SupplySide West Boasts Continued Success

LAS VEGAS--More than 6,100 industry executives from dietary supplement, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies gathered Nov. 9 to 11 for the 9th Annual SupplySide West International Trade Show and Conference at the Sands Exposition Center and Venetian Resort Casino in Las Vegas. SupplySide West, which is produced by Virgo Publishing, is the world's largest executive conference on nutritional ingredients; attendance was up 13 percent this year to 6,151 participants, while the exhibit hall included 513 companies occupying more than 720 booths.

"SupplySide West is a very efficient show because the exhibitors and attendees are all very specific to our business of manufacturing and raw material supply," said Eugene Ung, director of marketing with Best Formulations. "At SupplySide, we get to meet face to face with a number of vendors and customers in just a few days. It's an excellent show and definitely worth the time to attend for anyone in our specific industry."

Both the number and caliber of attendees were appreciated by the exhibiting companies. "SupplySide West was a well-organized and well-attended show that boasted an array of innovative exhibiting suppliers and manufacturers," said Trina O'Brien, marketing and public relations specialist with GTC Nutrition. "We were also pleased that the show featured meaningful education sessions and presented unique networking and business development opportunities."

SupplySide West started with its 9th Annual Golf Tournament, sponsored by Pharmachem Laboratories. More than 220 golfers participated in the event, held on the Wolf and Sun Mountain Courses at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort. Trophies were awarded for individual achievement and top scores for each course. On the Sun Mountain side, a score of 60 took first place for David Garner, Mark Lebovitz, Mark Levitt and Paul Brady. A 57 won the top award on the Wolf course for Ken Bender, Blake Christensen, Matt Larsen and John Musselman. "The course selection of Paiute, in my opinion, is the best golf complex in the region for multi players since it has three courses for activity--it is very challenging with a very picturesque background," said Dick Beitel, vice president of sales with Pharmachem Laboratories. "SupplySide West is the 'standard' for our industry as it is second to none among trade shows. The professionalism put forth here by the exhibitors, attendees and supporting sponsors reflects why this rates as number one. It is absolutely amazing to see the energy and friendliness that is exerted by all who cross the threshold of the exhibition center. We, at Pharmachem and our subsidiary companies, look forward in giving SupplySide West our continued support in the future and wish to thank Virgo for all their fine efforts and support as it is truly appreciated."

An array of networking opportunities helped attendees make new contacts and strengthen existing business connections. More than 500 executives from around the globe attended the International Welcome Reception, sponsored by KGK Synergize, OptiPure/Soft Gel Technologies and SourceOne Global Partners. The Opening Reception Thursday evening attracted more than 2,500 people; the event was sponsored by DSM Nutritional Products, Natural Health Science, Naturex and Natural Products INSIDER. Finally, the closing Appreciation Party, held in the exhibit hall on Friday afternoon and sponsored by BASF, Cortex, DNP, Embria, NSF and Vesta Ingredients, brought industry members a hosted bar, hot dogs, pasta and salad, and a chance to conclude business in a relaxed atmosphere.

For the third year, the Education Program spanned three days, offering scientific research, marketing strategies and regulatory updates. Sponsored by Cognis Nutrition & Health, the seminars featured speakers from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA), Wake Forest University, the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) and more.

On Thursday, SupplySide participants were treated to words of humor and wisdom during a keynote address by Emmy Award-nominated NBC Sports golf commentator Johnny Miller; the keynote was sponsored again by Unigen Pharmaceuticals. A former champion of the U.S. and British Opens, Miller imparted the lessons he has learned in the professional golf world to the packed audience of supplement industry members. As many in the industry are golfers, Miller was preaching to the choir. "If you want to know who you are dealing with, take them golfing," he advised, noting that a round of golf will bring out the true personality of the golfer. He further told the attentive crowd of executives and sales professionals that people thrive on praise, and it is important to both appreciate and analyze good performance for the sake of future success. "Showing a colleague your full energy is a great form of respect," he added. To the delight of the numerous golfers in attendance, Miller also gave a little golf lesson, demonstrating proper body positioning, ideal swing and common mistakes.

Overall, the show received high marks from industry members at every level. "Every attendee and exhibitor I spoke with commented that this was the best SupplySide ever," said Peggy Jackson, director of publishing for Virgo's Health & Nutrition Division. "With high growth across attendance, booths and exhibitors, I agree."