February 1, 2022
Holly Adrien Natural and Organic Strategy and Innovation Manager The Kroger Co. With a deep background in customer insights, analytics and merchandising, Holly leads development of The Kroger Co.'s strategic focus for natural and organic and is responsible for execution of top activations to meet customer's needs in natural and organic across the total store. In her role, she has the privilege of collaborating with all Kroger banners and both established and emerging brands to continuously innovate in terms of new items, promotions and communication to customers. Her passion for natural products started as an opportunity to improve health and performance in athletics, then blossomed when she was responsible for the Baby department for Kroger and recognized the opportunity that existed to provide the best to her customers, big and small.
Kuvy Ax Owner ROOT Marketing & PR Kuvy Ax has been helping shine a spotlight on exceptional food and beverage companies and organizations for more than two decades. Born in Boulder, Colorado, Kuvy spent her teen years in England, and moved back to Colorado in 1990. After a decade working in radio, newspaper and TV as a writer, announcer, producer and promoter, an obsession with good food prompted her to create ROOT Marketing & PR in 2001. Since then, Kuvy has handled public relations and marketing for almost every type of food- or beverage-related company, program and event, including promoting restaurant openings, coordinating special events and festivals, and leading national media tours, both bringing the media to her clients and taking her clients for media deskside interviews in NYC. Kuvy is very active in the non-profit world, including serving as president of Pollination Planet, and as a board member of both Les Dames D'Escoffier and the World Food Travel Association. She has co-chaired Slow Food Boulder County, been a member of the Colorado Tourism Office and Dept. of Agriculture's Heritage & Agritourism Committee, and frequently volunteers her time supporting organizations such as the Flatirons Food Film Festival.
Annie Brown Vice President of Development Rodale Institute Annie has been with Rodale Institute since 2012 and currently serves as the Vice President of Development. She oversees fundraising from foundations, corporations and individuals. For 75 years, Rodale Institute has been leading game-changing research, expertly training farmers and educating the community to help heal the broken agricultural system through the power of regenerative organic agriculture.
Bill Capsalis Executive Director Naturally Boulder As an avid healthy lifestyle expert, Bill works with emerging brands as well as mid-sized companies on everything, including brand and sales channel strategy, finance, operational challenges and product innovation. His in-depth knowledge of the natural products industry gives him a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing today's food and beverage brands. He is a recognized expert in healthy lifestyles and go-to-market strategies in the natural and organic industry. He was previously the CEO of Haystack Mountain Creamery—an artisanal goat cheese company and saw the company through a sale in early 2021. Today he is the executive director of Naturally Boulder—a trade association in the natural products industry with more than 1,000 members and 200 sponsoring companies. Practicing what he preaches, Bill leads a vegan, low-impact conscious lifestyle and has done so in Boulder, Colorado, for 34 years.
Brian Gordon Chief Marketing Officer Accelerate 360 At Accelerate 360—an omnichannel sales, logistics, data and media company based in Atlanta, Georgia—Brian oversees the company's proprietary brand development and marketing initiatives, all marketing initiatives related to its core lines of business, internal marketing and communications and the strategic IP extensions for all Accelerate360's media properties. Previously, Brian founded Engine Shop and, as CEO, presided over the agency's growth into one of the industry's leading full-service engagement marketing agencies, securing clients such as AB InBev, American Family Insurance, Delta Airlines, Hilton, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft and Proximo Spirits. Brian began his career working in entertainment, representing celebrity talent including Cameron Diaz and Tyra Banks. His early work with brands like Diageo, American Express and Sony PlayStation gave him experience integrating with major properties and talent including the Super Bowl, the Grammy Awards, Tribeca Film Festival, Tiger Woods, Jerry Seinfeld and more. Brian is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He's been married for 20 years to his wife Maria and has three boys, Jackson, Lucas and Benjamin.
Jessie Shafer Registered Dietitian, Journalist The Real Food Dietitians Jessie Shafer is a registered dietitian, writer and recipe creator at The Real Food Dietitians, a nationally recognized food blog managed by a team of registered dietitians that receives more than 1 million pageviews each month. For the last 20 years, Jessie has worked in food and health publishing, holding the roles of editor-in-chief of Delicious Living magazine and senior nutrition editor for Diabetic Living magazine. She is also the former Director of Influence & Health Education at New Hope Network. During this time, she has managed the creation of more than 400 cookbooks, magazines, special-interest publications, nutrition articles and health-focused campaigns. Jessie is a nutrition consultant for health-focused food brands, as well as a frequent contributing writer and nutrition expert for national health publications, including Clean Eating and Better Homes & Gardens, where she covers nutrition- and product-based analysis and trends. Jessie earned her journalism degree from Northwestern University and her registered dietician credentials through Kansas State University and the Wellness Workdays Dietetic Internship. Jessie and her husband share a deep appreciation for good food and love to ride their bikes around Colorado—now with two kids in tow (and a third on the way).
Jessie Shafer Registered Dietitian, Journalist The Real Food Dietitians Jessie Shafer is a registered dietitian, writer and recipe creator at The Real Food Dietitians, a nationally recognized food blog managed by a team of registered dietitians that receives more than 1 million pageviews each month. For the last 20 years, Jessie has worked in food and health publishing, holding the roles of editor-in-chief of Delicious Living magazine and senior nutrition editor for Diabetic Living magazine. She is also the former Director of Influence & Health Education at New Hope Network. During this time, she has managed the creation of more than 400 cookbooks, magazines, special-interest publications, nutrition articles and health-focused campaigns. Jessie is a nutrition consultant for health-focused food brands, as well as a frequent contributing writer and nutrition expert for national health publications, including Clean Eating and Better Homes & Gardens, where she covers nutrition- and product-based analysis and trends. Jessie earned her journalism degree from Northwestern University and her registered dietician credentials through Kansas State University and the Wellness Workdays Dietetic Internship. Jessie and her husband share a deep appreciation for good food and love to ride their bikes around Colorado—now with two kids in tow (and a third on the way).
It's been three years since the natural products industry came together in Anaheim, California, for Expo West. Fortunately, the world is reopening, and we can once again celebrate our passion and products.
The industry's anticipation of the event hasn't waned since our last California get-together. New Hope Network received nearly 1,100 nominations—a new record—for NEXTY Awards, even as we reduced the number of categories to 18 from 23. Look for the 75 or so finalists, as selected by New Hope Network's content, marketing, standards, and NEXT Data and Insight teams to be announced in mid-February.
Meanwhile, we'd like to introduce you to the six NEXTY Award judges who came in to discuss and debate how well each product fulfills the criteria to be a winner: being the most progressive, innovative, inspiring and trustworthy products in the natural products industry. Click through the gallery to meet the judges—including a former New Hope Network director.
The winners will be announced on Natural Products Expo Virtual on March 2.
The 10th year of NEXTY Awards brings changes
All natural products CPG brands were welcome to nominate products for the Expo West NEXTY Awards, even if they weren't exhibiting in person or on the Natural Products Expo Virtual Platform. Nominations closed on Dec. 31.
While the number of categories has dropped to 18, New Hope Network also created new NEXTY categories and redefined others. These changes reflect the industry's commitment to doing business for good and supporting both people and the planet.
Some new categories are open to a variety of products such as food, beverages, supplements, personal care and even pet products. The competition in these five categories will be fierce:
Best New People-Forward Product—These food, beverage, supplement or other brands put people first, whether through their transparent, fair or direct-trade sourcing practices, support of local or global communities, vertical integration, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion practices; support of food access, living wages, employee care, etc.
Best New Planet-Forward Product—These food, beverage, supplement or other brands have demonstrable commitments to sustainable environmental practices (alternative energy, zero waste, regenerative agriculture, circular economies, environmentally responsible packaging, food waste, upcycling…) and exhibit an exemplary level of transparency and understanding of how their practices impact the planet.
Best New Organic or Regenerative Organic Certified Product— This category is for food, beverage, supplement or other natural products industry brands that are doing more by engaging in policy to strengthen organic or regenerative organic standards, converting or expanding acreage or showcasing a deep understanding of the ecological journey to their organic or regenerative efforts. Nominating brands must be Certified Organic (USDA NOP standards or equivalent) or Certified Regenerative.
Best New Functional Food or Beverage—Foods and beverages that seek to support wellness by harnessing functional ingredients such as botanicals, adaptogens, nootropics, etc. Brands are strongly encouraged to include amounts per serving information for the functional ingredients in their nomination application, particularly in support of any wellness claims made about the product on the packaging.
Best New Product Supporting a Plant-Based Lifestyle—Food, beverage, supplement or other. These products help promote and educate about the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and answer a growing consumer demand for plant-forward products that support climate, health and/or animal welfare issues.
The Consumer Choice Award categories are Best New Food or Beverage; Best New Natural Living or Personal Care Product; and Best New Supplement.
The categories that have been discontinued are Best New Environmentally Responsible Packaging, Best New Hemp/CBD Product, Best New Mission-Based Product, Best New Natural Kids Product, Best New Organic Beverage, Best New Product Supporting a Healthy Microbiome, Best New Sports Nutrition or Active Lifestyle Product and Best New Tea or Coffee.
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