: Firefighters spray water on a hot spot.
Natural Products Expo West and two other Informa Markets trade shows in Anaheim, California, will donate funds and products to support the survivors of January's fires in Los Angeles County. Alamy

At a Glance

  • Natural Products Expo West will support relief with $35,000 and surplus materials for local food banks and nonprofits.
  • These Informa Market shows will donate more than $50,000, food and other essentials to aid L.A's impacted communities.

Three leading trade shows in Southern California—Natural Products Expo West, MD&M West and Sustainable Manufacturing Expo/WestPack— are working together to provide critical aid for people affected by the devastating California wildfires.

California has long been a cornerstone of these industry events, which serve as hubs for the natural and organic food and supplements industries, as well as the engineering, packaging and sustainable manufacturing industries. In solidarity with the Southern California community, the organizers of these shows are stepping up to give back to the communities that have supported them for so many years. 

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Natural Products Expo West, the country's largest annual event for natural, organic and conscious consumer-packaged goods, will provide a $35,000 donation to Second Harvest Food Bank. In addition, leftover materials—furniture from booths and packaged foods­—will be donated to local non-profits including Habitat for Humanity and Second Harvest Food Bank, with specialized relief efforts in place for food insecurity, servicing Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

“Our mission is more health for more people. While our friends and colleagues in the Southern California community are recovering from these devastating wildfires, we want to make sure they continue to have access to nutritious food,” adds Danica Cullins, executive vice president of Informa Markets Health & Nutrition. “We are proud to support Second Harvest Food Bank in their critical mission to keep families well-fed and cared for. California has always been a cornerstone of the healthy and organic foods industry, and this donation is a small way for us to give back to the people who mean so much to our industry.”

Related:Countdown begins: Expo West 2025 starts March 4—just four weeks away

Collective efforts from these shows will dedicate more than $50,000 in donations with additional services to support neighboring California communities with essential resources.

For more information on how to contribute, visit the MD&M West community website and the Natural Products Expo West website.

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MD&M West, which is co-located with the first-ever North American Sustainable Manufacturing Expo provided a $15,000 donation with double donation matching to benefit the West Side Food Bank. In addition, QR codes displayed throughout the Feb. 4-5 show at the Anaheim Convention Center linked to an Amazon shopping list of support items available for donation to the West Side Food Bank and the LA Food Bank. The link will also provide options to for individuals to contribute financial donations. The team also organized an on-site blood drive on Feb. 5, hosted by American Red Cross, sponsored by Sterilized Packaging Manufacturer’s Council.

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“The California community has been central to the success of our shows, and we felt that it was essential during this time to support our West Coast colleagues and partners,” Melissa Magestro, vice president at Informa Markets Engineering, said in a released statement in January. “Social sustainability and patient care are at the core of the industries we serve through MD&M, Sustainable Manufacturing Expo and WestPack, and it is our honor to be a small part of contributing to the rebuilding of a city and community that means so much to us.”

Source: Informa Markets

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