Developing a new product and bringing it to market is a process — make that a series of processes — with multiple challenges and potential pitfalls. But attendees of the inaugural NHS Concept to Commerce trade show and conference — being held March 31-April 2, 2026 in Las Vegas — will be able to pull together the expertise and resources needed to avoid costly missteps and successfully move from initial idea to final execution.
“If you ‘touch’ any part of how a product gets made, there’s value for you to come to NHS Concept to Commerce,” said Lauren Csire, Marketing Director for the event, in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “Our theme for the show is that we’re providing everything people need to move from an idea or prototype, all the way when the product is ready to put on shelves for sale.”
The show, an evolution of the long-running National Hardware Show, will feature more than 400 exhibitors. In the Global Manufacturing and Private Label pavilion, attendees can see suppliers from multiple countries, making NHS ideal for professionals who conduct overseas factory visits and want to save time and money during one efficient trip to Las Vegas. NHS also will feature a Brand Pavilion, “a curated destination where brands will be debuting ready-for-market products that they want to get on retail shelves,” said Csire.
The show floor also will feature an Inventor Pavilion, and NHS has partnered with the United Inventors Association both to spotlight inventors and offer them education, support, guidance and opportunities to sharpen their “pitch.”
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“It will be a curated, vetted exhibit hall, designed to allow people to make more intentional connections,” said Csire. “We’re also debuting an AI-powered tool for attendees that will recommend exhibitors [for them to visit] based on the attendee’s criteria, making it that much more efficient for them.
“The whole show is built with the intention to have something valuable and actionable for everyone, not only buying teams and merchants,” Csire added. “We’re encouraging companies to bring their sourcing and product development teams as well, and we’ll be providing meeting rooms for companies that bring five or more team members to the event.”
Education Program Includes Private Brand Strategies, AI-Powered Sourcing Solutions
On the education side, the NHS Expert Talks conference program is focused on both big-picture strategy and practical tools. Attendees will find sessions covering:
- Industry and economic realities shaping retail and home improvement, with sessions examining consumer behavior, trends and the accelerating role of private brands in driving growth and margin;
- Private brand strategy, including how retailers and suppliers are using owned brands to strengthen loyalty, improve profitability and stand out in crowded categories;
- AI and technology applications in procurement, pricing, forecasting and risk management, with a focus on practical use cases that move beyond pilots to real business impact;
- Product development and go-to-market execution, covering everything from ideation and prototyping to retail readiness and shelf placement; and
- Brand building and visibility, including licensing, differentiation and leadership positioning in competitive markets.
Both the education program and the show floor are designed to be particularly relevant for retail decision-makers with responsibilities ranging from buying to strategy and execution, including:
- Merchants and category managers shaping assortments and supplier strategies;
- Private brand, owned brand and product development teams;
- Sourcing and procurement leaders focused on margin, risk and scalability;
- Operations and supply chain leaders seeking earlier visibility into decisions that affect performance; and
- Brand and innovation teams responsible for differentiation and growth.
Additionally, the event will be relevant for anyone responsible for discovering new products, defining requirements, evaluating partners, approving investments and delivering results.
“Many events focus primarily on showcasing finished products or transactional buying moments,” said Csire. “NHS Concept to Commerce is built around how retail outcomes are shaped — by economics, technology, supplier capabilities, product strategy and brand positioning. NHS Concept to Commerce is designed for those retail leaders navigating tighter timelines, higher expectations and more complex decisions.”
For more information visit NHS Concept to Commerce. To qualify for a free exhibit hall pass, visit here and use the code NHSRTP.
