Sales of functional beverages are bouncing back after slowing early in the pandemic when fewer people bought on-the-go products, reflecting increased consumer mobility, rising interest in food as medicine and innovation that resonates with health-focused...
During the pandemic, sales of dairy and animal protein grew off strong foundations, but many of the claims that traditionally drove consumer interest in the categories slowed or performed unevenly – revealing shifting priorities that could influence future...
With nearly one in five Americans now following some type of specialty diet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the extent to which products appeal to different food tribes can heavily influence sales – but not all diets are...
As coronavirus continues to thwart businesses' best-laid plans, New Hope has decided to take Expo West – its annual trade show in Anaheim, California – virtual this spring, in the wake of “government restrictions, anticipated timelines around re-opening...
The light shined by the pandemic on the toll the food system is taking on the environment and the people who grow, process and deliver food is turbo-charging already mounting consumer demand for products that are organic, responsibly sourced, clean label...
As coronavirus continues to thwart businesses' best-laid plans, New Hope has decided to reschedule its Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim, California, pushing it from March 2-6, 2021, to May, 24-27, 2021.
Following consultation with stakeholders about the viability of holding a major trade exhibition as coronavirus cases continue to rise in multiple states, New Hope has opted to cancel Natural Products Expo East in Philadelphia (Sept. 23-26) and encourage...
One of the pioneers of the space topped $53 million in annual revenue, but also recorded a loss as the founders cashed out. The firm also said regulatory uncertainty has increased competition as numerous small brands crowd into the field.
In an announcement that will not likely surprise many stakeholders, New Hope has decided to cancel (rather than postpone) the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim and focus its attention on Expo East in Philadelphia (Sept. 23-26).
With exhibitors canceling en masse 48-hours before the nation's biggest natural products show was set to open, organizer New Hope was forced to pull the plug, promising a new date "before the summer" (although it's unclear how realistic...
Cleveland Kraut has managed to brighten the image of sauerkraut by launching fermented products that are "crunchy, delicious, and vibrant," said co-founder and CEO Drew Anderson.
As the growing number of cancellations made it clear that the event was becoming untenable, New Hope Network made the decision late afternoon Monday to postpone the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim "with the intention to announce,...
Hundreds of companies and brands have announced they won’t be at Expo West because of COVID-19 fears. The show’s organizers said yesterday the show will go on but predict overall attendance could drop by as much as 60%.
Frito-Lay hopes to chip away at some of the inequity that female entrepreneurs face with the launch of a live pitch slam at Natural Products Expo West that will give 10 women a chance to win $100,000 in grants to support their companies.
Developing and launching a new product is never easy, but according to the CEO of the chickpea snack company Biena, the specific challenges entrepreneurs will face across sales, marketing and operations will vary significantly based on whether they are...
While some animal protein producers might see the rise in plant-based eating as a threat, Applegate sees it as an opportunity to push forward its mission of changing the meat we eat with several new products, including a blended burger that combines meat...
Chloe's has made its first line extensions with "permissibly indulgent" chocolate dipped pops and a kids line in partnership with Nickelodeon since launching five years ago.
In the past five years, online grocery retailer Thrive Market has grown its business to 500,000 paid members shopping its 6,000+ products, allowing the company to dive head first into new projects around regenerative agriculture, and "dramatically"...
60-second interview: Mike Mauzé, founding partner, VMG Partners
If you walk into someone by mistake as you push through the crowds at the Natural Products Expo West show these days, you are just as likely to find yourself apologizing to an investor as a retail buyer searching for hot new brands. But what does all...
As consumers learn more about digestive health and all the implications that it has for the wellbeing of their bodies and minds, they are looking for products that go beyond probiotics – creating a booming digestive health category that is ripe for innovation....
With annual retail sales of cold brew coffee estimated at more than $29 million in 2017 and predicted to grow to $170 million by the end of 2025, it is easy to see why at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim earlier this month so many new players were...
Food and beverage brands targeting kids often promote their low sugar content, or highlight calcium for bones and protein for growing bodies. But what about the nutrients kids need to support the development of arguably their most important asset: the...
Weller, a Boulder-based snack and beverage company, is not tip-toeing around using the word 'CBD' on its packaging as it launches a line of sparkling waters featuring 25mg cannabidiol (from full spectrum hemp extract).
Revive Kombucha is taking a direct shot at the center aisle carbonated soft drink (CSD) consumer with a shelf-stable sparkling kombucha in 12-ounce cans that contains less sugar (5g) and lower calories (20 calories) than its raw refrigerated kombucha....
Mondelēz International is already a powerhouse in snacking (parent company to Ritz, Wheat Thins, Triscuit, and allergen-friendly brand, Enjoy Life Foods). In November 2018, however, the company decided to pour more efforts into its snack business strategy...
Chosen Foods -- which was acquired by Mexico-based specialty oils and ingredients producer Sesajal S.A de C.V. in 2017 -- processed over 300 million avocados last year used mainly for avocado oil sold across 40,000 stores in the US.
CBD far and away stole the show as the hot new ingredient at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim last week, but it wasn’t the only notable trend with promising market potential or significant recent development.
'People want to reflect their values in everything they do'
While the ‘buy one give one’ business model underpinning This Saves Lives presents obvious (margin-crushing) challenges for start-ups, its ‘go big or go home’ approach to conscious consumerism has been instrumental to its success, says co-founder Ryan...
Frustrated that 8 million metric tons of plastic go into the ocean every year, the founder of the sustainable seafood company LoveTheWild is ditching the plastic in her packaging and downsizing her carton as part of a relaunch of her meal kits and to...
Outer Aisle is doubling down on its grain-free, low-carbohydrate mission with redesigned packaging and three new 'bread-like' cauliflower products, all while ramping up for a national and global launch with Whole Foods.
In recent years the idea of doing well by doing good has grown beyond a few niche brands with pet projects to become a must-have for startups and established companies alike as consumers increasingly shop based on their values.
'What we're wrestling with is whether CBD is an ingredient play, or something huge brands can be built around'
The fact that CBD is not a legal ingredient in foods and supplements - at least not yet - did not deter scores of exhibitors at Expo West, who added it to everything from soda to protein bars (absent any claims), with some opting for isolates, but most...
Nitro cold brew company RISE Brewing Co. is hoping the same strategies it used to successfully carve out a niche in the highly competitive ready-to-drink-coffee segment will help it win again, but this time in the increasingly crowded oat milk category.
After helping to pioneer the nascent drinkable soup segment, the startup ZÜPA NOMA is ready to expand into adjacent categories with a fresh look, different name and new products.
Many successful entrepreneurs extol the value of work-life balance when they talk about getting a business off the ground, but at the recent graduation of Chobani Food Incubator’s first class of food and beverage companies, the yogurt company’s CEO and...
If the proliferation of booths at Expo West is anything to go by, the natural, organic and specialty products industry is in rude health, while investors are now competing with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio for a slice of the action. But how fast is...
More North American consumers are able to identify the nuances of spicy flavors, and the ingredients behind them, demanding more complexity in their spicy foods. Brands are happy to oblige.
Ginger, turmeric and sprouted grains are hot, while kale and Greek yogurt are cooling off, according to trend watchers at Rabobank International who walked the floor at the 2015 Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim earlier this month.
FoodNavigator-USA headed to the 2015 Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim looking for innovation in the dairy case, and found everything from gourmet organic cottage cheese, to oats + fruit + yogurt combos, tummy-friendly milk and quark. Here are...
While cricket flour is still something of a novelty, it’s creeping (and crawling) into more snacks as awareness – and the infrastructure to support its commercial-scale production – ramps up. Meanwhile, chia, fruit, peas, beans, ancient grains and protein...
Heinz has vowed to vigorously defend itself after becoming the latest food giant to be targeted in a false advertising lawsuit alleging it is misleading consumers by describing products made from GM crops as ‘all-natural’.
If it’s in the natural channel today, it could be in food, drug and mass merchandise stores tomorrow, so food and beverage trend-spotters were out in force at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim on March 6-9.
The natural products market continues to grow and achieve scale, reaching $150 billion last year and projected to hit $226 billion by 2018—with 68% of that coming from food and beverage products, according to the Nutrition Business Journal.
