Expo West 2019

Written By: Anna Braun

This was our third year of traveling to Anaheim for Expo West and each time it has been inspiring in its own way. The energy of 86,000 people from 136 countries gathered in one place to partake in the world’s largest natural, organic and healthy products event is contagious. Aside from sharing the enthusiasm (which is critical!), the trends that emerged this year are important for many reasons – and will likely shape much of the dialogue and direction of the CPG space in months to come.

First: The Smarts

This year, the education sessions really stood out in both content quality and relevance. One of the most informative was hosted by NEXT and shared findings from recent consumer research. The research captured a broad spectrum of buyers that identify with different attitudes and behaviors and established five consumer segments. Each of these segments are unique in many ways but what really shaped the dialogue around the presentation was a key finding: that the segments agree on what the most important issues are in the industry: Waste Reduction, Sourcing Responsibly, and Regenerative Agriculture.[1]

Then: The Trends

Global / Environmental Responsibility. Waste Reduction, Sourcing Responsibly and Regenerative Agriculture were prominent trends at Expo West this year, in a broader umbrella trend of “Global / Environment Responsibility”. Definitely the most dialogue and energy from “the crowd”, these themes came to life through the show in a number of interesting ways. Generally, products and brands are talking about much more than the end product. More of the messaging is around the larger footprint – partners, sourcing, labor practices and sustainability efforts. Applegate Farms was acknowledged in the “Regenerative Agriculture Innovation: Humane Animal Treatment, Soil Health” category for its ecological practices, specifically for their Organic Chicken Strips.[1] The chicken is verified for animal welfare through certified programs that ensure they meet strict requirements for the treatment of animals.  

Applegate Farms was acknowledged for its ecological practices

CBD. If you’ve read any of the post-show recaps, you already know how massive a presence CBD had at Expo West this year. I won’t pretend to be an expert on this topic – in fact, as someone who attends a number of industry events that include education sessions dedicated to this very topic –I still find it pretty ambiguous. Aside from the regulatory complexities, the broad range of products and claims leave a lot to be desired when it comes to minimizing consumer confusion. What is clear is that there is a huge appetite to develop new and innovative products in this space. The sheer quantity of products with this messaging compared to a year ago proves that – along with the wide variety of formats in both food and beverage. In speaking with a number of founders at different booths, there is a high level of energy to understand, educate and adjust – which will likely be a key factor of success in upcoming months and years.

CBD had a massive a presence at Expo West 2019

Fats + Fads. As NEXT dubbed it, “sugar villainized” was a key theme at Expo West this year.[1] Alternatively, products flaunted the prominence of fat. In fact, many incorporated it in the name and messaging, and often embraced the animal-base that it was derived from. Whether a fad or here to stay, the prominence of lifestyle diets has grown over the past year – Paleo and Keto, in particular. The incidence of the use of “Protein Claim” on products exhibited this year is now in the top 10 at the show[1]. This is inline with what I saw when it came to messaging that spoke directly to being Paleo- and Keto-friendly. It will be interesting to watch how this evolves over time alongside Vegan, Kosher, Clean and Whole-30.

Many products embraced the animal-base that it was derived from

Final Thoughts

Expo West continues to grow each year – not only in the number of exhibitors and attendees but also in content and conversation. Based on what we saw this year, there is going to be a continued focus in the natural food space on how products fit into a more integrated lifestyle that incorporates values, functional ingredients and the ongoing pursuit of healthy living.

[1] “Connecting with the Changing Consumer” NEXT, Data & Insights division of New Hope Network. Expo West: 2019. March 2019.