Tracking some of our favorite trends at Expo West
The Food & Beverage Insider team attended the annual Natural Products Expo West show with one goal in mind: Find out what’s next in everything from beverage innovation to upcycling.
Heywell co-founder Ashley Selman chats with Audarshia Townsend, Food & Beverage Insider content director, at Expo West.
The Natural Products Expo West show wrapped up in early spring, yet its impact will stick around for seasons to come. For the Food & Beverage Insider team, the weeklong experience (including scoring an awesome one-on-one interview with "Top Chef" star judge Padma Lakshmi) will help shape how we cover some of the biggest trends in the industry.
Here, you’ll find our observations, from enticing, global flavors to innovative dairy-free options and, of course, the upcycling craze.
Global offerings take center stage (Audarshia Townsend)
One of the most significant, yet under-the-radar moments at the show was when Jake Deleon, founder of award-winning Filipino brand Fila Manila, launched Founders Heritage. It serves as a collective voice for independent CPG brand owners who promote indigenous foods and ingredients from their homelands.
“I figured out that when meeting a lot of founders in [food and beverage] spaces like the Natural Product Expo East and West shows, usually in the global flavors cuisine category, we all had the same story,” Deleon said at the show. “Recognizing that authenticity in today’s market, consumers are craving that. They want to know the stories behind the brand. They want to know how deep a brand goes, and that it’s not just another corporate vehicle. That was the inspiration behind the founding of Founders Heritage.”
Deleon has already assembled almost 20 members, many of whom exhibited at the show. There’s Niramaya, a plant-based, female-owned Indian brand. Wild Orchard Regenerative Teas originated in South Korea. Saucy Lips is Mexican focused. And GoTeff donates a portion of its proceeds to empower women and children from the founder’s homeland in Ethiopia.
In addition to these founders’ great heritage-focused stories, they all boast stories of sustainability. Whether they’re practicing regenerative agriculture, empowering underserved communities or resolving supply chain issues, their products are primed to do good for all.
Beverages that quench every thirst (A.T.)
Of the more than 3,000 exhibitors at Expo West, a grand portion of them were dedicated to beverage innovation. There was something for every possible taste, according to Webb Girard, senior director of research & development at Culinex.