When you’re a small brand trying to grow fast, everyone in the CPG food and beverage world seems to whisper the same advice: “You’ve got to exhibit at a major trade show.” After countless recommendations to check out Natural Products Expo West, basically the Super Bowl for emerging food brands, I decided it was time for Tantos to make a splash. So I circled March 4th–7th, 2025 on my calendar. That was it: our first industry trade show.
Expo West is the biggest and best in this space, drawing retailers, distributors, industry execs, and media from around the globe. We needed to make ourselves known to a lot of people in a short amount of time, especially to boost our wholesale side. Expo West was perfect: huge foot traffic, tons of decision-makers, and a golden opportunity for unfiltered feedback on Tantos.
Prepping for the Expo
Once I secured an 8'x10' booth in the “Hot Products” section on Level 3 of the Anaheim Convention Center, the real work began. I dove into booth design research, eventually ordering a collapsible setup that fit into a single roller chest. It wasn’t fancy, but it was clean, easy to assemble, and cost-effective, just right for a first-timer. I also grabbed some basic décor and baskets off Amazon to liven it up.
Next, I stocked up on samples: about 1,200 1oz bags to give away, plus a handful of 4oz bags for table sampling in little cups. I brought business cards and a lead scanner to capture contact info. Pro tip: I wish I’d printed more sales sheets for potential buyers to take home. Now I know for next time. Not a dealer breaker though.
I was surprisingly calm going in, maybe because I’d prepared meticulously. My biggest “fear” was simply: would people love Tantos as much as I do? But tradeshows are exactly where you find out if your product can stand on its own. Industry folks roam the floor looking for new and exciting offerings, so at least I’d get honest opinions.
In the end, no real nightmares. Setup was a breeze, the show itself ran smoothly, and teardown was drama-free. The only minor mishap: I stored all my sample boxes behind the backdrop in a cramped space without labeling them facing out, so I had to awkwardly rotate them to figure out which flavor was inside. Not the end of the world. Another fun note: after hearing my pitch, many people said, “You sound like you’ve been on Shark Tank or should go on Shark Tank.” I’d reply, “I was, a few years ago!”—which was a nice little moment for me.
Let me just say, the reception blew me away. People were intrigued by the pasta chip concept, and once they tasted it—bam, instant fans. We heard everything from “Oh my God, this is genius!” to “This is my favorite product of all the show!” Some folks came back with coworkers or friends in tow, urging them to try Tantos. We even had pre-set meetings with buyers from General Mills, Albertsons, Target, UNFI, KeHE, and so on. Normally, these buyers take a small bite and move on, but for Tantos, many of them finished the entire bag. That’s when I realized: Okay, we really have something here.
Expo West was also a networking bonanza. I met grocery chains, independents, distributors, and all kinds of industry pros. We collected leads on the scanner, noting who wanted a follow-up sample pack or a line sheet. The real gem of a trade show is the relationships that blossom weeks or months later.
Biggest Lessons Learned
The main lesson? Have your pitch down before the show starts. Your expo pitch is different from, say, a phone pitch—people rush by in a sea of booths, so you have seconds to grab their attention. It took me about five tries on the first morning to nail a concise, energetic pitch. Once I got it, I repeated it hundreds of times over the three-day expo, each time hooking a passerby with “Do you like pasta?”—the perfect opener to push them toward sampling Tantos.
Here’s the exact pitch I delivered to nearly everyone who passed by:
“Do you like pasta?
Well, have you had it in snack form?
No, Because we’re Tantos! The first and only puffed pasta chip, seasoned in your classic Italian flavors: Cacio e Pepe, Pesto, Marinara, and Classico. (At this point, I’m pointing to each flavor’s sample cup on our booth table.) We’re made from a real pasta pellet—durum wheat and water, the true definition of pasta, puffed to perfection. They’re crunchy, light, airy, consistently crispy, and…as you can tell right now, delicious. We’ve got four flavors, two sizes, and as we like to say, ‘Finally...pasta meets snacking.’”
That was my opener. Each time, I projected confidence and excitement, practically forcing them (in a polite way, of course) to stop, taste the chip, and chat. The more confident and enthusiastic I was, the more engaged they became—and the more they loved Tantos.
If you’re new to the tradeshow scene, here’s my advice:
- Don’t overspend on a fancy booth. Clear, attractive branding that showcases your product is enough.
- Focus on your pitch. Perfect a short hook to reel people in for a sample.
- Bring plenty of samples—but not an insane surplus. We ended with about 200 leftover bags, which wasn’t too bad.
- Stay energetic. Three days of non-stop chatting and standing can drain you, but if you’re excited, others will be too.
- Be adaptable. If the pitch doesn’t resonate, tweak it. Manage your sample supply carefully.
- Scan every badge. Follow-up is king.
All in all, Tantos’s first Expo West was a huge success. We walked away with a stack of leads, glowing feedback, and fresh confidence in our pasta chip. In just a few days, we introduced Tantos to countless retailers, distributors, and foodies, some of whom have already become valuable partners. That’s the power of a good trade show: when everything aligns, it’s truly game-changing.
