NEW YORK — Plant Based World (PBW) North America — a 100% plant-based event for foodservice and retail professionals, distributors, investors and manufacturers — drew more than 200 exhibitors and 3,178 attendees to its 21,500-square-foot exhibit hall at the Javits Center in New York City, Dec. 9-10.
With the plant-based sector poised for rapid growth and the need to bring plant-based products to the masses, JD Events first launched the show in 2019, before the onset of COVID-19. While the show was a huge success (so much so that the organisers decided to launch a European version), JD Events has restructured the event for 2021 to position it to meet the needs of this growing market.
Joel Davis, CEO of JD Events LLC, and Benjamin Davis, VP of Content for Plant Based World Expo, believe in the future of the plant-based industry that these shows serve. They say this show is unique in that it is not only the fusion of a growing industry with massive financial opportunities for all stakeholders, but also a huge social responsibility to change consumer habits that can no longer be ignored, even by traditional brands and large corporations.
“We find that many of our visitors come to our shows for professional reasons and leave with a deeper sense of connection to the social cause and movement we represent,” they said. “It’s a special experience that we can be a part of and benefit from in all areas!”
Trade Fair Manager I recently sat down with Joel Davis and Benjamin Davis to find out more.
How did the inaugural Plant-Based show go in 2019 and what changes have you implemented for this year’s show?
In 2019, we hosted 125 exhibitors on 12,500 square feet of exhibition space. The 2019 show was also open to the public, as well as approximately 1,500 B2B attendees.
At the beginning of 2021, we were unsure what the event climate would be like later in the year, so we made the strategic decision to pivot to a 100% B2B audience. This restructuring allowed us to focus on an event that would bring the most valuable audience to our exhibitors, and also know that we could control the crowds to deliver the event in the safest way possible. Our exhibition space increased by 65% and our B2B audience doubled.
What specific COVID-related protocols have you put in place to ensure safety and alleviate any concerns that attendees and/or exhibitors may have?
Regarding COVID protocols, we hosted the event at the Javits Center in New York City, which had many safety measures in place, including mask wearing and vaccination requirements. We also had protocols in place around food sampling to ensure the sampling experience at the show was safe and hygienic during COVID.
What do you attribute PBW’s phenomenal growth to?
The plant-based market is booming. Bloomberg Intelligence recently predicted that plant-based sales will reach $162 billion by 2030, so we entered the market at the right time with this show. JDE also has an agile team that prides itself on exceptional customer service and staying on top of industry trends, so we are able to quickly adapt when needed to ensure the show serves the industry and its growth.
Tell us about the London show you launched this autumn. How did it go?
Plant Based World Europe was held from 15th to 16th October in London with over 100 exhibitors and 2,063 attendees. Preparations for Plant Based World Europe, originally scheduled for October 2020, began immediately after the success of the New York event in 2019.
In Europe, plant-based products were going through a period of unprecedented growth and innovation, so it was essential to launch them in Europe as soon as possible. Ultimately, the show was rescheduled for October 2021 and was a huge success.
How will you continue to build on the success you’ve had with this year’s two shows?
Plant Based World North America will be held September 8-9, 2022 at the Javits Center and Plant Based World Europe will be held November 30-December 1, 2022 at Olympia, London. We anticipate that both shows will double their exhibition space and we are also excited to expand our conference programs and announce new features to bring even more value to our attendees.
What advice would you give to other trade show organizers, given what you have learned from your experience over the past two years, and especially this year’s successes?
Don’t give up! Over the past two years, we’ve become experts at rescheduling our shows and thinking strategically about when and how to host our events. And listen to your customers. Every show in the JD Events portfolio has sent out multiple emails and surveys, and found different ways to keep our communities engaged. We’ve considered a lot of things during our show hiatus, from virtual events to new digital products, and have found what works for each brand.
Given your recent experience, what do you think the short-term future looks like for trade shows in general and your shows in particular? What do you see as the main challenges and opportunities for the year ahead?
JD Events hosted three trade shows in Q4 2021. This was the first time we’ve hosted trade shows in over two and a half years. Seeing our communities come together in person, face to face with handshakes or fist bumps was incredibly rewarding, and the importance of what we do as conveners of these industries really resonated.
We’ve found that our attendees are busier than ever, which will require us to deliver unforgettable experiences across both days of our events. The last two years have also pushed us to think more creatively, be more agile than ever, and fight to make our events happen. With this mindset, anything is possible.
Contact Ben Davis at (203) 416-1923 or ben@theplantbasedworld.com; Joel Davis at (203) 371-6322 or joel@jdevents.com