This year was special because it was my first time boothing. I usually go as a walker, but this round, I did a booth.
On that note, I’ve had a pretty good time not being totally tired at Expo West and how to also use your time very wisely at the show. This will be a short article because Expo West is still going on, but these tips will help you make your Expo West experience a whole lot better.
Shoes
If you’re boothing, you will be standing constantly, if you’re walking, be prepared to log in 15,000 steps or more. It is imperative that comfort comes first at this event!
No one will ever give you flak for wearing comfortable shoes during the event. You will be doing a lot of walking inside, outside, through stairs and maybe through the rain. Exchanging looks for comfort is something nobody notices. I’m a fan of tennis shoes, but perhaps you have something else.
Also, sitting is a big deal and sitting space is valuable! After standing all day, you can sit on either the staircases, the outside area, or the Marriot or Hilton areas. The floor is great! But you deserve a chair.
Transportation and Lodging
If your company’s really rich and prepared and can afford a room at the Hilton, go for it. For the companies who either go last minute or can’t afford a Hilton in the middle of the convention, there are many options.
Right now, I am staying at a very comfortable Airbnb ten minutes away from the Expo. Apparently, most houses on this street are great places to stay when you’re traveling to Disneyland too.
If you’ve failed in terms of getting a hotel near Expo West, Santa Ana is your best bet when getting a good hotel. Not only is it by the airport (the airport that if it’s available, is much more convenient than LAX).
When it comes to getting to the Expo, driving is very stressful and you should almost always take an Uber. On non-peak hours, it costs less than $10.00’s.
But the peak hours is where people can get super irritated and everyone gets mad. At the peak hour during the day, it’s much better to communicate with your lyft/uber driver to drop you off 10 minutes walking from your destination. This will save you a lot of time, as traffic is packed only at the entrance of the expo.
When the show ends, this can get crazy. Last year, it was so bad that Uber/Lyft stopped their services and my team had to walk about a mile to get rideshare service up again. In general, prices surge to double or triple the amount. The best thing to do is to walk out quite a ways. The Red Lion hotel, about 10 minutes from the Expo, is a great spot to order rideshare.
Plan your Walk!
As mentioned last article, Expo West is a very big expo that can overwhelm you if not prepared. It’s disorienting entering the hall, getting lost and then giving up (by just eating all the samples).
To sort out the shows, if you’re looking for new company innovations, I would head towards the Hot Products (labeled H123) or New Products (labeled N123). If you’re looking for innovations from companies that are trending, I would go to the basement which is at the end of the main hall.
The Main Hall is split into sections, but it consists of very established companies that can afford HUGE booths. Established companies like Daiya dominate the field with very impressive displays. You can not only find the latest big company innovation, but also the latest in natural skincare, and very common ingredient manufacturers are also in Expo West. Essentially, anyone who’s anyone is at Expo West, but you have to make good use of your time to get to the right places.
Is there more? Probably. Just let me know if I missed anything.
Other Events
A day before Expo West, Southern California IFT hosts a supplier’s night 15 minutes away. it’s a great show and much smaller than Expo West. When I went there, I met so many people who have helped me succeed as a food scientist in the past and present. This includes people I’ve worked with at Isagenix, Better Meat Co, podcasting, college students and professors, it was a really cool feeling.
SCIFTS is a pretty good event because it’s a much less stressful environment than Expo. You won’t get much innovation there, but you get connected to people much easier and perhaps you can find cool stuff for your own innovations. SCIFTS also has a very good afterparty with amazing food and free drinks.
