Tom Collins: Wrinkles and Pimples and Laugh-Lines, Oh My!
Recently I wrote a market research report on skin treatments. Yes good old Tom doesn’t pay his bills writing these columns he loves, at least not yet. Well let’s just say this column is a reaction to that project. The whole ‘microdermabrasion this, skin-peel that, overnight miracle stuff’ just left me really depressed and reaching […]
Vitamin E, Echinacea Continue to Lose Sales
As regular readers of NBN know (and if you’re not a regular reader get with it!) starting in 2005 and continuing in 2006 the media was rife ongoing reports over the inefficacy of nutritional supplements with Vitamin E and Echinacea bearing the brunt of the bad press. Studies about these were widely reported, overstated and […]
Overheard at Expo West—A Small Compilation of the Humurous and Inane
Overheard at the Expo At a leading personal care booth: “Why should I give you a sample for your girlfriend? She isn’t my bitch.” Note: We think this was a joke. At the Clif Bar booth: “Everybody tells me I have a really great ass?” At the Kettle Chips booth: “Tastes like potato chips.” At […]
Wal-Mart to the World: We Want to be the #1 Organic Retailer
Wal-Mart’s recent announcement that it plans on rapidly expanding its selection of organic items in its stores garnered plenty of attention. Yet NBN believes that while Wal-Mart is seriously considering the opportunities here, we aren’t holding our breath. Of course we know that there will be more and more organic milk, peanut butter and dry […]
Do Natural Products Expo Attendees Drink More Booze
A little known fact, or should we say rumor, came our way last week. Turns out that the staff at the Anaheim Marriott stated that they serve more alcohol at the hotel bars during Expo West than any other convention.”Bartender, I’ll have a double Maker’s Mark and a some carob coated rice cakes, please.” For […]
Conference Board Announces New Consumer Shoplifting Index
The Conference Board, best known for its Consumer Confidence Index announced today that in response to “increasingly recession panicked soccer Moms, meth heads, bonus-less Wall Street traders and nearly everybody f-ing else” it would begin tracking consumer shoplifting habits. Unlike the Board’s well established Consumer Confidence Index which utilizes a household panel of 5,000 Americans, […]
Natural Products Expo West—Ah, Anaheim
NBN will have plenty more on the show of shows (with apologies to Ed Sullivan) but an early look tell us that they’re are more new products here than we’ve seen in years. Additionally we;ve noticed lots of folks crowding the floor who we’re sure don’t know the difference between barley malt and Birkenstocks. In […]
It’s March, so I Must Be in Anaheim at Expo West
Lots of New Products, Lots of People Crowd Show Floor as NBN Says, “Get Me Some Yerba Mate” NBN will have plenty more on the Show of Shows (with apologies to Ed Sullivan) but an early look tells us that there are more new products here than we’ve seen in years. Additionally, we’ve noticed lots […]
Wal-Mart’s New Campaign Makes Us Queasy
New ‘Humanitarian’ Strategy Revealed As noted in the March 2nd New York Times, Wal-Mart’s new marketing strategy, that includes selling premium items across all segments isn’t about capturing more and more retail sales it’s a humanitarian effort. The low price message is now history. In its stead Wal-Mart’s new campaign is to convince America that […]
Whole Foods Buys Wild Oats — Part Two
Okay it took us a while to get back to you with our opinion on the big sale. And while we still have out doubts about the impact the purchase will have on operations in the short term, financially the move is strong. In case you’re thinking NBN was just brainwashed by the financial experts […]
