Expo West 2022 Trend Report

Author: Nicole Brown

March 16 – 10 min read

 After two years of COVID pandemic-related isolation in the food industry, Natural Products Expo West was back in person this year with a vengeance! Expo West shines a spotlight on new, organic, and clean label food innovation, with a look at the trends shaping the future of the nearly US $300 billion industry. A so-called Super Bowl for the natural products industry with nearly 3,000 companies exhibiting, Expo West offered the first glimpse of cutting-edge innovation created by emerging and established brands.  

The show-floor in Anaheim, California included key industry suppliers including Givaudan, Kerry, Cargill, Ingredion, BDF Natural Ingredients and GNT. Also presenting at the exhibition were prominent US retail chains such as Kroger, Whole Foods, Earth Fare and Dawson’s Market. It was celebratory and exciting to have industry leaders from across the “better-for-you” space all collecting in one place again. Here are the top most revolutionary trends that stole the limelight at Expo West 2022.

Mood-Boosting Foods

The pandemic made everyone lonely, depressed, and stressed – and natural foods came to the rescue! The hottest trend at Expo West this year was inarguably health products infused with superfoods meant to make consumers feel better, from Ashwagandha and Lions’ Mane to L-Theanine and Green Tea Extract. Indeed, sales of ashwagandha have increased by an eye-popping 162% in the last 12 months, and at Expo West, it was featured in everything from coffees and cakes to brownies and bars. 

By the same token, all sorts of nootropics – ingredients marketed as improving focus and mood like L-Theanine, Green Tea Extract, and Coffee Fruit Extract – were also everywhere. Today’s consumers have diminishing attention spans, and nootropics are becoming very popular to help them focus if they’re working from home or have other distractions of life. For examples, look no further than hot emerging brands like Free Rain and U Calming. 

Eat More Plants and Companies that “Do Good”

Plant-based eating has been a booming health trend for several years, and now the benefits of eschewing the carbon-negative impacts of eating animals are dovetailing with the nutritional benefits of eating more veggies and causing a “mega-trend”. The evidence for this at Expo West was obvious in the form of everything from innovative plant-based meat replacements to nutrition bars infused with proteins coming from exotic ingredients like algae. While ‘being vegan’ remains rather niche, the number of consumers who are prioritizing plant-based ingredients in their diets is growing astronomically.

Plant protein was a core focus at the show, reflecting the global industry consumer movement. Plant-based has certainly been one of the biggest trends that we’ve seen in the industry over the past five years, and we are continuing to see it grow. Contributing to the momentum are concerns related to health, environment, animal welfare and dietary limitations.

• Ingredion featured its prototype concepts including a plant-based coconut yogurt made with its “ultra-performance” plant protein. The ingredients supplier offered samples of its reduced sugar tart cherry fruit preparation with appealing sweetness and mouthfeel provided by its portfolio of sugar reduction solutions and sweeteners. Also featured was Ingredion’s granola concept, made with a light and crispy plant-based protein boost from its structured vegetable protein.
• Clean label and functional ingredient supplier A&B Ingredients announced a collaboration with BDF Natural Ingredients, Spain. A&B Ingredients will distribute BDF’s innovative enzyme ingredients, Probind Transglutaminase Enzyme, to the North American market.
• Big Mountain Foods’ Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crumble features a blend of organic lion’s mane, portobello and shiitake mushrooms, plus pea protein, carrots, coconut oil and hemp seeds.
• Force of Nature focuses on regenerative meats. The brand’s Lonestar Blend Wild Boar and Beef Sausage is made with holistically raised, grass-fed beef and wild boar, an invasive species contributing to water pollution and crop destruction.
• Neptune Snacks offers sustainably sourced fish jerky. The company uses imperfect and undersized cuts or surplus species such as the locally abundant Wild Alaska Pollock and Pacific Rockfish, reducing waste along the supply chain.
• Applegate Farms, a Bridgewater, NJ-based subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corp., introduced the Do Good Dog, a hot dog made with beef raised on verified regenerative grasslands. The cattle that supply the beef for the Do Good Dog are part of a system contributing to the regeneration of up to 260,000 acres of US grasslands, according to the Savory Institute, an organization committed to facilitating large-scale regeneration of the world’s grasslands.

Drinking in Functional Beverages

As consumers pursue personalized approaches to wellness, natural, organic and functional products are driving most of the growth in the food and beverage marketplace. Health-haloed drinks were a focal point of the show, with companies showcasing a plethora of low-sugar, alcohol-free and probiotic beverages. 

Functional food and beverage products debuting at Expo West addressed a range of needs, including energy, sleep, mood and brain health. Notable functional beverages included:

• A ready-to-drink beverage launched by Free Rain, New York, containing maca root to “nourish libido, enhance sexual energy and support hormonal balance.
• Ritual Zero Proof featured its range of spirit alternatives. After expanding its product line with the world’s first Tequila Alternative last April, Ritual introduced the newest innovation, Ritual Rum Alternative. The alcohol-free beverage is dubbed “the rum punch that doesn’t knock you out,” boasting the warm vanilla, toasted spice and velvety decadence of dark rum, minus the alcohol or calories.
• U Calming Co., San Diego, creates calming tonics incorporating kava, ashwagandha, L-theanine, chamomile and lemon balm to promote relaxation.
• Lifeway Foods has debuted a dairy-free probiotic oat beverage, Lifeway Oat, expanding its portfolio of probiotic beverages beyond its kefir. This dairy-free, certified vegan option supports a healthy gut microbiome and immunity, with ten live and active probiotic cultures and heart-healthy beta-glucans. It was showcased alongside the company’s adaptogenic functional oat drinks made with reishi, lion’s mane and aronia berry.
• Taste and nutrition giant Kerry exhibited its finished products including the Bio-K+’s Extra Cognition Drinkable, which recently won Product of the Year in the US Probiotics Category for 2022. 

Diversity in Entrepreneurs

The entrepreneurs behind the hottest CPG brands are changing fast, and this couldn’t be more clear than in the aisles of Expo West. There are more brands than ever before being spearheaded by women and people of color. Some retailers and Venture Capital firms are even prioritizing giving shelf space – and hefty investments – to companies with diverse leadership. Over the past several years, we’ve seen incredible growth in women and minority-owned businesses in the cutting-edge food space. These businesses are typically on the cutting-edge of being mission-driven, clean label, and forward-thinking.

• Fila Manila Filipino American Kitchen produces pantry staples inspired by the Philippines’ most iconic dishes. The latest launch is banana ketchup, a tomato-less condiment made with bananas, bell pepper, herbs and spices.
• A Dozen Cousins offers convenient meal staples based on Creole, Caribbean and Latin American recipes. Recent additions include ready-to-eat rice cooked in bone broth and seasoning sauces for meat and rice.
• San Francisco-based Twrl Milk Tea is a plant-based twist on a popular Taiwanese beverage. The canned lattes are made with organic, fair-trade tea and pea milk and infused with nitrogen, which creates a creamy taste.
• Sanzo is a sparkling water brand featuring Asian fruit flavors such as calamansi, yuzu and lychee, with no added sugar, artificial flavors or preservatives. The startup was founded by a Filipino American who saw an opportunity to offer a clean label option. The goal was simple –  to celebrate high-quality Asian flavors that have for decades have been masked by added sugars.

Carbon is the New Calorie

Organic has become a baseline or standard for natural products, and many brands and new products are honing in on climate and sustainability. This holds particularly true in stalwart center-aisle categories where brands are making it so easy for consumers to choose organic while getting other benefits on the side. These include things like baking mixes, breakfast cereals, sauces, oils, and of course other basic grocery products like dairy creamers, eggs and chicken.

Several exhibitors have received a Regenerative Organic Certified seal, indicating ingredients were produced by methods that advance soil health, animal welfare and social fairness. 

• Navitas Organics debuted a Regenerative Organic Certified cacao powder. The company partners with farmers who use holistic and indigenous practices that increase biodiversity and preserve natural resources.
• Philosopher Foods launched the first-to-market Regenerative Organic Certified stone-ground chocolate coconut butter. Cattle graze on coconut estates, converting weeds and grass into manure, which stimulates growth of plant roots and sequesters carbon dioxide.
• Airly Foods’ cheddar cheese crackers made with ingredients produced using regenerative agriculture practices. The company offsets the carbon that is produced in making the crackers, including a powerful seed-to-shelf accounting of its carbon capture, and it does all of this at a really accessible price point.
• Zen Beverage Co. is a bottled water company using recycled, certified Ocean Bound Plastic to help restore coastal environments. The company said it is on track to rescue 50 million lbs of ocean-bound plastic by 2025. 
• Cocojune Products packages its organic, dairy-free yogurt products in paper-based cups and is working toward a compostable option.

Sustainable Lifestyle Products: 

Sustainability was the hero focus for many of the exhibitors in the personal care category. Beauty, skin care, body washes, deodorants, home cleaning products, and even toilet paper brands featured their newest product lines that were inspired by extending responsibility beyond the exchange at the checkout line and into the full product life cycle (inclusive of waste streams). 

• Liquid Death was in the hands of just about every attendee and exhibitor throughout the show. Their aluminum canned water exemplifies their rallying cry to bring ‘death to plastic’ and is a great case-study of brands collecting market share with better-for-the-planet packaging options. 
• Reel Paper Tree-Free Toilet Paper is on a mission to flush unsustainable TP production practices including deforestation and wasteful packaging, the plastic- and tree-free brand exclusively uses bamboo for its super soft squares.
• 1908 Brands B Clean Product Line showcased their home surface cleaning kit with no single use plastics. Their product features refillable & reusable glass bottles with coin-sized clean tablets that activate with tap water.

Spotlight: Givaudan’s Progressive Food Journey

Givaudan set up a Health & Wellness zone, presenting its Lifenol solution, a botanical extract of hops claimed to promote healthy aging and improve the quality of life in menopausal and postmenopausal women. The ingredient is presented in the snack format of oat-based Lifenol Meno “PAUSED” bites.

As part of its showcased “progressive food journey” concept, the flavor specialist is offering samples that take visitors through a “morning breakfast to a plant-based protein lunch, ending the day with a functional beverage mocktail.”

Soy-based crab bites were on the menu, utilizing a vegan crab flavor, marine flavor booster, and GivaudanFreshness lemon flavor. They also featured marinated plant-based mozzarella skewers, made with buttery mozzarella, chickpea protein maskers and Givaudan’s natural emulsifier to create a creamy cheese highlighted by the refreshing tomato basil seasoning of marinated oil.

In beverages, Givaudan highlighted that functional beverages have begun to incorporate a wider variety of nootropics, exemplified through its Level-Up Water concept paired with Maca and Cereboost, a patented American ginseng extract. Meanwhile, its Green Monk Mocktail mingles the complex flavors of juniper, ginger, lemon, spice, and chartreuse with matcha tea and green tea with L-Theanine.

Key Takeaways

Consumer behaviors are changing, and with that comes the opportunity for the natural products industry not just to meet consumers where they are, but also to predict where they’re heading. It has been a time to rethink how we connect, how we do business and how we create meaningful solutions for people and the planet. Hence, an inspiring approach to innovation has taken shape — one that is much more about solutions than novelty and that makes promises for a brighter future, rather than just surviving the chaos of today.

Author: Nicole Brown

March 16 – 10 min read

After two years of COVID pandemic-related isolation in the food industry, Natural Products Expo West was back in person this year with a vengeance! Expo West shines a spotlight on new, organic, and clean label food innovation, with a look at the trends shaping the future of the nearly US $300 billion industry. A so-called Super Bowl for the natural products industry with nearly 3,000 companies exhibiting, Expo West offered the first glimpse of cutting-edge innovation created by emerging and established brands.  

The show-floor in Anaheim, California included key industry suppliers including Givaudan, Kerry, Cargill, Ingredion, BDF Natural Ingredients and GNT. Also presenting at the exhibition were prominent US retail chains such as Kroger, Whole Foods, Earth Fare and Dawson’s Market. It was celebratory and exciting to have industry leaders from across the “better-for-you” space all collecting in one place again. Here are the top most revolutionary trends that stole the limelight at Expo West 2022.

Mood-Boosting Foods

The pandemic made everyone lonely, depressed, and stressed – and natural foods came to the rescue! The hottest trend at Expo West this year was inarguably health products infused with superfoods meant to make consumers feel better, from Ashwagandha and Lions’ Mane to L-Theanine and Green Tea Extract. Indeed, sales of ashwagandha have increased by an eye-popping 162% in the last 12 months, and at Expo West, it was featured in everything from coffees and cakes to brownies and bars. 

By the same token, all sorts of nootropics – ingredients marketed as improving focus and mood like L-Theanine, Green Tea Extract, and Coffee Fruit Extract – were also everywhere. Today’s consumers have diminishing attention spans, and nootropics are becoming very popular to help them focus if they’re working from home or have other distractions of life. For examples, look no further than hot emerging brands like Free Rain and U Calming. 

Eat More Plants and Companies that “Do Good”

Plant-based eating has been a booming health trend for several years, and now the benefits of eschewing the carbon-negative impacts of eating animals are dovetailing with the nutritional benefits of eating more veggies and causing a “mega-trend”. The evidence for this at Expo West was obvious in the form of everything from innovative plant-based meat replacements to nutrition bars infused with proteins coming from exotic ingredients like algae. While ‘being vegan’ remains rather niche, the number of consumers who are prioritizing plant-based ingredients in their diets is growing astronomically.

Plant protein was a core focus at the show, reflecting the global industry consumer movement. Plant-based has certainly been one of the biggest trends that we’ve seen in the industry over the past five years, and we are continuing to see it grow. Contributing to the momentum are concerns related to health, environment, animal welfare and dietary limitations.

• Ingredion featured its prototype concepts including a plant-based coconut yogurt made with its “ultra-performance” plant protein. The ingredients supplier offered samples of its reduced sugar tart cherry fruit preparation with appealing sweetness and mouthfeel provided by its portfolio of sugar reduction solutions and sweeteners. Also featured was Ingredion’s granola concept, made with a light and crispy plant-based protein boost from its structured vegetable protein.
• Clean label and functional ingredient supplier A&B Ingredients announced a collaboration with BDF Natural Ingredients, Spain. A&B Ingredients will distribute BDF’s innovative enzyme ingredients, Probind Transglutaminase Enzyme, to the North American market.
• Big Mountain Foods’ Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crumble features a blend of organic lion’s mane, portobello and shiitake mushrooms, plus pea protein, carrots, coconut oil and hemp seeds.
• Force of Nature focuses on regenerative meats. The brand’s Lonestar Blend Wild Boar and Beef Sausage is made with holistically raised, grass-fed beef and wild boar, an invasive species contributing to water pollution and crop destruction.
• Neptune Snacks offers sustainably sourced fish jerky. The company uses imperfect and undersized cuts or surplus species such as the locally abundant Wild Alaska Pollock and Pacific Rockfish, reducing waste along the supply chain.
• Applegate Farms, a Bridgewater, NJ-based subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corp., introduced the Do Good Dog, a hot dog made with beef raised on verified regenerative grasslands. The cattle that supply the beef for the Do Good Dog are part of a system contributing to the regeneration of up to 260,000 acres of US grasslands, according to the Savory Institute, an organization committed to facilitating large-scale regeneration of the world’s grasslands.

Drinking in Functional Beverages

As consumers pursue personalized approaches to wellness, natural, organic and functional products are driving most of the growth in the food and beverage marketplace. Health-haloed drinks were a focal point of the show, with companies showcasing a plethora of low-sugar, alcohol-free and probiotic beverages. 

Functional food and beverage products debuting at Expo West addressed a range of needs, including energy, sleep, mood and brain health. Notable functional beverages included:

• A ready-to-drink beverage launched by Free Rain, New York, containing maca root to “nourish libido, enhance sexual energy and support hormonal balance.
• Ritual Zero Proof featured its range of spirit alternatives. After expanding its product line with the world’s first Tequila Alternative last April, Ritual introduced the newest innovation, Ritual Rum Alternative. The alcohol-free beverage is dubbed “the rum punch that doesn’t knock you out,” boasting the warm vanilla, toasted spice and velvety decadence of dark rum, minus the alcohol or calories.
• U Calming Co., San Diego, creates calming tonics incorporating kava, ashwagandha, L-theanine, chamomile and lemon balm to promote relaxation.
• Lifeway Foods has debuted a dairy-free probiotic oat beverage, Lifeway Oat, expanding its portfolio of probiotic beverages beyond its kefir. This dairy-free, certified vegan option supports a healthy gut microbiome and immunity, with ten live and active probiotic cultures and heart-healthy beta-glucans. It was showcased alongside the company’s adaptogenic functional oat drinks made with reishi, lion’s mane and aronia berry.
• Taste and nutrition giant Kerry exhibited its finished products including the Bio-K+’s Extra Cognition Drinkable, which recently won Product of the Year in the US Probiotics Category for 2022. 

Diversity in Entrepreneurs

The entrepreneurs behind the hottest CPG brands are changing fast, and this couldn’t be more clear than in the aisles of Expo West. There are more brands than ever before being spearheaded by women and people of color. Some retailers and Venture Capital firms are even prioritizing giving shelf space – and hefty investments – to companies with diverse leadership. Over the past several years, we’ve seen incredible growth in women and minority-owned businesses in the cutting-edge food space. These businesses are typically on the cutting-edge of being mission-driven, clean label, and forward-thinking.

• Fila Manila Filipino American Kitchen produces pantry staples inspired by the Philippines’ most iconic dishes. The latest launch is banana ketchup, a tomato-less condiment made with bananas, bell pepper, herbs and spices.
• A Dozen Cousins offers convenient meal staples based on Creole, Caribbean and Latin American recipes. Recent additions include ready-to-eat rice cooked in bone broth and seasoning sauces for meat and rice.
• San Francisco-based Twrl Milk Tea is a plant-based twist on a popular Taiwanese beverage. The canned lattes are made with organic, fair-trade tea and pea milk and infused with nitrogen, which creates a creamy taste.
• Sanzo is a sparkling water brand featuring Asian fruit flavors such as calamansi, yuzu and lychee, with no added sugar, artificial flavors or preservatives. The startup was founded by a Filipino American who saw an opportunity to offer a clean label option. The goal was simple –  to celebrate high-quality Asian flavors that have for decades have been masked by added sugars.

Carbon is the New Calorie

Organic has become a baseline or standard for natural products, and many brands and new products are honing in on climate and sustainability. This holds particularly true in stalwart center-aisle categories where brands are making it so easy for consumers to choose organic while getting other benefits on the side. These include things like baking mixes, breakfast cereals, sauces, oils, and of course other basic grocery products like dairy creamers, eggs and chicken.

Several exhibitors have received a Regenerative Organic Certified seal, indicating ingredients were produced by methods that advance soil health, animal welfare and social fairness. 

• Navitas Organics debuted a Regenerative Organic Certified cacao powder. The company partners with farmers who use holistic and indigenous practices that increase biodiversity and preserve natural resources.
• Philosopher Foods launched the first-to-market Regenerative Organic Certified stone-ground chocolate coconut butter. Cattle graze on coconut estates, converting weeds and grass into manure, which stimulates growth of plant roots and sequesters carbon dioxide.
• Airly Foods’ cheddar cheese crackers made with ingredients produced using regenerative agriculture practices. The company offsets the carbon that is produced in making the crackers, including a powerful seed-to-shelf accounting of its carbon capture, and it does all of this at a really accessible price point.
• Zen Beverage Co. is a bottled water company using recycled, certified Ocean Bound Plastic to help restore coastal environments. The company said it is on track to rescue 50 million lbs of ocean-bound plastic by 2025. 
• Cocojune Products packages its organic, dairy-free yogurt products in paper-based cups and is working toward a compostable option.

Sustainable Lifestyle Products: 

Sustainability was the hero focus for many of the exhibitors in the personal care category. Beauty, skin care, body washes, deodorants, home cleaning products, and even toilet paper brands featured their newest product lines that were inspired by extending responsibility beyond the exchange at the checkout line and into the full product life cycle (inclusive of waste streams). 

• Liquid Death was in the hands of just about every attendee and exhibitor throughout the show. Their aluminum canned water exemplifies their rallying cry to bring ‘death to plastic’ and is a great case-study of brands collecting market share with better-for-the-planet packaging options. 
• Reel Paper Tree-Free Toilet Paper is on a mission to flush unsustainable TP production practices including deforestation and wasteful packaging, the plastic- and tree-free brand exclusively uses bamboo for its super soft squares.
• 1908 Brands B Clean Product Line showcased their home surface cleaning kit with no single use plastics. Their product features refillable & reusable glass bottles with coin-sized clean tablets that activate with tap water.

Spotlight: Givaudan’s Progressive Food Journey

Givaudan set up a Health & Wellness zone, presenting its Lifenol solution, a botanical extract of hops claimed to promote healthy aging and improve the quality of life in menopausal and postmenopausal women. The ingredient is presented in the snack format of oat-based Lifenol Meno “PAUSED” bites.

As part of its showcased “progressive food journey” concept, the flavor specialist is offering samples that take visitors through a “morning breakfast to a plant-based protein lunch, ending the day with a functional beverage mocktail.”

Soy-based crab bites were on the menu, utilizing a vegan crab flavor, marine flavor booster, and GivaudanFreshness lemon flavor. They also featured marinated plant-based mozzarella skewers, made with buttery mozzarella, chickpea protein maskers and Givaudan’s natural emulsifier to create a creamy cheese highlighted by the refreshing tomato basil seasoning of marinated oil.

In beverages, Givaudan highlighted that functional beverages have begun to incorporate a wider variety of nootropics, exemplified through its Level-Up Water concept paired with Maca and Cereboost, a patented American ginseng extract. Meanwhile, its Green Monk Mocktail mingles the complex flavors of juniper, ginger, lemon, spice, and chartreuse with matcha tea and green tea with L-Theanine.

Key Takeaways

Consumer behaviors are changing, and with that comes the opportunity for the natural products industry not just to meet consumers where they are, but also to predict where they’re heading. It has been a time to rethink how we connect, how we do business and how we create meaningful solutions for people and the planet. Hence, an inspiring approach to innovation has taken shape — one that is much more about solutions than novelty and that makes promises for a brighter future, rather than just surviving the chaos of today.