Trends to watch at Expo West: From ‘modern alchemy’ to functional sips and snacks

One of the best places to spot emerging trends in food and beverage is at Natural Products Expo West, where thousands of companies of all sizes will showcase their latest launches and top performing products – but the elbow-to-elbow crowds, back-to-back meetings and enticing educating sessions means it is impossible to see everything.

To help attendees cut through the clutter and more efficiently explore the most promising trends at the show, consumer and market research firm Spate examined TikTok and Google search data to identify emerging themes in food and beverage, who at the show is already meeting these trends and where there is white space for innovation.

FoodNavigator-USA also combed through the attendee list and gathered insights from companies headed to the show about how they are approaching some of these trends.

‘Modern alchemy’ highlights foods’ perceived potential to prevent health problems

The food as medicine movement in the US continues to gain momentum, and consumers are eager to learn more about which functional ingredients can support their health goals, according to Spate, which dubbed this trend as ‘modern alchemy.’

“These trends highlight a holistic approach to nourishing both body and mind. Brands can capitalize on these preferences by innovating products with transparent, functional ingredients and crafting marketing strategies that emphasize health benefits, sustainability and lifestyle integration,” Spate outlines in a recent 2025 Food & Beverage Trends report.

Examples of ingredients gaining traction within this trend, including lion’s mane mushroom, Spate predicts consumer interest will rise 38.3% between last December and next November. It also qualifies as “high popularity,” according to the company.

Companies at Expo with products featuring lion’s mane and other medicinal mushrooms include:

• M2 Ingredients, which is of the largest functional mushroom ingredient growers in North America and which will unveil a new line of certified regenerative organic products at Expo West at the Om Mushroom booth #5445. Om Mushroom will also debut its latest gummies featuring cordyceps, reishi and more.
• Four Sigmatic, a frontrunner in the mushroom coffee and protein space with products that fit easily into the everyday routine. It recently debuted Focus Lattes in vanilla, mocha and original, all of which are made with lion’s mane. Four Sigmatic is at booth #N507.
• Roots Focus, a supplement line that blends lion’s mane and other mushrooms with nootropics and clean caffeine to support cognitive health, will showcase an on-the-go stick pack format. The stick packs have 56 mg of caffeine, a blend of “brain-boosting functional mushrooms” and are sugar-free. They are available in four flavors. The company is at booth #3489.

Spate’s modern alchemy trend also includes matcha, which earned a “very high popularity” score in its Popularity Index with a year-over-year increase in Google searches of 111.8% and 193% on TikTok in the same period. Spate predicts it will grow 72.2% from December to next November. Spate notes consumer interest in the ingredient is driven on TikTok by hashtags associated with brands including Starbucks and Califia Farms.

Companies at Expo featuring matcha, include:

• Numi Organic Tea, which will showcase a line of latte powders, including a Matcha Maca made with ground green tea and cardamom. The company is at booth #N221.
• Verve Coffee Roasters, which declared in February that is it “going all in on matcha” with the debut of a ceremonial-grade matcha. Verve Matcha “delivers balanced energy and harmony with every sip,” according to the company, which will be at booth #5678.
• Sweety Ice Cream offers matcha, which can be bitter, in a sweet form: Mochi. The company is at booth #N436.

Under the larger umbrella of health and wellness-driven choices that Spate is tracking, Alyssa Williams, food and beverage category insights manager at Spate, said the company sees potential for functional foods and beverages that support an increase in searches for immune support (+7.9% YoY growth), hydration (+37.0% YoY growth), and gut health (+28.1% YoY growth).

‘Sips of the moment’ – emerging beverage trends

The beverage category has always been ripe with innovation thanks in part to its relatively low barrier for trial but also its ability to deliver diverse functional health benefits.

“Coffee, in particular, has become a playground for innovation,” according to Spate’s trend report, which called out instant coffee, mushroom coffee and “proffee” – or a fusion of protein and coffee – as trends to watch.

Expo exhibitors energizing the coffee segment, include:

• Death Wish Coffee Co., which will unveil a new line of premium, ready-to-drink lattes in original, mocha and vanilla and with 75% less added sugar than leading RTD coffee drinks. The company also will display its core blends at booth #1417.
• Southeastern Roastery Coffee will showcase its newest SKU – Rwandan Demi-Caff Coffee, which is packed in a single-serve bag so that it “easily steeps like tea, and cups like a warm, round, creamy hug,” according to CEO Candy Schibli. Samples will be available at the Fresh Ideas Marketplace at booth #F19 on March 4.
• Laurel’s Coffee is the first RTD latte to use 100% organic, regenerative A2 dairy, according to the company, which will showcase its three flavors – classic, matcha latte and dirty chai latte – at booth #N1531.

Innovations in plant-based milk – especially those designed to accompany coffee – also continue to grow. At Expo, Elmhurst 1925 will debut at booth #1783 four new unsweetened and barista plant-based milks, including Unsweetened Pistachio Milk, Unsweetened Vanilla Cashew Milk, Cashew Barista Edition and Unsweetened Coconut Barista Edition.

In addition, Whole Moon will showcase its newest offering – coconut milk, which it says stands out because it uses the whole coconut blended with whole-roasted almonds, oats, pistachios and soybeans for “Whole Protein” nutrition. The company will be at booth #N2233.

Other beverage trends to watch at Expo, according to Spate’s Williams, are functional hydration solutions, adaptogenic drinks and kombucha. She also sees strong interest in low/no alcoholic beverages.

Better-for-you snacks and indulgences

Snacking is here to stay, according to most trend trackers, but Williams says consumers are becoming more selective about their snacks.

“Consumers want snacks with nutritional benefits rather than just empty calories,” she said.

For support, she pointed to Spate data highlighting a growing consumer preference for better-for-you snacks, with increased searches for low-sugar (+16.1% YoY growth), high-protein (+35.0% YoY growth), and gut-friendly options (gut health +28.1% YoY).

Among the brands at Expo West touting better-for-you snacks are:

• Biena, which helped pioneer the chickpea snack segment and which is now branching at Expo West with the launch of Biena Crispy Edamame with Avocado Oil. Marketing Director Samantha Sieloff said the product is the first in the category to be made with avocado oil. Each serving packs 13 grams of plant protein – which is more protein than some meat sticks and less fat than nuts. The company will showcase the new snacks at booth #N1811.
• Unreal, a modern confection company, is returning to Expo West this year as it continues “reimagining nostalgic snacks with up to 51% less sugar and dye-free, simple ingredients,” according to the company. In 2023, Unreal launched Chocolate Covered Pretzels and Chocolate Covered Almonds into the snacking space with as a better-for-you alternative to existing options. The company will be at booth #N220.
• Tosi is meeting the demand for healthier snack options by removing refined sugar from its snacks and instead using organic coconut nectar. The plant-based brand will be at booth #N139.

To learn more about other trends that Spate is tracking at Natural Products Expo West and in food and beverage more broadly visit https://www.spate.nyc/reports.