Without retailers, Natural Products Expo West would be just a very big show-and-tell event. With retailers, it's a gathering of the natural products community, a place to learn what's new at every link of the supply chain and, not least of all, a giant marketplace. 

So who are these retailers? They might be buyers from nationwide supermarket chains, managers of regional chains or founders/owners who have served their neighborhoods for 20, 30 or even 40 years.

Just as the retailers aren't homogenous, neither are their stores. In 2021, the natural products market reached $204.6 billion. Of that, independent and small chains accounted for $36.2 billion in sales, while large chains and specialty stores rang up $27.8 billion in sales, according to Natural Foods Merchandiser's Market Overview data. That same report found that more than 1,200 natural food stores were very small: 3,000 square feet or smaller; another 1,571 fell in the 3,001 square feet to 6,000 square feet range; and more than 2,600 supermarkets were at least 6,000 square feet. Add in more than 3,400 health food stores and about 1,500 supplement stores and those independents and small chains total 10,364 locations.

New Hope Network serves both retailers and brands, introducing one to the other and helping them connect. As Natural Products Expo West approaches, we present several retailers that have shared their stories with us. Click through the galllery to meet them. 

For a partial list of retailers who are attending Expo West, visit this page at ExpoWest.com.