The COMET team navigated the bustling halls at Expo West to explore the latest products and trends shaping the future of the industry. From functional teas to twists on classic frozen pizzas; innovation permeated every aisle.
Post-show, we gathered together to discuss the most memorable trends and standout products.
Brewing innovation - tea & coffee
Throughout the halls, there were many iterations of coffee & tea. Undoubtedly, the love for “fun drinks” runs deep within the community.
Embracing the modern lifestyle, ready-to-drink functional beverages such as Halfday Iced Tea make it easy for on-the-go benefits. While gut-healthy sodas have been captivating all the attention, the time has come to share the spotlight with other categories including teas and lemonades. Coming in at 30 calories with 8 grams of gut-healthy fiber these iced teas offer a better way to enjoy a classic beverage.
On the coffee side, we saw cold coffee products leading the way. Super Coffee was a fan favorite on the show floor with their new canned Super Espresso, while Westrock Coffee drew a large crowd for their cold brew offerings.
We can’t move on from this category without giving shoutouts to a couple more of our favorites!
Oobli’s Sweet Iced Tea calls out 75% less sugar than other sweet teas, hitting on the better-for-you trend, and The Republic of Tea showcased products with a wide array of benefits including “get burning” for metabolism, “get smart” for memory and focus, and “get wellness” for immunity, all of which are hot topics with conscious consumers.
SQUARES (NOT BARS)
Bars have long populated the natural products scene, so the prominence of squares emerged as a notable trend this year. Usually associated with energy boosts, permissible indulgence, or on-the-go breakfast options, squares took center stage in various forms and functions.
Quantum Energy Square boasts 10 grams of protein and a promise of jitter-free energy.
With a mere 2 grams of sugar per serving, Rip Van’s wafer offering is a guilt-free squared-shaped treat!
Mid-Day Squares features 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. A perfect post-lunch pick-me-up, of course in a convenient square shape.
PIZZA & PASTA
Countless booths sampled pasta, pizza, and their counterparts, but we’re not mad about it.
Goodles Mac & Caulipower Baked Pizza Bites tap into the nostalgia and better-for-you trends simultaneously. These reinvented childhood classics not only evoke fond memories but also align with modern health trends. Goodles Macs have an impressive 14 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber, elevating them to a far more nutrient-dense status than traditional mac and cheese. Meanwhile, Caulipower’s Pizza Bites offers a crunchy cauliflower crust and guilt-free snacking as they’re baked, not fried, aligning with health-conscious preferences.
While we’re on the topic of pizza, we can’t overlook The Pizza Cupcake — a true novelty food!
Now onto pasta, a standout was 3 Farm Daughters. Their pastas are high in fiber with only TWO simple ingredients: Wheat Flour and Semolina. Straight to the point. This year, many brands differentiated themselves by shrinking their ingredient lists rather than adding to them.
FEMALE FOCUSED
The landscape of women’s health products is expanding, offering support across various life stages, a trend we mentioned in our 2024 trends predictions. From IBS-friendly snacks to Menopause support, we are seeing a diverse product range!
Enter BelliWelli, where vibrant pink branding draws the attention of many women. While not exclusively targeting females, their range of zero-bloat snack bars and trendy accessories resonates strongly with the female demographic. Considering that IBS disproportionately affects more women than men, BelliWelli’s focus further solidifies its appeal to female consumers.
For those navigating prenatal care, Make Time presents an enticing solution. Whether in the form of sugar-free gummies or apple-flavored drink powders, their offerings make supplement intake a more enjoyable experience. By the way, they’re woman-owned!
MenoWell bars help manage sugar cravings and energy levels that menopausal women may struggle with.
REGENERATIVE AG IS ALL THE RAGE
Mentions of regenerative agriculture buzzed throughout the show this year. Many companies are supporting this movement including Harmless Harvest and Lundberg Family Farms.
Both are Regenerative Organic Certified. According to the organization’s website, “Regenerative Organic Certified® is a revolutionary new certification for food, fiber, and personal care ingredients that represents the highest standard for organic agriculture in the world, with stringent requirements for soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Regenerative Organic Certified® uses the USDA Certified Organic standard as a baseline. From there, it adds important criteria and benchmarks that incorporate the three major pillars of regenerative organic agriculture into one certification.”
BETTER FOR KIDS
We’re all familiar with better-for-you products, but how about better-for-kids? Classic kid snacks are being reimagined and upgraded to keep up with today’s health-conscious consumers. A PB&J, juice box, and a chewy granola bar sounds like a typical child’s school lunch. With this trend, kids can get more protein and consume less sugar without having to deviate from their familiar favorites.
Chubby Snacks, Lakewood Organic Juices, and Kind Kids are making the lives of parents so much easier!
GETTIN' GUTSY
Now, let’s get into one of our favorite topics – gut health! There were many products featuring prebiotics, probiotics, and gut health benefits across all the exhibit halls, making it difficult to pick only a few to mention.
Karma Water has many flavors of probiotic water to support digestive health and immunity. The beverage calls out 2 billion cultures and only 20 calories per bottle.
Orgain Wonder Gut promotes gut health with ingredients like fiber, superfoods, greens, probiotics, and adaptogens allowing it to play in the “multi-benefit” space as well.
Truth Bar and Joy Days both call out their fiber content on the front of pack. Fiber has always been and will be crucial to a healthy diet, but it’s been put on a pedestal in recent times due to its satiating nature (thanks Ozempic!). Truth bar has both prebiotics and probiotics and a whopping 9 grams of fiber making it an ideal gut-health treat. Alongside having a good source of fiber, Joy Days cookies also have a low glycemic impact and support metabolic health. In summary, if you’re looking to improve your digestion and boost GLP-1, eat more fiber.
