The Good Food CFO podcast · The Good Food CFO

Community, not FOMO: Sarah Returns to Expo West After 10 Years Away

·45 min·2 clips

Sarah says the biggest takeaway is that "what we're doing is important and valued."

1. The Good Food CFO podcast episode centers on Sarah Delavan’s return to Expo West after more than a decade away. 2. Sarah Delavan hosts the show, Chelsea Steer is the producer, and Kat Field White, Bridget, and Farmers Market Pros are discussed as organizers of the Intense Conference. 3. The episode asks what Expo West is for, who should attend, and how a founder decides whether the show is worth the cost. 4. Sarah says Expo West in Anaheim, California, is a huge natural foods expo with thousands of brands, distributors, buyers, and networking events. 5. She describes rooms for “Hot Products,” emerging brands, supplements, and other CPG products, plus educational tracks and pitching events. 6. Sarah says she returned this year for marketing and to meet clients, community members, and long-time contacts she had only seen on Zoom. 7. She names women from New York, Austin, San Francisco, Chicago, and Minneapolis as part of the community she wanted to meet in person. 8. Sarah also contrasts Expo West with the Intense Conference in San Diego, which she says is built for farmers market managers and farmers market vendors. 9. She praises Kat Field White, Bridget, and the Farmers Market Pros team for keeping that conference going despite pressure on the farmers market community. 10. Sarah and Chelsea discuss the “$19 strawberry at Erewhon” as a contrast with local and regional produce sold through farmers markets. 11. Sarah says produce at a farmer’s market can be cheaper than grocery-store produce and can last longer because it was picked recently. 12. She mentions “protein bucks” and Christopher Hudson’s “porcupine project” as ways to help people access higher-quality food. 13. Sarah says USDA funding and grants being pulled kept many people from attending the Intense Conference because they had lost jobs. 14. She argues that Expo West has value, but not every brand is ready for the expense or the pressure to chase distribution there. 15. Sarah says founders often do not know what they do not know, which is why guidance about timing and financial readiness matters. 16. She uses a founder who took a retailer pitch through Startup CPG but was still buying ingredients on Amazon as an example of being early to market. 17. Sarah says the advice was to take the meeting, learn, and avoid signing anything until the business is ready. 18. The episode’s tone is conversational and reflective, with Sarah and Chelsea swapping examples, questions, and practical advice. 19. It will suit founders, operators, and service providers who want clear Expo West strategy. 20. It may be less useful for listeners who want event coverage without business context.

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