At Natural Products Expo West, OSC Packaging Collaborative honored brands and material providers committed to sustainability.

In this exclusive Q&A, Keith Bearden, CEO of Alter Eco, reflects on his key takeaways from the Sustainable Foods Summit North America, and offers advice for retailers and manufacturers committed to making a difference. 

These initiatives can build trust and transparency with customers, and encourage brand loyalty.

Read up on all the latest news in the natural products industry on Vitafoods Europe, new partnerships, awards and more.

Read up on all the latest news in the natural products industry, including sustainability initiatives, supply chain updates, and more.

The Sustainable Foods Summit focused on developments with upcycled foods and emerging sustainability programs in the food industry, while also exploring new horizons.

Natural Grocers hopes to inspire other companies within the industry to embrace ecologically thoughtful practices without compromising quality or at the expense of affordability. 

With products like Mirtoselect and Enovita, Indena aims to design products that the follow the company's vision of a circular economy. 

Upcycling—taking would-be waste and turning it into a usable or edible product—is on the rise, although it’s better known globally than it is in the U.S., where manufacturers are still working to educate customers. Here's an update on where things stand now.

This excerpt adapted from The Business of Botanicals: Exploring the Healing Promise of Plant Medicines in a Global Industry by Ann Armbrecht.