US natural, organic, functional food market could be worth $150bn by 2018

Next, Len Monheit, executive director, strategic development at New Hope Natural Media, talked about the evolution of the natural products industry, noting that natural products that might once have been considered niche, are increasingly making their way into mainstream food channels, from chia and quinoa to Greek yogurt.

Indeed, the line between natural and conventional products is becoming more blurred, he added: "The chasm that used to exist between natural and conventional has collapsed."​

Much of his presentation was devoted to trends, including one dubbed 'ancient wisdom' - which is embodied in diets such as paleo, raw and vegan, as well as ingredients such as ancient grains - he said.

However, it also reflects a growing sense that when it comes to food culture, we will probably "spend the next 20 years undoing what we did in the last 50".​

He also shared some data:

• Growth rates for natural, organic, and functional foods are almost three times higher than that of the overall food market.
• Sales of whole food supplements are growing 2.5 times as fast as sales of supplements overall.
• The Non-GMO Project certification scheme is the fastest growing certification scheme in food today.
• Sales of natural, organic, and health-focused foods are forecast to top $150bn in 2018, while dietary supplements alone are set to be worth $49bn.