The Top 6 Keto Trade Shows for Keto Brands

For startups and small companies, one of the biggest challenges is raising brand awareness and getting your company´s name and profile in front of potential clients, customers, and future partners.  While the internet and social media have helped to “level the playing field” and offer an affordable advertising channel that allows companies to connect directly with audiences of their choosing, the conversion rate with Facebook ads is relatively low.  The chance of landing a lucrative, long-term contract because some CEO was intrigued by a Facebook ad that he or she came across is a long shot, to say the least.  Trade shows, on the other hand, offer a unique space and opportunity for small to mid-size keto brands to meet face-to-face with high profile clients who exhibit specific interest in a given industry and who can help their company meet new growth targets.   For Keto companies, there are dozens of specific keto trade shows that bring together scientists, experts, Keto entrepreneurs, news media, companies, and individual consumers who are interested in the Keto lifestyle.  

Benefits of Attending and Exhibiting at a Keto Trade Shows

According to one recent analysis, 77 percent executive decision makers found at least one new supplier at the last trade show they attended. Large companies often have a dedicated employee who is in charge of visiting trade shows around the country to identify new suppliers and providers. In the specific case of the Keto Diet, businesses in the health, nutrition, and food industries are certainly taking notice of Keto´s sustained popularity.  In terms of internet searches, Google has shown a sustained growth of +1011% between 2016 and 2018 for the Keto Diet. The same study also finds that the “grass-fed” claim for food products sold in retail grew by 23 percent in 2018 alone.

As more and more consumers become intrigued by low-carb, grass-fed meat and dairy products, mid to large-sized businesses and corporations will certainly be hitting the trade show trail to seek out new suppliers.  For small startups in the Keto Diet niche, attending a keto trade show also makes economic sense from the “cost per client meeting” approach. On average, the cost of a face-to-face meeting with a prospect at a tradeshow is only $142 while that same face-to-face meeting at the office of a potential prospect is upwards of $259. Instead of sending out unsolicited emails or hopelessly cold-calling the offices of potential clients, tradeshows offer a space where customers will come to you.  In fact, more than eight out of every ten trade show attendees are known to have buying authority for the companies they represent.

Besides raising brand awareness, forging potentially profitable business relationships, and creating advantageous targeted leads to spur further company growth, other benefits that come with attending and exhibiting at a trade show include competitor analysis and continued education.  Because hundreds of companies in the Keto niche will all have a separate booth promoting their products and services at a given tradeshow, attending will give you a unique opportunity to consider your competitors and analyze your potential strength within a given niche in the market.  Meeting other Keto-related business owners also will give you the opportunity to network and possibly find opportunities for future collaboration with like-minded companies. Lastly, tradeshows will often include a variety of speakers and educational sessions wherein leading scientific and industry experts offer important insight into new developments and studies related to the Keto Diet.  Participating in these educational spaces is important for companies to continue learning about how the Keto Diet can positively impact the lives of their clients and customers.

The Best Trade Shows for Keto Brands

While there are hundreds of nutrition and diet related tradeshows around the country each year, the surging popularity of the Keto Diet has led to the development of several high profile Keto trade shows and events.  Below, we briefly review six of the top Keto trade shows that your company might consider attending. 

Natural Products Expo East and Natural Products Expo West

Both the Natural Products Expo East and the Natural Products Expo West are two of the largest tradeshows exhibiting natural, organic, and healthy products and businesses. The Expo East brings together over 24,000 industry professionals and features thousands of exhibits while the Expo West had over 85,000 attendees at their 2018 tradeshow in Anaheim.  Both of these tradeshow events offer businesses numerous opportunities to launch a new product, connect with top buyers, increase brand awareness, and continue learning about the latest natural and organic trends. The next Expo East is scheduled for September 12-14, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland, while the next Expo West will take place March 3-7, 2020 in Anaheim, California at the Anaheim Convention Center. 

Fancy Food Show

The Fancy Food Show (both the summer and winter editions) is put on by the Specialty Food Association that brings together thousands of people interested in the future of the specialty food market. While you do have to be a Specialty Food Association member in order to exhibit at either the winter or summer editions, both of these shows offer extremely cost effective strategies to connect with buyers from major food and beverage industries both in the U.S. and abroad. During the recently passed Summer 2019 Fancy Food Show, several brands and companies presented food products that fed the Keto and low-carb craze. The upcoming winter Fancy Food Show is scheduled for January 19 to 21^st, 2020 at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco. 

Paleo f(x) ™

The Paleo f(x) ™ tradeshow is widely considered to be the world’s premier holistic wellness event. The show brings together thousands of industry experts covering a wide range of health and wellness related issues, including health, nutrition, fitness, sustainability, self-development, spirituality, relationships, entrepreneurship, and everything in between. The next Paleo f(x) ™ tradeshow is set for April 24–26, 2020 in Austin, Texas at the Palmer Events Center.  Paleofx attracts thousands of attendees from around the world.  You can find out how to sign up to become an exhibitor here.

KetoCon

KetoCon is the biggest and most widely attended Keto conference that is focused solely on the science and stories of the Keto Diet.  KetoCon brings together qualified Keto vendors and a diversity of wellness-centric events designed to empower and optimize the Keto lifestyle.  Exhibitor booths for the upcoming 2020 KetoCon tradeshow start at $2,500 and will surely help startups and innovative businesses find new contacts and buyers for their innovative line of Keto-related food products and tools. KetoCon 2020 is scheduled for June 12^th to the 14, 2020 at the Palmer Events Center in Austin, Texas.   As a dedicated Keto Trade show, KetoCon is an important show for Keto Certified brands to exhibit at.  

Sweets & Snacks Expo

Let´s face it, despite the increasing popularity of healthy diets and lifestyles, we still like our sweets and snacks, with the sweets industry accounting for 35 billion in revenue in 2018 alone.  The Sweets & Snacks Expo, then, is a great space for Keto-related companies to introduce healthier alternatives to appease our sweet tooth. The 2019 Expo had around 800 exhibitors, over 2,000 new product launches, 25 learning sessions, and over 15,000 attendees of leading industry professionals. Furthermore, over 95 percent of attendees believed that the Sweets & Snacks Expo met or exceeded their networking goals.  The next Sweet and Snacks Expo is set for May 19-21, 2020 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois.  

Low Carb USA

The Low Carb USA organization is dedicated to “turning consensus on its head” through reversing the traditional food pyramid that is taught to millions of children in elementary schools across the country.  The organization also seeks to build a professional community dedicated to addressing obesity and metabolic health through innovations in diet and lifestyle.  To that end, they generally host two major keto trade shows each year (winter and summer) that brings together thousands of companies, buyers, and individuals interested in low carb diets and lifestyles. The winter tradeshow from January 17^th to 19^th, 2020 in Boca, Florida is a great space for growing companies to interact with new clients and customers who are looking to increase the availability of innovative, low-carb and keto products.

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