Newtopia Now: A retailer's guide to education and networking sessions

Newtopia Now celebrates and empowers one of the key foundations of the entire natural and organic products industry: retailers. Use this curated agenda to plan your schedule.

Douglas Brown, Senior Retail Reporter

June 26, 2024

6 Min Read
Newtopia Now: A retailer's guide to education and networking sessions
Alamy

Newtopia Now celebrates and empowers one of the key foundations of the entire natural and organic products industry: retailers. In fact, this thrilling new event was literally designed to best serve the diverse needs of retailers in what is an increasingly competitive marketplace. It offers myriad opportunities for meaningful connections with brands and other vital stakeholders. It showcases the most forward-thinking innovation in the industry today. And Newtopia Now invites retailers to dive deep into their industry, with educational sessions geared toward cutting-edge best practices, exploring meaningful trends and much more. 

Beyond Business Cards: Discovering Hidden Gems Through Experiential Networking

  • Meow Wolf's Surreal Universe: Unleash your creativity and enjoy groundbreaking experiences alongside potential partners at Meow Wolf, a renowned art complex in Denver. 12-4:30 p.m., Sunday Aug. 25.

  • Sustainable Futures at CSU Spur: Engage with purpose-driven startups at CSU Spur, a center for social enterprise. This location offers a captivating blend of networking and insightful content specifically tailored for retailers, emerging brands and investors. 12-4:30 p.m., Sunday Aug. 25.

  • Zen Among the Rocks: Yoga at Red Rocks Ampitheater: Find tranquility and connect with like-minded investors and purposeful brands at the majestic Red Rocks Amphitheater. 8-10 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 28.

  • Neighborhood Happy Hours: Mingle with investors and exciting brands in a relaxed setting on the show floor. 3:30-5 p.m. Monday Aug. 26, Thrive Neighborhood and Regenerate Neighborhood and 3:30-5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27, Represent Neighborhood. The Glow Neighborhood happy hour will follow the Conscious Beauty Pitch Event on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

  • Empowering Women in CPG Brunch: Join us for a morning of meaningful conversations, delicious cuisine and uplifting energy at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox—a vibrant venue known for its eclectic ambiance and creative cuisine. Whether you’re a seasoned industry veteran or a rising star, this brunch offers a platform to share insights, forge new connections, and champion the advancement of Women in CPG. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28

Meet Your Match

  • Conscious Connections: Ensuring that buyers and brands get to know and learn about one another stands as a Newtopia Now goal. To that end, we have developed daily get-togethers called Conscious Connections that invite Newtopia guests to use New Hope’s powerful tool Beacon to bring about meaningful unions. These Conscious Connections meetings will allow for especially rich and fruitful conversations and networking between important industry stakeholders. Conscious Connection meetings take place 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 (Hosted Buyers only, in the Bluebird Ballroom); 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26 in the Conscious Connections Lounge; and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27 in the Conscious Connections Lounge.

  • Speed Networking for Buyers and Brands: With Speed Networking, investors and retailers will rotate through various five-minute meetings with brands, and will come bearing suggested questions to help enrich the conversation. Each Speed Networking event will last 45 minutes and take place in the Conscious Connections Lounge. Speed Networking for Investors and Brands takes place 12-12:45 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26; Speed Networking for Retailers and Brands takes place 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Discover Your Next Best-Selling Products

  • CPG Unwrapped: Product Spotlight Event at Newtopia Now!: Eleven brands. Five minutes each. They’re showing us everything they’ve got. Check out the Thrive neighborhood’s product spotlight event to find your next best-selling CPG innovation. 3:30-4:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 26, Thrive Stage.

  • Newtopia Now Market: Newtopia Now showcases a variety of groundbreaking, next-generation tradeshow developments, including the Newtopia Now Market, which is designed to provide contextual show navigation for buyers. Every Newtopia Now exhibitor will have one product featured in this brick-and-mortar feature, located near registration. Buyers scan product QR codes to find brand location on the show floor, as well as where the brand will be engaged in Newtopia Now events.

  • Newtopia Now Neighborhoods: Just as Newtopia Now supports a brick-and-mortar market, it also contains distinct neighborhoods: Thrive, Glow, Regenerate and Represent. Each neighborhood hinges on a theme. Thrive fixes on the latest innovations shaping the future of human health. Glow spotlights the new face of natural beauty and holistic wellness. Regenerate explores and trumpets the products and business models making a positive environmental impact. And Represent features CPG brands across all categories from traditionally underrepresented communities. Wander, network and get inspired walking through Newtopia Now’s lively, fun neighborhoods.

  • Thrive Café: Swing by the Thrive neighborhood’s Thrive Café for invigorating morning and afternoon vibes. In the morning, the Coffee Bar will serve as an engaging venue where brands can showcase their products in a café-like environment, complete with classic café beverages. In the afternoon, it becomes a Mindful Bar, aligning with the emerging trend of non-alcoholic beverages that is shaking up the alcohol beverage aisles.

  • Glow Salon: As natural beauty and holistic wellness continue booming, Newtopia Now will feature a hands-on Glow Salon in the Glow neighborhood, complete with immersive experiences for salon visitors. The salon promises to foster deep connections between attendees and showcased products.

  • Represent Stoop: Visit the Represent Stoop, an effervescent patch of the Represent neighborhood, to catch fast-paced talks from Newtopia Now’s leading brand innovators.

  • Stage Takeovers: All neighborhoods feature stage takeovers by brands, each of which revolves around bright educational sessions broken down into digestible 15-, 30- and 45-minute formats. See the full agenda for a day-by-day breakdown of these outstanding events.

  • Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Over 50: Why You Should Know Her: In this conversation between television host Carla Hall and Caire Beauty Founder Lorrie King they’ll share how society and the economy can better serve and be served by 50+ women, a fast-growing cohort of wealthy, wise and health-seeking women. 12:45-1:15 a.m., Monday, Aug. 26. Glow Stage.

  • From Clicks to Bricks: Mastering Retail Distribution for DTC Brands: Non-shelf to on-shelf: How DTC brands can win in retail. Join investor, data, and retail experts for a deep dive into building winning retail distribution strategies. Learn how to leverage your digital success, from TikTok virality to existing website sales, to forge the right partnerships and take your brand to the next level. 3-3:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 26. Glow Stage.

  • The Flavors of Regenerative: Culinary All-Stars Share Insights into the Future of Food Service: Join Kelly Whitaker, co-owner of The Wolf’s Tailor in Denver, Colorado, recently received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur in the United States. He will be joined by Eric Skokan, owner of Black Cat Farm-Table-Bistro in Boulder, and Claudia Bouvier, co-founder of Pastificio Boulder, in a panel discussion of the importance of regenerative agriculture in the food service space. Moderated by New Hope Network’s Senior Retail Reporter Douglas Brown. 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Tuesday, August 27. Regenerate Stage.

  • From Surviving to Thriving: Empowering Brands & Retailers in the "Healthspan" Era: "Healthspan" is the new frontier for brands and retailers in the longevity market. Gain valuable insights from market trends and consumer behavior data, equipping you to develop successful strategies in this evolving market. We'll delve into the science behind healthspan optimization and examine the impact of diet, supplements, beauty solutions, and self-care practices on extending an active and healthy life. 3-3:45 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 27. Thrive Stage.

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Newtopia Now, New Hope Network's new trade show, is set for Aug. 25-28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. For more information and to register, visit the Newtopia Now website.

About the Author

Douglas Brown

Senior Retail Reporter, New Hope Network

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