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The NEXTY Awards recognize the most progressive, innovative, inspiring and trustworthy products in the natural products industry. Entering your product for a NEXTY Award gives you unprecedented exposure to New Hope Network’s editorial team and unique recognition at Expo West 2025.
Nominations Open: September 16, 2024
Nominations Close: Now extended until 11:59pm MT on December 4th!
Samples still MUST BE received by December 5, 2024.
Note: If your samples are perishable, please send between Dec. 2 - Dec. 5; we will not be able to accept perishables outside of this 4-day period.
Send samples to:
New Hope Network
1710 29th St.
Suite #2044
Boulder, CO 80301
Products will require a separate nomination form for each category they are nominated in.
Categories Open to Food, Beverage, Supplement or Other Products
People-Forward Product: These brands put people first, whether through their transparent, fair or direct-trade sourcing practices, support of local or global communities, vertical integration, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion practices; support of food access, living wages, employee care, etc.
Planet-Forward Product: These brands have demonstrable commitments to sustainable environmental practices (alternative energy, zero waste, regenerative agriculture, circular economies, environmentally responsible packaging, food waste, upcycling…) and exhibit an exemplary level of transparency and understanding of how their practices impact the planet.
Certified Organic Product: This category is for brands that are doing more by engaging in policy to strengthen organic standards, converting or expanding acreage or showcasing a deep understanding of the ecological journey to their organic efforts. Nominating brands must be Certified Organic (USDA NOP standards or equivalent.
Certified Regenerative Product: This category is for brands that are doing more by engaging in policy to strengthen regenerative standards, converting or expanding acreage or showcasing a deep understanding of the ecological journey to their regenerative efforts. Nominating brands must be certified by an accredited third-party agency such as Regenerative Organic Certified, Land to Market Verified, Regenified, or Certified Regenerative by AGW.
Plant Party! These products help promote and educate about the benefits of putting plants at the forefront and answer a growing consumer demand for plant-focused products that support climate, health and/or animal welfare issues. Products do not need to be strictly 100% plant-based or vegan (i.e. honey may be used as a sweetener) but rather celebrate the plants at center stage.
Natural Living Product: Includes natural products for the home, such as cleaning supplies, apparel, pet products, clothing, gear, etc.
Natural Kid’s Product: Gear, supplements, foods or beverages designed with the youngest consumers in mind.
Packaging: These products have packaging that stands out for its sustainability, messaging, branding, design or innovation.
Supplement Categories
Sustainable Supplement: These products put sustainability front and center, whether through the use of regenerative or organic ingredients, good sourcing practices, renewable energy, innovative packaging or other exemplary practices.
Supplement Trailblazer: These products are industry trailblazers, answering the question “what’s next?” in supplements. They might exhibit strong scientific rigor, the use of cutting-edge technology, inventive delivery formats or address conditions not yet widely known or understood.
Supplement for the Mind: These products are formulated for and positioned to address conditions of the mind including stress, mood, sleep, relaxation, mood, focus, concentration, etc.
Supplement for the Body: These products are formulated for and positioned to address conditions of the body including skin, bones, performance, weight management, joint and heart health, digestion, microbiome, etc.
Personal Care and Beauty Categories
Personal Care Product: This includes products such as oral care, personal hygiene, soaps and shampoos, deodorant, etc.
Beauty and/or Skincare Product: This includes cosmetics, serums, oils, lotions, skincare, hair styling products, makeup, etc.
Food and Beverage Categories
Functional Food or Beverage: These products seek to support wellness by harnessing functional ingredients such as botanicals, adaptogens, nootropics, etc. Brands are strongly encouraged to include amounts per serving information for the functional ingredients in their nomination application, particularly in support of any wellness claims made about the product on the packaging.
Meat, Dairy or Animal-Based Product
Meat Alternative
Dairy Alternative
Special Diet Food: Keto, vegetarian, Paleo, FODMAP, Whole 30.
Gluten-Free Product
Vegan Product
Prepared Pantry Product: Canned goods, jarred sauces, heat and eat meal helpers, etc.
Pantry Staples: Dry goods and uncooked items such as pasta, rice, grains, oats, cereals and baking mixes.
Spices and Condiments (herbs, salts, traditional condiments, slaws, relishes, pickles…)
Dips and Spreads
Breads and Bakery (refrigerated, frozen or shelf-stable)
Packaged Produce (dehydrated, fresh and frozen): Salad kits, sprouts, prepared beets, frozen smoothie fruit and acai bowls, packaged mushrooms, etc.
Savory or Salty Snack
Sweet Snack and Desserts: Chocolate, cookies, gummies, fruit snacks and other sweet treats.
Frozen Desserts: Ice cream, popsicles and novelties.
Prepared Frozen Products: Pizza, frozen dinners and other savory frozen products. NOT sweet.
Beverage: This includes all RTD beverages, drink mixes, juices and mixers that are labeled with the appropriate nutrition facts panel where required.
Coffee or Tea: RTD, cold brew, loose leaf, bagged, whole grain or ground.
Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverages: Alcohol-free beer, wine, cocktails and other drinks.
Alcoholic Beverages: Beer, wine, spirits and other alcoholic drinks.
Like categories may be combined as needed if minimum nomination numbers are not met.
Additional Categories:
Editors' Choice Award: Will be decided on site at Expo West
People's Choice Award: Will be decided on site at Expo West
All Finalists Receive:
All Winners Receive:
PLUS
The NEXTY Awards are the premiere recognition of excellence in the natural products industry. Winning products represent what’s next in wellness trends, in solving today’s health and sustainability problems, in ingredient innovation, in packaging, in condition management, in supply chain growth and transparency, in health impact.
Above all else, the editors and judges use the following criteria to determine whether a product is worthy of a coveted NEXTY Award.
To stand out to the judges, give special attention to the fields on the nomination form where you’re given an opportunity to explain how this product meets the criteria of innovation, inspiration and integrity.
The product or company shows truly creative thinking and execution (not a "me too" approach); uses a newly discovered or rediscovered ingredient, flavor profile, technique or process; fills a legitimate (though perhaps not yet recognized) natural products market need or niche; and/or is predicted to have longer-term impact in the industry.
The product or company adheres to an unusual or new mission targeting an issue or problem not yet widely addressed; its message/mission is clearly communicated, focused and effective, with real, wide-reaching potential or already proven positive social or environmental impact.
The product or company takes a creative, next-gen approach to clean ingredient(s), sourcing, sustainability, transparency, traceability and safety/security.
Preliminary Judging: The first round of judging takes place in the New Hope Network office in Boulder, Colorado. Conducted by members of the New Hope Network content team, standards team, and marketing team, our-in-house expert judges review hundreds of nominated products using these criteria to select 3-7 finalists in each category.
Final Judging: The final round of judging is conducted by a panel of invited industry experts, spanning specialties such as investment, retail, brokerage, social media influence, sustainability and more. These judges join the New Hope Network content team, standards team, and marketing team to select the single winners within each category!
2025 Judges Panel will be announced soon!
Becoming a finalist and/or winning a NEXTY Award offers brands incredible recognition and validation in the natural products industry. Check out all the benefits linked above!
Any CPG brand in natural products industry with a finished product can nominate for a NEXTY Award. You do not have to be an exhibitor, though we would encourage you to exhibit either at the in-person event or with a virtual booth to take full advantage of this program and the buzz that it creates.
Expo West Exhibitors: $245 for the first nomination, $195 per additional nomination
Non-Exhibitors: $345 for the first nomination, $195 per additional nomination
One product in one category is a single nomination. Two products in a one category is two nominations, one product in two categories is two nominations and so on.
We do not define “new” in relation to the NEXTY Awards since we believe older products that have not yet gained general recognition in the natural products industry may still be worthy of this award. While filling out the nomination form, you will be asked to fill in the product's launch date, however, so this information will be available to the judges.
Our NEXTY Awards program is currently open to all natural products industry CPG brands. Brands can nominate their products across 20 different categories and must send product samples to the New Hope Network office in Boulder, Colorado. For the preliminary judging round, the New Hope Network content team, standards team, marketing team and Nutrition Business Journal team sample and deliberate over hundreds of products to select the finalists in each category based on product Innovation, Inspiration and Integrity. For the final judging, a panel of invited industry experts join the New Hope Network team to select the single winners in each category.
Yes, send enough product samples per category for judging analysis to the New Hope Network office (Attn: NEXTY Awards, 1710 29th Street, Suite #2044, Boulder, CO 80301). For example, if you nominate the same product in four different categories, please send at least four samples of the same product so it can be represented in each of those four categories during judging.
In the case that your product is extremely large and too difficult to mail for judging, please send any relevant product photos and/or product sheets that will assist the judges in making their decisions.
You can nominate a product that has already launched or will launch by December 2025.
We often have nominations for brand-new products that are still in temporary packaging or final prototype stage. Please send the most finished product that you can along with any packaging mock-ups or notes that convey further attributes to the judges.
Yes, you can enter the same product/product line in more than one category. There is no limit on how many categories you can submit a product to, however, every new category requires a separate nomination.
For example: A company has a new line of organic vegan yogurt. This product could be entered in any or all of the follow categories: Certified Organic or Regenerative Product, Best New Special Diet Product, Best New Meat or Dairy Alternative, and/or Best New Sweet Snack.
You may choose to submit one or more products in a single line, but each flavor or variety submitted counts as a separate nomination.
For example: A company has a line of high-protein milk in five flavors. If they want to submit all five flavors, that would count as five nominations. If they want to nominate only one product, they should choose their favorite/most representative/best selling flavor or variety from the line.
Please send only the flavors/varieties that have been nominated. Each additional flavor/variety must be nominated separately.
Your product cannot win a NEXTY Award in the same category that it has already won; however, it is eligible to be considered in different categories.
Yes, your product will need to meet New Hope Network's Ingredient Standards & Guidelines, which are the same standards and guidelines in place for exhibitors at Natural Products Expos. The New Hope Network Standards team will evaluate product prior to the judging process and remove any products that do not meet our standards for ingredients and efficacy.
*If your product contains cannabinoids, please consult the standards requirements for these ingredients here.
MarketReady Insights makes regulatory compliance easy and accessible. We’ll ensure your brand is ready for the publicity and opportunity that NEXTY finalists and winners benefit from. Plus, we’ll make sure there aren’t any pesky regulatory compliance issues that might interfere with your chances of winning.
The NEXTY Award categories are a reflection of the product categories that exhibit at our Natural Product Expos. While some categories have remained consistent throughout the history of the NEXTY Awards, such as Best New Supplement, other categories have been added, altered or eliminated to reflect changing patterns in the natural products industry.
Your product does not need to be certified organic to win. However if your product is certified organic we require verification.
When you fill out the nomination form, you will be required to upload a high-resolution image of your product in packaging on a white or transparent background.These images of finalists and winning products will be used in our print magazine and on newhope.com, and all NEXTY nominated products will be considered for additional features and coverage by our editors.
Click here to view label flat examples and here for dos and don'ts of images.
Guidelines:
While at Newtopia Now, our NEXTY trendspotters searched the show floors for one product per neighborhood that exemplified what the NEXTY Awards represent: innovation, inspiration, and integrity.
The four selected products became automatic finalists for the 2025 Expo West NEXTY Awards, bypassing the application process!