Behind the ABCo Curtain
Full disclosure: there’s no wizard behind the curtain at Appalachian Botanical Co. There are also no tornadoes, no clicking, glittering red shoes, nor any flying monkeys to speak of either… which, now that we think about it, makes for a disappointing workplace setting. In this week’s blog, however, we did want to reveal a bit about how our particular brand of magic is spread and so we’re taking a look at the scenes behind the curtain of a small, women’s owned business.
Go East, Young Business
Trade Shows, while perhaps not thought of as hotbeds of excitement, are indeed exciting to those in attendance. These shows are the preferred way to find new industry opportunities while strengthening pre-existing business relationships. As such, ABCo decided to recharge from the day-to-day grind of running a business to attend the 2021 Natural Products Expo East, held at the Philadelphia Convention Center. From September 22-25, ABCo ventured out to Philly (home of the Liberty Bell, the Eagles and the Phillies, and the cheesesteak—not to mention the most aggressive drivers in North America) to see what the trade show hubbub was all about. Indeed, this expo lived up to its hype.
Believe The Hype
The Natural Products Expo East (NPEE) attracts 24,000 industry professionals, and thousands of exhibits were on display at the largest natural, organic, and healthy products trade show on the East Coast.
The NPEE was THE place to be in order to see the newest products and trends found in the industry. ABCo was grateful to tap into the energy, collaboration, and innovation that only a large trade show like this can provide. Chad Elkins, Director of Sales at ABCo, described what it was like to be there in person:
“It was an enjoyable show, with us making connections in the food and lifestyle industries. We met folks working at such cool companies. There was a very high energy to the expo overall, and I’m happy to report that ABCo was well received by expo attendees. It was the perfect place to position our brand.”
Friendly, Open, Helpful Vibe
CEO Jocelyn Sheppard recalls the impressions the expo left on her: “This very large convention hall was filled with visually engaging booths and friendly faces. We were in the relatively small Lifestyle section, sandwiched between the behemoths Supplements and Food & Beverage. We didn't always know whether we were talking to a buyer, distributor, industry consultant, or fellow exhibitor, so we treated everyone as actual or potential lavender lovers. The people who paused at our booth definitely enjoyed our products (cream, mist, essential oil, body oil) and quite a few of them complimented the product quality, packaging and branding. The overall vibe was friendly, open, and helpful and we walked away with the knowledge that we had made valuable connections.”
So there you have it…..a little hint of what this small, women’s owned business is doing to get the ABCo name out there and into your homes. We truly believe in the calming, restorative properties of our organic products and want to spread the lavender gospel. On that note, we are so excited to have recently launched two new products, a creamy lip balm and two new gorgeous scents of mists: lavender vanilla and lavender sage. These are the perfect gifts to take to a Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving dinner and shop early for stocking stuffers/Hanukkah gifts! Please feel free to share your thoughts and feedback with us anytime at support@appalachianbotanical.com
MEET THE AUTHOR / TINA TUMINELLA is a writer from Pittsburgh, PA who thinks of herself as an eater, talker, music-lover, mommy, francophile, and obsessive recycler. She bakes sweet things regularly, rides bikes and hikes with her family, and is a sucker for a pun. Her favorite product: Organic Lavender Cream