Key takeaways from Expo West

Natural Products Expo West 2024 gave us lots to chew on, literally and figuratively. From Unicorn Tots to menopause tea, our heads are spinning from all the new products hitting the market. As we reflect on our time walking the show floor (yes, our feet are still tired!), a few key themes stick out. Spoiler alert: these trends shouldn’t be new news to you, and our POV at the end may challenge you.?

Sweet, sweet…Stevia backlash??

Low- or no-sugar offerings remain popular across categories, but we couldn't help noticing numerous beverage brands leaning into "stevia-free" messaging. Recoup beverages broadcast a "no added sugar, no stevia" promise, and Sipjoy by Brew Dr. proudly declared "5g organic cane sugar... No stevia, no erythritol, no aspartame, no sucralose, no sorbitol, no xylitol. Sounds great, right?". As we heard in our own research on beverages last year, health is important but taste reigns supreme — and some consumers are put off by stevia’s distinct flavor.?

Prebiotics: the next evolution of supporting a healthy gut?

Speaking of digestion, prebiotics are the hot new gut-health ingredient. Brands continue to emphasize the holistic nature of gut health and its connection to other systems in the body, like Recoup’s "gut-healthy hydration," or Fair and Square crackers with prebiotics from green banana flour. Even candy was touting gut health, such as Tidbits prebiotic fiber gummies.?

Women-Forward??

Previously-taboo topics in women’s health are becoming more widely acknowledged, with a growing emphasis on hormone health, aging well, and women-founded/led brands. Mixhers drink mixes proclaimed that "her health starts with hormones." Date Better Snacks stood tall as a women-founded and led brand. And Neocell collagen supplements sought to help women "look, move, and feel their best at every age." As detailed in our Ideas in Food report, this is a trend worth watching. ???

Bubble Tea bonanza?

If you haven’t noticed, Gen Z is obsessed with bubble tea. At Expo, the Taiwanese beverage was inspiring everything from protein powder to breakfast offerings. Flavors like milk tea and brown sugar were common, such as Califia's brown sugar almond creamer and Pockets' jasmine milk tea almonds.?

Power to the protein?

The demand for nutrient density has firmly entered the snack category. Protein callouts were a dime a dozen, from chips to BFY indulgences. Flock chicken skin crisps promised comforting flavors and guilt-free protein. However, after sampling a variety of chicken chips at Expo, Hartman Group attendees agreed they left much to be desired in terms of taste. We saw protein water pop up again after lackluster performance when it first came to market in the early 2000s, so we’re intrigued to see if it has more staying power now. ?

Pouches… they’re not just for kids!??

Remember those puree pouches you used to sneak from your kid's lunchbox? Brands are catching on. Products spoke to consumers’ continued need for convenience across a range of occasions. We noticed both toned-down “kid branding” from Gnubees functional fruit shakes, and age-agnostic branding from Golden Farms fruit sauce.?

Hot honey is having a moment.??

From Mellody's plant-based hot honey to Momofuku's hot honey chili crunch, sweet heat was present in sauces, condiments, and even frozen meals. This points to consumers’ growing desire for globally-inspired spicy flavors (especially among younger generations) and the movement toward natural sources of sweetness.??

Better-for-you ?? better-for-planet.??

Our longstanding research on sustainability shows that wellness and sustainability are becoming more interconnected than ever for consumers. In line with this sentiment, brands were displaying commitments to initiatives like reducing resource use and improving animal welfare. Regenerative organic products had a notable presence, like Lundberg Regenerative Organic rice and Alexandre Farms Regenerative Organic A2 dairy. Curiosity continues around upcycling: Roots turned otherwise wasted potato scraps into upcycled fries. And plastic-free was another big signal, with brands like Humble Potato Chips being proudly certified plastic-neutral. The irony of plastic-free commitments among all the waste observed at the Expo was not lost on us.?

Blood sugar management for better energy?

In January, The Wall Street Journal reported: “Is Glucose The New Gluten?” So it’s no surprise that blood sugar claims made their way to the Expo. The momentum behind blood sugar claims stems from consumers’ approach to using food as medicine, the integration of pharmaceuticals like Ozempic into mainstream weight loss, as well as the desire to avoid energy peaks and crashes from more processed foods. Joydays baked goods were keeping it "glucose-friendly," while Perfy, the perfect soda, promised to "boost moods, not blood sugar."?

Smashing BFY stereotypes?

“Healthy” food categories like gluten-free bread have historically been burdened by perceptions that taste must be compromised in the name of health. Brands addressed this stereotype with bold messaging: Pacha's gluten-free bread proclaimed, “finally, a great tasting gluten-free bread!” and Seedlip NA Spirit contended that their mocktails are just as satisfying as the real deal. Deliciousness and no compromises were key signals across offerings, and we’re curious to see what truly passes the test with consumers.??

So there you have it, folks: Expo West 2024 in all its innovative splendor. But notice that we did not say “delicious?”

Our POV

One of our big takeaways was the number of products that simply did not taste good. Don’t get us wrong: we tried tons of tasty and interesting things. Expo is not only a great testing ground for brands, but an opportunity for us researchers to try the products and trends we monitor to see if the consumption experience matches the marketing out in the wild. We have tracked most of the trends listed above for years — and taste matters across the board.?As mentioned with BFY stereotypes, growing consumer needs like health shouldn’t overshadow taste, and brands that actually deliver on both will be rewarded.?

Another persistent trend we’ve been signaling is short ingredient lists — and that felt oddly contrasted with some of this year’s show offerings. Yes, there were plenty of products and brands walking this talk, but there were also plenty of lengthy ingredient lists in the name of healthy alternatives. These products qualified under Expo's requirements for entry, but do they really meet consumer needs?

We’ll leave you with this final thought:

To win in today’s food culture, trend-forward products must speak to lasting consumer needs, AND make sense in the context of your brand, category or format.??

Want to know the trends (and more importantly, their implications) before they hit Expo West next year? Let’s chat! ?