Expo West NEXTY Awards nominations close Dec. 2

New Hope Network is accepting Natural Products Expo West 2025 NEXTY Award nominations until Monday, Dec. 2. Nominate your product now so you can enjoy Thanksgiving weekend!

November 8, 2024

3 Min Read
NEXTY Awards 2025 now open

The deadline is rapidly approaching to nominate products for New Hope Network's NEXTY Awards, an annual program that has been recognizing the most innovative, inspirational and integrity-driven products in the natural products industry for more than a decade.

The current edition of this prestigious awards program kicked off Sept. 16 and culminates with the announcement of the winners at Natural Products Expo West from March 4-7 in Anaheim, California. Brands do not have to exhibit at Expo West to apply for a NEXTY Award and take advantage of the multiple benefits of being declared a finalist or winner.  

Nominations accepted until Dec. 2

This edition of the NEXTY Awards has a much longer nomination period, with nominations accepted until Dec. 2. Companies can send in their non-perishable samples at any time, but perishable samples may only be received from Dec. 2–Dec. 5. Finalists will be announced on Feb. 12 on newhope.com and winners will be selected in a second round of judging by a panel of retailers and other industry experts.

The 2024 edition of the NEXTY Awards was record-breaking, with nearly 1,500 nominations and 154 finalists. It also saw the debut of numerous new categories, including packaged produce, certified regenerative product, beauty product, alcoholic and adult non-alcoholic beverage, vegan product and more. A full list of all 35 NEXTY award categories can be found here.

Related:Navigating integrity in the natural products CPG industry

How to nominate a product

The nomination form can be found here on expowest.com. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. MT Dec. 2.

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What are the judging criteria?

The editors and judges use these criteria to determine whether a product is worthy of a coveted NEXTY Award:

  • Innovation: The product or company shows truly creative thinking and execution (not a "me too" approach); uses a newly discovered or rediscovered ingredient, flavor profile, technique or process; fills a legitimate (though perhaps not yet recognized) natural products market need or niche; and/or is predicted to have longer-term impact in the industry.

  • Inspiration: The product or company adheres to an unusual or new mission targeting an issue or problem not yet widely addressed; its message/mission is clearly communicated, focused and effective, with real, wide-reaching potential or already proven positive social or environmental impact.

  • Integrity: The product or company takes a creative, next-gen approach to clean ingredient(s), sustainability, transparency, traceability and safety/security.

Additionally, all products must meet New Hope Network's Ingredient Standards & Guidelines, which are the same standards and guidelines in place for all exhibitors at Natural Products Expo West and Newtopia Now.

Related:NEXTY Awards Prom Night: See the winners!

Arya Roti displayed its NEXTY Award trophies at its Newtopia Now booth. Credit: Victoria A.F. Camron

What are the benefits of winning a NEXTY Award?

NEXTY Award finalists and winners receive considerable industry recognition before and after Natural Products Expo West.

All finalists will be featured in a special showcase at Expo West, as well as on each trade show's virtual platforms. They will also be included in a print feature in the retail-facing Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine and a number of special features on newhope.com.

The NEXTY winners receive all the benefits of the finalists as well as a NEXTY trophy, exclusive rights to use the NEXTY Awards winner logo in promotions and packaging, access to the winner’s toolkit to maximize their award and more. Find a selection of articles about previous winners and finalists here.

Where can I learn more about the NEXTY Awards?

The Expo West NEXTY Awards website is your go-to resource for all NEXTY Awards details, including the nomination form, the categories, associated fees, past winners, the benefits of winning, the rotating industry judging panel and more! The NEXTY Awards Nomination Guide will equip you with the information you need to successfully nominate your product.

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