line to enter the hall.
Since Georgia lawmakers legalised
hemp farming last year, the hall was
unsurprisingly dominated by hemp
farmers. The potent fragrance of the
plant refl ected this as it was prevalent
across all four corners of the hall with
CBD-rich hemp fl owers available in
bulk.
To the untrained eye, the fl ower looked
nearly identical to its close relative –
marijuana. Manufacturers were keen
on presenting their cultivated dried
buds which were impressive I have
to say. The versatile crop was also
available in other products across the
show such as textiles, pet care, health
foods and holistic body care – which
further diversifi ed and appealed to a
wide-range of buyers.
Although it’s always a pleasure to see
familiar faces at trade shows, I noticed
a string of new brands, such as Good
CBD Shop, Happy Hemp Farmacy
and Connect Hemp Co. to name just
a few. This was exciting to see as it
demonstrated the rapid growth of the
cannabis industry.
Interestingly, the show also drew in
exhibitors with non-hemp products,
among them were vape companies
such as The Fountain E-liquid and My
Vape Bar – the latter were pleased to
have exhibited at the show saying it
had been a successful event which
gave them the opportunity to market
and connect with a new wave of
consumers.
The general atmosphere in the
hall was very chilled and relaxed
throughout the two-day show. The
volume of music was on point and
not too loud - this is something I
appreciate as it gives businesses the
chance to communicate and network
without any distractions.
The convention, which is situated
three miles east of the Hartsfi eld-
Jackson International Airport, offered
many useful services for exhibitors,
trade visitors and consumers such as
parking which was easily accessible
across the 160-acre complex, free WIFI
which brought instant happiness to
my life, and nearby you had many
award-winning restaurants and top
hotels. Considering this was their
fi rst-ever tradeshow targeting a new
industry, it was structured very well
and ran smoothly.
I’d like to thank the organiser
Michael and the whole team for
their hospitality throughout the
show and for making it an enjoyable
experience. I noticed some exhibitors
reaching out to Michael and wanting
to re-book their stand for the
upcoming Hemp World Expo at the
Mohegan Sun. That’s always a sign of
a successful show. Undoubtedly, you
will fi nd us there too.
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