September 10/Las Vegas/Press Release -- The 2014 World Tea Expo and 2014 Healthy Beverage Expo are heading to "The Golden State" with Long Beach, Calif. as the trade shows' official host city. The co-located events -- which will command more than 50% of the hotels in the city of Long Beach -- are set to take over two-thirds of the Long Beach Convention Center as well as the surrounding downtown, May 29-31, 2014. Healthy Beverage Expo focuses on better-for-you beverages with healthful ingredients, facilitating the dialogue surrounding what "healthy" means to the industry and ultimately the consumer. World Tea Expo is a tradeshow and conference focused 100% on premium teas and related products. Attendee registration for both events opens mid-January 2014, and details are available atwww.WorldTeaExpo.comandwww.HealthyBeverageExpo.com.
 
"Moving World Tea Expo and Healthy Beverage Expo from Las Vegas to SoCal is a strategic decision that many industry leaders asked us to consider," says George Jage, founder and director of The Beverage Group (formerly World Tea Media), a division of F+W Media. "We're thrilled about the new opportunities and business this will bring attendees and exhibitors, and the Expos will see more 'walk-ins' and local 'traffic' from SoCal, as the area is one of the west coast's most dynamic beverage marketplaces. In addition, Long Beach is the perfect host city with its ideal climate, charismatic city-center and numerous attractions. We know the tea and healthy beverage communities will be excited about the Expos' move and how it positively impacts their participation in the shows and their organizations."
 
The shared 2014 conference theme for World Tea Expo and Healthy Beverage Expo is "ReThink Your Drink: Better Beverages, Better Business," inspired by Long Beach's own campaign called "ReThink Your Drink."
 
"I'm delighted to welcome World Tea Expo and Healthy Beverage Expo to Long Beach," said Long Beach mayor Bob Foster. "Long Beach is the perfect fit to host these two expos as our city is certainly a health-minded community, and I look forward to showcasing our City's waterfront, attractions, local businesses and beaches."
 
"We are very happy that World Tea Expo is moving to Long Beach," says Manjiv Jayakumar, president of Cerritos, Calif.-based QTrade Teas & Herbs, a longtime exhibitor of World Tea Expo. "The Southern California region is comprised of a variety of specialty tea companies and business opportunities, and Long Beach and its Convention Center are beautiful venues. We think this move will attract new audiences and new business, and we appreciate how the show organizers are 'keeping it fresh.'"