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- #94 - Expo West Week Starts With A Bang
#94 - Expo West Week Starts With A Bang
Expo West 2025 has begun…
Here’s everything you need to know:
🎧 Preview Podcast Episode (LINK ↗)
What regenerative brands are exhibiting + speaking?
Breaking down Climate Day, sessions, and interests
🔑 2025 Primer + Booth Guide (LINK ↗)
booth guide for 65 brand exhibitors supporting regen
11 can’t-miss sessions featuring regenerative brands, topics, and updates
6 social events to connect with the regen community
I ❤️ REGEN (LINK ↗)
Introducing the “I ❤️ REGEN” campaign
If you’re at the show, visit our members' booths, find our staff, and check out our I ❤️ REGEN webpage
As a nonprofit, we rely on real stories to show funders the value of our work. And guess what? That value comes from YOU!
Has our content helped you?
Introduced you to new people & ideas?
Given you insights that shaped your work in regeneration?
Sparked an idea or helped move your mission forward?
If so, we’d love to hear from you! Take 30 seconds to share your experience—it truly makes a difference.
Yes, it’s typically more expensive to make regenerative products…
Why?
Conventional brands benefit from cheaper ingredients and manufacturing practices, and the negative externalities created from these extractive agricultural systems are not realized inside the unit economics of the products.
So right now, most regenerative farming is more costly to take on. It avoids shortcuts like cheap feed or fast production cycles, instead prioritizing sustainable practices and rigorous certifications, which naturally drive up costs.
Also, macro challenges like inflation and rising labor costs make it difficult for regenerative brands to compete on price, especially in stores where these products are often positioned as premium “best” options.
4️⃣ Regenerative products are priced at a premium and not widely accessible
Our fourth takeaway for “Key Challenges Facing Regenerative Brands”
👉 Learn more in our inaugural report: The State of Regenerative CPG – Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities for Collective Action
Lundberg Family Farms has spent 50 years perfecting organic rice breeding, and their latest breakthrough, Black Pearl Rice, delivers a 25% higher yield while thriving in regenerative organic systems.
By avoiding chemical herbicides and instead using an innovative "Dry Up" method, Lundberg reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 49% and conserves water, proving that climate-friendly agriculture is possible.
This new black rice variety isn’t just good for the earth—it’s packed with antioxidants, offering consumers a healthier, more flavorful option while supporting sustainable food systems.
Additional coverage from Fast Company
Credit: Lundberg Family Farms
Organic India has achieved the prestigious Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™) label across 11 teas and supplements, reinforcing its commitment to transparency, ethical sourcing, and soil regeneration.
As one of the first tea and supplement brands to attain ROC™ status, Organic India sets a new benchmark for regenerative agriculture, biodiversity protection, and farmer welfare—paving the way for others to follow.
Organic India will showcase its newly certified teas and supplements, including Purely Chamomile Tea, Purely Assam Black Tea, and Bacopa Supplements, at Expo West, offering attendees a first look at the ROC™ seal in action.
Credit: Business Wire
McCain Foods, the world’s leading fry producer, is launching Regen Fries, made with potatoes grown using regenerative practices. This limited-time product brings the "Fries of the Future" to retail, helping consumers make a sustainable choice with every bite.
Despite most Americans and Canadians wanting to make sustainable choices, only 8-9% truly understand regenerative agriculture. McCain's Taste Good. Feel Good. campaign, featuring celebrity partner Rachel Brosnahan, aims to change that through immersive experiences, gaming, and real-life events.
McCain is making sustainability fun and accessible, launching an augmented reality game, a Farms of the Future experience at Chelsea Market, and partnerships with influencers like Poppy O’Toole to educate consumers while rewarding them with fries, eco-friendly swag, and even a farm-themed getaway.
Credit: Business Wire
🌿 A Greener World and Whole Foods Market are strengthening accountability in regenerative agriculture by requiring third-party certification for regenerative claims. With Certified Regenerative by AGW now an approved certification, more farmers and brands can access Whole Foods Market’s shelves while ensuring consumers receive truly sustainable products. (A Greener World ↗)
🌾 Simple Mills has proven that regenerative agriculture sells when paired with a strong health-driven message, leading to an $800 million acquisition after generating $240 million in 2024 sales. As consumers remain hesitant to pay premiums for sustainability alone, brands embracing nutrient-density and compelling storytelling—like Wildfarmed and Tony’s Chocolonely—are finding success by connecting regenerative practices to personal health and brand loyalty. (AgFunder News ↗)
🍷 Bonterra Organic Vineyards is leading the charge in regenerative viticulture, proving that large-scale adoption is possible with all 850 of its planted acres certified Regenerative Organic. As wineries navigate the financial and educational hurdles of transitioning, industry leaders emphasize that widespread adoption will ultimately depend on consumer demand for regenerative-certified wines. (Seven Fifty Daily ↗)
⭐️ Dr. Bronner's, Lundberg Family Farms, Gaia Herbs, Guayakí, Nature’s Path, Philosopher Foods, SIMPLi, and Wildway are among the 14 purpose-driven brands launching the Purpose Pledge at Natural Products Expo West 2025, committing to ethical business practices across 10 key areas, including living wages, circularity, and climate positivity. Led by One Step Closer, this initiative aims to redefine capitalism by fostering accountability, collaboration, and long-term sustainable impact in the natural products industry. (New Hope Network ↗)
🤑 Brother’s Bond Bourbon has secured $7.5 million in funding to expand its award-winning whiskey brand across the U.S. and key international markets. (Pulse 2.0 ↗)
👏 The Regenerative Organic Alliance has appointed Christopher Gergen as its new CEO. With a track record in systems innovation and impact-driven leadership, Gergen aims to expand ROA’s reach and accelerate the adoption of regenerative organic practices across food, personal care, and textiles. (Regenerative Organic Alliance ↗)
🥩 Force of Nature is hiring a Creative Director & Product Safety & Quality Analyst
🫘 SIMPLi is looking for an Accounting Manager
🐮 Painterland Sisters is hiring a Senior Events & Partnerships Manager, Social & Marketing Coordinator, Graphic Designer, & Customer Experience Manager
🍺 Patagonia Provisions is looking for a Digital Lead
🍚 Lundberg Family Farms is hiring a Finance Director
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