NEW YORK – Plant Based World Expo North America (PBW), the official trade show of the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), returned to the Javits Center in New York City on September 8-9 with an expanded program, including increased exhibitor and buyer participation. Created by JD Events, the third edition of the event, like the plant-based food industry itself, is experiencing major growth.
“More than an industry, plant-based eating is a movement driven by a community of motivated and determined people around the world,” said Chris Nemchek, CEO of JD Events, who was tapped to lead the show after helping launch PBW in 2019 as a consultant. “As more consumers look to live healthier and be more environmentally and ethically responsible, the global demand for plant-based alternatives continues to grow, driven primarily by the younger generation.”
For Nemchek, the PBW program is a personal experience. “Attending the 2019 Plant-Based Nutrition and Healthcare Conference in Oakland, California, taught me how a plant-based diet can treat chronic disease,” he said. “As a diabetic, it resonated with me. With the support of my wife, I became 100 percent vegan. It completely changed my life, as well as my pride in being part of a more sustainable and ethical food system.”
According to the PBFA, U.S. plant-based food sales increased 6.2% in 2021, with a total market value of $7.4 billion. Outpacing total retail food sales by three to one, the market has grown an impressive 54% over the past three years. Rachel Dreskin, CEO of the PBFA and the Plant Based Foods Institute, said “the impactful conference sessions and many meaningful opportunities for our members to connect with industry leaders and buyers” at PBW were keys to continued success.
“That was by design,” Nemchek said. “We doubled the program starting in 2021 and brought in 20% more retailers, distributors, brokers and foodservice operators to ensure those quality connections.”
The Javits Center was a perfect fit for this project. By supporting wildlife, including 300,000 bees on its 6.75-acre green roof and growing 40,000 pounds of fresh produce on its one-acre rooftop farm each year, “the building fits perfectly with our event and our mission,” Nemchek said. PBW did its part, including diverting more than 30,000 pounds of landfill waste by opting for carpeting in the exhibit hall and donating leftover food to City Harvest.
Kate MacKenzie, executive director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, outlined the city’s plant-based focus, which includes serving more than 230 million meals to New Yorkers in need, as well as school lunch programs including Meatless Mondays and Plant-Based Fridays. More than 24 employees involved in menu design and food procurement for various city agencies attended the event.
Eve Turow-Paul, author and founder of the women’s Food for Climate League, and Spike Mendelsohn, influential chef-restaurateur, food policy advocate and co-founder of PLNT Burger, delivered the opening remarks. The topics of retail, restaurant and industry in general, as well as educational sessions in the Learning Garden Theater, provided food for thought. Specialty areas included the Culinary Theater, where chefs demonstrated how to cook with plant-based ingredients, and the Start-Up Zone.
From chlorophyll-infused spring water, Italian ham and crunchy mushroom chips to pea protein bitterness blockers, high-quality pectins and award-winning cheese snacks, the range of 100% plant-based products was as diverse as it was innovative and increasingly tasty. From the multi-vendor Italian pavilion to exhibitors from Mexico, Peru, Brazil, South Korea and the Netherlands, the international presence was another reliable barometer of where the show, which boasted 232 exhibitors and a 20% increase in attendance to 3,722 visitors, and the industry were headed.
“PBW saw tremendous momentum after its June 2019 launch, and despite the impact of COVID on the December 2021 show schedule, we produced this latest event just nine months later with a 50% larger exhibit space,” said Joel A. Davis, Founder and CEO of JD Events. “As this was only our third PBW, we took a gamble to focus primarily on growing the core retail and foodservice buyer categories while intentionally removing non-buying attendees from the industry. While risking less crowded aisles in favor of improving the exhibitor experience and ROI with a larger space, our key buyer audience grew 20%, on-site exhibitor renewals doubled from 2021, and the aisles were bustling with business activity throughout both days.” The quality over quantity approach has proven to be a winning strategy.”
Next up is the second PBW Europe, scheduled for London in November 2022, with twice the size of October 2021. PBW North America returns to New York in September 2023, with a planned 50% increase in exhibitors. In October, JD Events launches Plant Based World Pulse, the only source of B2B digital plant-based news and information, which will complement the events and provide vital resources and data to the entire plant-based business ecosystem throughout the year.
“The plant-based brand movement, focused on human and animal well-being, planetary sustainability and celebrating diversity and inclusion, is booming,” Davis said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. As innovation and investment flow into new and established plant-based brands, we see consumer demand increasing exponentially in the years to come.”
Contact Joel A. Davis at joel@jdevents.com