Highlights from Expo West 2024 - trends, insights, and more!
Expo West never fails to ignite my passion for innovation and connection. Each year I get to speak with impressive new founders and CEOs, reconnect with people I love in the CPG community, and uncover the newest and emerging trends and this year was no exception. Last year the buzz was all about non-alcoholic beverages, dairy alternatives, and plant-based meat and seafood alternatives. But this time around, there were 4 new categories that I personally found interesting and buzzworthy.
🍄 Medicinal mushrooms including Reishi, Lions Mane, Chaga, Turkey Tail, and Cordyceps, have been in the spotlight for their scientifically proven health benefits. This is a category that I’ve always found fascinating given my passion for holistic wellness. These powerhouse mushrooms offer an incredible variety of benefits depending on the products. Some offer improved sleep quality( my personal favorite), immunity support, reduced inflammation, stress reduction, and support for brain health and cognitive function. Their versatility and popularity were evident at Expo with products ranging from tinctures and specialty beverages like soda alternatives, coffees, and teas, to innovative snacks such as mushroom jerky and freeze-dried mushrooms.
My favorite medicinal mushroom brand: Shroomwell
Shroomwell’s functional health products are created from the medicinal mushrooms they grow themselves in Estonia. They have everything from drinks, tinctures, elixirs, and oral sprays.
💪 Gut Health. The importance of gut health is becoming increasingly evident. A healthy gut is obviously important for digestion and also for overall well-being and vitality. And there is a growing pile of evidence about how it also directly impacts mental health, immune function, inflammation, metabolism, skin health, and so much more. At Expo, numerous brands were all about the gut-friendly products, many of which prominently featured the word “gut” in their brand name. From probiotic drinks and kefir to yogurt products, supplements, and snack bars, the market showcased a wide variety of options aimed at supporting digestive wellness.
Favorite gut health brand: GoodBelly
GoodBelly combines science and food to promote better digestion and quality of life. My favorite product of theirs is their prebiotic sparkling water, but they also make juice drinks, shots, fast melts, and supplements all to aid digestion and promote optimal gut health.
👶 Baby food snacks. There was a big focus on nutritious snack options for children and babies. Brands sampled snacks packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fruits and veggies. From gummies and fruit snacks to convenient bars and even delicious smoothies, there was something tasty for every tiny taste bud. The focus on creating healthy baby food snacks reflects the growing awareness of the importance of nutrition, especially during the early years of life.
Favorite baby food snack brand: Amara
Armara smoothie melts were one of my favorite products I sampled this year at Expo. Amara is committed to nutrition with every bite with their super baby food and smoothie bite snack products. Their mango carrots smoothie bites were my personal favorite and I literally would eat them as a snack.
🐶 Holistic pet nutrition and wellness. Holistic pet nutrition is my new favorite category given my love for animals (especially my own two dogs, who might as well be human)). The sentiment that “pets are the new kids” was more real than ever and really shined a light on the evolving relationship between humans and their pets. Pet owners are now more discerning, looking for pet products made with high-quality human-grade ingredients.I hope this is a sign that the days of highly processed kibble will soon be behind us.
Favorite pet supplement brand: Ready Pet Go!
Ready Pet Go sells high-quality chewable supplements for your dog’s whole health. They have everything from skin & coat omega-3 chews to seasonal allergy and calming and relaxing chews.
Stay tuned as we take a deep dive into each of these exciting new trends in the coming weeks. And keep your eyes peeled for more insights coming your way!
