Natural Products Expo East Attracts Record Attendance and Booth Sales

Show Poised for Move to Boston in 2008 to Accommodate Continued Growth

NEW YORK (October 2, 2007) — Natural Products Expo East (www.expoeast.com), the largest natural and organic products trade show and conference on the east coast, posted 7 percent growth in overall attendance this year with more than 25,000 attendees and 1,790 exhibits. With the natural and organic products industry growing at 9.7 percent annually and topping more than $56 billion in consumer sales, according to The Natural Foods Merchandiser's™ 2007 Market Overview, Natural Products Expo East benefited from national trends toward healthier lifestyle choices, from grocery store to pharmacy to home. The show, held September 26-29 in Baltimore, Md., is co-located with the Healthy Foods Conference and produced by New Hope Natural Media, a division of Penton Media, Inc.

"The record-breaking success of this show reflects the escalating economic clout of natural, organic and healthy products," said Fred Linder, president of New Hope Natural Media. "Natural Products Expo East once again provided the largest and most diverse opportunity on the east coast for entrepreneurs, retailers and manufacturers in this growing industry."

The 23rd annual gathering was an active launching pad for new products, providing a glimpse of the healthy trends of tomorrow. The show's New Products Pavilion played host to product introductions and events, including the 5th Annual New Products Showcase Awards. Winners of the 2007 New Products Showcase Awards were: BeeCeuticals Organics Bee-Yond Body Rub(Personal Care/Health & Beauty); FoodShouldTasteGood MultiGrain Tortilla Chips and Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils Organic Hempmilk (Food ? tie); Nelsons Rescue Remedy Pastilles (Supplement/Herbs); Sweetriot 100% Dark Chocolate Cacao Nibs (Green/Environmentally-friendly); Wise-Acre, Inc. Frost Teas (Innovation); and Zhena Gypsy Tea (Packaging).

In addition to the active trade show floor, Natural Products Expo East 2007 featured numerous educational and networking opportunities, highlighted by keynote speaker Paul Hawken, environmentalist, entrepreneur, journalist and author.

"Natural Products Expo East ensures the continued success of my business," said Zedrick Clark, president of Nature's Food Market. "Whether I'm looking for a specific product or shopping a new category, this show allows me to make the best use of my time—there is no comparison for negotiating deals face to face."

After 23 years in the mid-Atlantic region, Natural Products Expo East will relocate to Boston in 2008. Scheduled for October 15-18 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, the move accommodates the industry's growth. The Boston location will provide increased proximity to the retail buying audience of the Northeast.

"With the growth of the show and the industry, we're pleased to provide our clients with an exciting new venue in a progressive region that is important to the natural products industry," said Erica Hulsman, show manager.

New Hope Natural Media (www.newhope.com), a division of the Penton Media, Inc., is the leading media resource and information provider for the natural, organic and healthy products industry with print, in-person/event, and e-business products and services. Penton Media, Inc. is the largest independent business-to-business media company in the U.S., serving more than six million business professionals every month. The company's market-leading brands are focused on 30 industries and include 113 trade magazines, 145 Web sites, 150 industry trade shows and conferences, and more than 500 information data products. Headquartered in New York City, the privately held company is owned by MidOcean Partners and U.S. Equity Partners II, an investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP, and its coinvestors. For additional information on the company and its businesses, visit www.penton.com.

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For Immediate Release

Contact: Barry Hirsch
The Fresh Ideas Group
Phone: (303) 449-2108 ext. 22
E-mail: [email protected]