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The sold-out New England Products Tradeshow wrapped up one of its best show’s in recent years on March 14.

With 300 exhibitors — including 60 new ones — this year’s three-day show in Portland, Maine, had the strongest attendance in years, explains Stefa Normantas, principal of Falmouth, Maine-based Giraffe Events, the show’s organizer.

“We’re back to exhibitor levels of four years ago,” she says. “Our show is an early bellwether for the economy. People are ready to get out and buy.”

The regional tradeshow features a wide range of products, including gourmet and specialty food products, serveware, tabletop, gifts, jewelry and art. Exhibitors are carefully screened.

“We jury everyone here to make sure they’re made in New England” and to verify that the company will be able to fulfill buyers’ wholesale orders, Normantas explains.

Because of the show’s focus on high quality, hand-crafted and unique items, it attracts a variety of buyers from New England and New York, and as far away as South Carolina, Normantas says. Buyers like NEPTS because most of the time, they get to meet the manufacturer or craftsman who made the product, she adds.

Independent retailers, inn keepers and corporate buyers for L.L. Bean, Hannaford Bros., Whole Foods Market and Yankee Candle attended the recent show. There, the buyers have a special role: Each year, they judge the new products competition.

In the specialty foods category, Mainely Pastries’ Whoopie Pies took first place. The treats are available in several flavors and sold frozen for $14 a case. (The Winslow, Maine-based company does not have a website, but can be reached at 207-873-3042.)

Second place was awarded to St Julien Macaroons, which made its show debut. Now available wholesale, the cookies previously were available exclusively via mail order, explains Owner James Price, whose mother started baking the macaroons in 1973, and hence started the company in her Massachusetts kitchen. Price bought the company and moved it to Sundown, N.H., in 1993.

The cookies, which are all-natural and certified gluten-free, are available in Honey Almond and Cocoa Almond, and last up to one year in the freezer. Each square, resealable box has a suggested retail price of $11.

In the gift category, Sally Bags — a Center Conway, N.H., makers of colorful handbags — received the first place award.
Second place went to Jack and Mary Handbags, a line featuring purses and mittens made from reclaimed sweaters.

Chalk it up to Yankee ingenuity, but items made from reclaimed or recycled items were popular at this year’s show, Normantas says. Custom Cordage makes doormats from 100-percent recycled lobster rope from the Gulf of Maine; Sea Bags are handcrafted totes made from recycled sails; serveware and coffee mugs are a few of the items made from a composite material containing lobster, clam and or mussel shells from Blue Lobster Gifts and EcoSeaTile; Margarita’s jewelry are made from vintage pieces; and jewelry made with seaglass from several vendors.