New Hope Network announces inaugural NEXTY Gold Award winners

At every Natural Products Expo, New Hope Network recognizes a handful of products with NEXTY Awards. These products are standouts for innovation, inspiration and integrity, helping to drive forward the mission of the natural products industry. But year after year, some companies continue to rise to the top. New Hope is recognizing these companies for their continued excellence with the NEXTY Gold Award.

NEXTY Gold winners receive a free brand consulting session with Jane Miller and free dedicated product showcase at Expo East 2018—a combined value of $1,200.

The NEXTY Gold winners are companies that have consistently nominated products for the NEXTY Awards. Their products and company mission stand out every year for upholding industry values and epitomizing what it means to have integrity, innovation and inspiration. New Hope will award two NEXTY Gold winners at every Natural Products Expo, starting with these two deserving winners who were recognized at Natural Products Expo East 2017:

REBBL

This company celebrates the ancient wisdom of the Plant Queendom with every bottle of its soulfully crafted super herb beverages. REBBL uses efficacious levels of functional herbs and uncompromising plant-powered ingredients delivered in clean, indulgent coconut milk elixirs.

Related:The best of the best: The Natural Products Expo East 2017 NEXTY Award winners

This NEXTY Gold winner believes that today’s supply chains must be rebuilt to empower the people involved, and create opportunities where there are none. A core part of its mission is to create positive social impact with its products. REBBL sources ingredients from suppliers who exemplify its values. Its suppliers invest in the strength and wellbeing of the communities where it operates. Some examples include medical care, housing and clean water projects.

REBBL was born out of a passionate collaboration between global thought leaders to identify an innovative, sustainable, market-based solution to prevent exploitation in the Peruvian Amazon. The company donates 2.5 percent of revenue to Not For Sale to support regions of the world vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking.

Lotus Foods

This company’s heirloom and 100 percent organic rice products are handcrafted on small family farms and distinguished by their exceptional cooking quality, taste, texture, color and nutritional value.

Like a lot of other food companies, Lotus Foods started with a love story. That love story began when Lotus founders tasted an amazing black rice while traveling in China. From the start, they had some pretty ambitious goals. Lotus Foods wanted to share exceptional healthy heirloom rices with U.S. consumers, promote organic agriculture and rice biodiversity, and support producers with higher prices.

Little did they know that 13 years later, Lotus would find itself trying to change how the world grows rice. Up to one-third of the planet’s annual renewable supply of fresh water is used to irrigate rice. This is why, in 2008, Lotus Foods committed to partnering with small-scale farmers who radically changed how they grow rice, using less to produce more. With a set of practices that Lotus calls More Crop Per Drop, farmers can double and even triple their yields using up to 50 percent less water on average and 80-90 percent less seed.

Congratulations to REBBL and Lotus Foods on their NEXTY Gold Award achievement.