ANAHEIM, Calif., March 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 39th annual Natural Products Expo West got under way today with the announcement of 9 trends to watch in organic and natural foods; clean beauty and home products; and supplements and ingredients. The industry’s largest annual event, hosted by New Hope Network, is expected to attract nearly 90,000 industry professionals and will run through Saturday, March 9 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
With more than 3,600 companies showcasing products, including more than 700 brands making their Expo West debut, the 2019 show promises to highlight the future of the food industry. This year New Hope Network’s content and research team will be watching the following trends, highlighting the newest innovations coming from the brands driving the natural products industry forward.
- Sugar Vilified
Sugar, we've realized, is at the root of many modern diseases. Natural innovation features low- or no-calorie sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit and completely unsweetened products that add sensation with carbonation or unexpected flavors, such as bitter or savory.
Product Examples: Fresh Bellies Cauliflower Dreamin’, Szent Passionfruit, Primal Kitchen Classic BBQ Sauce Organic Unsweetened
- Healthy Fats
The fat-free era has passed and healthy fats (of both the monounsaturated and saturated kind) have made a big comeback. Full-fat dairy such as ghee, coconut oil, avocado oil and butter will appear in snacks, beverages, desserts, bars and more.
Product Examples: Creation Nation No Bake Energy Bite Mix Cocoa For Coconuts, Kiito Vanilla Ashwagandha, NuttZo Keto Butter
- Eat More Plants
As more consumers begin to understand the benefits of eating plants, natural brands offer delicious solutions to trim meat consumption and boost the attractiveness of plants ranging from fruits and vegetables to legumes, mushrooms, nuts and more.
Product Examples: Strong Roots Kale & Quinoa Burger, Planet Oat Oatmilk Vanilla, Applegate Organics The Great Organic Blend Burger
- Healthy Microbiome
Building a healthy microbiome extends well beyond simply adding probiotics to finished products. From prebiotic fiber to microbiome products beyond food and beverage, the connection between the gut and overall health will be reflected at the show.
Product Examples: Picaflor Live Culture Pepper Flakes, Counter Culture All Purpose Non-Toxic Cleaner, The Living Apothecary Organic Probiotic Tea Hibiscus Apricot
- Endocannabinoid System
The promise of CBD, hemp and the endocannabinoid system drives growth, experimentation and innovation across categories in the natural industry. USDA Organic-grown hemp is particularly exciting within this category.
Product Examples: Winged Sleepy 10mg CBD/Serving, Oki Active Hemp Extract Water, PLNT Blend Hemp Infused Hydration Mint+ Matcha
- Nutrition Meets Convenience
Whether it's incorporating functional ingredients into staple foods or infusing time-saving products with the latest adaptogenic herb, innovation in convenience-focused brands is bringing nutrition back to quick and easy eats (and sips).
Product Examples: PROBAR Live Almond Butter, Earnest Eats PRO Protein + Probiotic Toasty, Kovi Kai Ginger Cubes
- Responsible Sourcing
Working to mitigate the extractive tendencies of our food system, many brands operate with greater sourcing intention. In order to deliver quality ingredients, transparent and direct trade relationships are often formed.
Product Examples: Gaia Herbs Mind Spring, Madécasse Mint Crunch Dark Chocolate, Patagonia Provisions Savory Seeds
- Responsible Packaging
The natural industry has always cared about the ingredients that go into products. But with single-use plastic packaging receiving scorn from industry stakeholders and consumers, reusable and compostable packaging is gaining more traction.
Product Examples: World Centric PizzaRound, Pathwater, Alter Eco Organic Superdark Chocolate Truffles
- Updating Stale Categories
New brands are launching products in stale categories in response to consumer demand for improved trust, quality ingredients and transparency—and they are cannibalizing sales from legacy CPGs. These products are often modern takes on classic pantry items.
Product Examples: Simple Mills Brownie Almond Flour Mix, Quinn Pretzels Peanut Butter Filled, Stryve Minis Beef Biltong Sticks
To view these trends and products images, visit the online gallery at newhope.com.
All Natural Products Expo West badge holders can catch an overview of how each organic and natural product category is performing, and dig into the trends driving the industry, at The State (and Future) of the Natural & Organic Industry session, from 8:30am to 10:00am Pacific Time on Wednesday, March 6. Industry watchers who are unable to attend Natural Products Expo West may view the session for free via livestream and follow the #ExpoWestTrends conversation online.
“The halls of Natural Products Expo West are filled with standout products that are changing the way we shop, eat and live,” said Carlotta Mast, Senior Vice President of Content and Market Leader at New Hope Network. “Natural and organic is now nearly a $220 billion industry with consumer sales expanding by more than 6 percent a year because consumers trust the brands bringing products to the marketplace that support the health of people and the planet. We are proud to host an event that supports the industry’s growth so that these healthy products continue to be available to more people in more places.”
Follow @NatProdExpo and #ExpoWest on Twitter and Instagram, and visit us on Facebook for ongoing conversations.
About New Hope Network
New Hope Network is at the forefront of the healthy lifestyle products industry. With solutions for the complete supply chain from manufacturers, retailers/distributors, service providers and ingredient suppliers, the network offers a robust portfolio of content, events, data, research and consultative services. Through its mission of growing healthy markets to bring more health to more people, New Hope Network helps businesses identify the people, products, partnerships and trends that create better opportunities and connections. For more information visit www.newhope.com.
About Informa Exhibitions
Informa Exhibitions, the global exhibitions division of Informa PLC, enables communities across the globe to engage, experience and do business by providing them with powerful platforms to connect across key regions and market verticals. Industry insight, coupled with an innovative and customer first approach, provides Informa Exhibitions’ customers and partners with the opportunity to create business advantage and access markets, both digitally and face-to-face, 365 days of the year.