More than 3,000 executives from around the globe attended the 12th annual SupplySide East, taking time to explore new offerings in the food, beverage, personal care and dietary supplement industries, and enhancing business connections.

SupplySide East offered great opportunities to connect with colleagues, share insights on industry happenings and get educated on areas of market potential.

Exhibitors at SupplySide East took advantage of the opportunity to showcase some innovative technologies and ingredients, many of which were targeting the growing functional beverage and cosmeceutical sectors.

Visitors to this year’s SupplySide East took full advantage of the strong education program, which spanned topics including cosmeceutical market trends and ideas for functional food formulation, into FDA’s advice on GMP compliance and sustainability of the supply chain.

Virgo Publishing LLC, the owners and producers of the SupplySide East trade show and conference, today removed an exhibitor, fishoilsafety.com, to ensure the integrity and business focus of the private event.

The 12th annual SupplySide East wrapped up on Wednesday, April 28, as attendees and exhibitors concluded business, explored new ingredients and prepped for the follow-up.

During Wednesday’s nutrition education sessions, sponsored by EPAX, SupplySide East attendees were updated by FDA’s Carl Reynolds regarding the latest information on dietary supplement GMPs, which will be under mandatory compliance in less than 60 days. During another session, Paul Coates outlined the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) latest strategic plan regarding nutrition and dietary supplement research, including its goals for the next five years.

Bevnet.com publisher John McKenna led a panel focused on the dynamic beverage and “shot” category at SupplySide East yesterday.

Private label—store brand—opportunities are out there for branded ingredient companies, but understanding what consumers are seeking in those products is key to making the connection.

SupplySide East attendees got insights on cosmeceutical product launches from around the globe that may stimulate innovations in development, but also were reminded of the legal and regulatory paradigms surrounding product launch.

The SupplySide group on LinkedIn is growing daily. From its 5,300+ members, the feedback we get is unanimous—SupplySide group on LinkedIn is better and stronger than any other social networking group in our industry.

Attendees from the nutraceutical, food/beverage and cosmeceutical industries were on hand and ready to do business as the SupplySide East exhibit hall opened today to heavy traffic.

Before the show floor closes today at 4:30 p.m., be sure to make the most of your time to network with industry colleagues; also consider stopping by the free panel discussion on functional beverages, hosted by Bevnet.com, this afternoon.

Market research, product safety, regulatory happenings, industry protocols, green marketing efforts, retailers marketing efforts were all hot topics during the nutrition education tracks, sponsored by EPAX, at SupplySide East on Tuesday morning.

Ready to discover new ingredients at SupplySide East? In our second look at new offerings debuting at the show, we’ve found microencapsulated omega-3s, private label innovations and innovative vegetarian formulas.

Superfruits were hot topics in both the food and cosmeceutical education tracks at SupplySide East on Tuesday morning.

Consumer research is no longer the purview of the marketing department, according to a presentation at SupplySide East; in fact, asking for consumer input during the R&D process can yield a stronger end result.

Are you ready to make some connections at SupplySide East? Don’t miss the opportunity to get lucky at the Las Vegas Showcase, enjoy tasty nibbles during the Opening Reception, and expand your mind in today’s Education Sessions.

Looking to make connections with the right people, right now? Log in to SupplySide Connect on-site to take advantage of the search functionality and networking capabilities.

DBA Analytical, an NSF company, hosted an all-day session on dietary supplement GMP (good manufacturing practice) compliance, attracting more than 40 industry members to the official GMP training at SupplySide East.

Sustainability and safety issues with fish oil supplements often are not well understood. During this session, a panel of experts discussed where fish oil supply comes from, what regulations govern fishing and quality control parameters, and what certifications and what “good-bad” lists have been published by various watchdog organizations.

USADA’s Dr. Amy Eichner spoke to the industry at SupplySide East yesterday, calling for changes to the way dietary supplements are regulated, and promising to continue the dialogue with industry.

The SupplySide East education program kicked off Monday with presentations spanning topics from immune and cardiac health to botanical research and supplement testing.

While the SupplySide East show floor doesn’t open until tomorrow, you can find plenty to do. Why not sign up to attend the education program, with eight sessions available in the Nutrition Track? Or plan to stop by the Happy Hour starting at 4 p.m. to start the networking with industry execs?

For those attending SupplySide East for the first time, here are driving directions and information about mass transit.

SupplySide East is where formulators and marketers head to discover the latest offerings in the nutraceutical and functional food space. In our first look at the new offerings debuting at the show, we discover exotic botanicals, high functionality excipients, and optimized omega-3 formulations.

SupplySide East is collaborating with Bevnet.com on a free panel discussion about functional beverages, open to all attendees, on April 28; education attendees also have the opportunity to hear from NAFFS about the role of flavors in developing functional beverages, and possibly regulatory changes affecting the category.

Looking for product- and service-specific information on opportunities in the dietary supplement, cosmeceutical and food/beverage market? The VendorWorks presentations are free exhibitor-sponsored presentations, designed to allow you to connect with suppliers and service providers. Get the latest research results, learn about new applications for ingredients you already use, and discover opportunities in the growing nutraceutical market.

The U.S Anti-Doping Agency endorses significant changes to DSHEA and the way dietary supplements are regulated, and USADA’s Amy Eichner, Ph.D., will speak to industry about this today at 3 p.m.

SupplySide East is one of the industry’s leading events for healthy and innovative ingredients, and thousands of executives from the global dietary supplement, food/beverage and personal care industries will converge in New Jersey from April 26 to 28. Whether you’re a first-time attendee or a veteran, there’s plenty to look forward to, from product launches and networking opportunities to education sessions and special events.

Don’t wait until your flight touches down in New Jersey to get prepped for SupplySide East—SupplySide Connect offers you the opportunity to connect online with exhibitors and attendees, and conduct searches to target your exhibit hall time.

The SupplySide East education program will include a host of sessions dealing with hot topics, including the sustainability of fish oil, FDA’s guidance on liquid supplements/beverages, health benefits of cocoa and cutting-edge cosmeceutical ingredients.

DBA Analytical, an NSF International company, will present the official GMP training program for SupplySide East on April 26 and 27; two courses are available, and combination registration discounts are available.