Newtopia Now: Kelp Pickles, Konjac Pasta and Alt-Coffee

New Hope Network’s inaugural Newtopia Now drew more than 7,000 natural products industry professionals to Denver last week, as 550 exhibiting companies showcased natural products innovation. While the event was notably tamer than its springtime sister show, Natural Products Expo West, as well as the defunct Expo East that Newtopia was established to replace, a handful of trends and startups stood out.

A Peck of Pickled Kelp

Alaskan startup Foraged & Found sampled its gourmet jarred pickles crafted from wild-harvested bullwhip kelp. Founder and CEO Jenn Brown told Nosh her company’s mission is to help American consumers embrace nutrient-dense brown seaweed by incorporating it into familiar pantry staples.

A marketing executive-turned-private chef, Brown developed a deep appreciation for aquatic plants like bull kelp and sea asparagus while cooking aboard tourism yachts traversing the Alaskan Inside Passage. As such, Foraged & Found is committed to promoting local manufacturing in Alaska and supporting marine agriculture and fisheries.

Whole Foods Market pegged kelp as an emerging food trend recently, noting its sustainability benefits – it requires no arable land, irrigation, pesticides or herbicides and can filter excess carbon and nitrogen from the water – as well as its versatility in snacks, sauces and more. Additionally, wild kelp packs a host of vitamins and minerals, including iodine, dietary fiber, essential amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids.

Foraged & Found pickles are available in Bread & Butter, Dill and Spicy flavors for $9.99 a jar on the brand’s website and in select Whole Foods Market stores and specialty grocers across the country.

Reimagining Pasta Night

Product developers continue to sneak extra protein into everyday applications, and a number of examples were on display at Newtopia Now – including sliced bread, pancake mixes and pasta sauce.

Chad and Barney’s Sturdy Sauce claims to be the first-to-market high-protein sauce, with a whopping 80 grams per jar from a proprietary blend of bovine collagen, bone broth and whey protein. The patent-pending sauces are gluten-free and low in sugar, with a price of $15.99 per jar on the brand’s website. Varieties include Marinara, Garlic & Herb and Sweet Basil.

New takes on noodles were also highlighted at the show. Equii debuted its Mac & Cheese and Rigatoni, formulated with its complete protein flour created using fermentation. A serving of its Rigatoni provides 28 grams of protein with 10 grams of fiber and 30% fewer net carbs than traditional pasta. Nepra Foods, a vertically-integrated producer of allergen-free foods, highlighted a rotini with 30 grams of protein and 17 grams of prebiotic fiber. Carbe Diem, a brand created and incubated by General Mills, offered samples of its high-fiber elbows, fettuccine, penne, spaghetti and rotini made with modified wheat starch, semolina wheat and vital wheat gluten. A serving contains 110 calories, 16 grams of net carbs and 24 grams of fiber per serving, compared with the leading brand’s 200 calories, 39 grams of net carbs and 3 grams of fiber.

Several exhibiting brands – including Miracle Noodle and Skinny Pasta – featured high-fiber, low-calorie shirataki noodles, based on the root vegetable konjac. Liviva Foods unveiled a new spin on the traditionally water-packed pasta – what it claims to be the first-ever dried shirataki pasta. The brand’s spaghetti, linguine and fettuccine, made with pea protein, mulberry leaf and konjac, boast 27 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber per serving.

Taking a Dip

Elevating snack spreads everywhere are globally inspired dips featuring fresh ingredients and bold flavors. Growee Foods’ range of produce-packed dips are made with peak-season fruit and vegetables, seeds and spices. Offerings include Curry Zucchini, Red Pepper and Spiced Mango – and Nosh received a sneak peek at a forthcoming fourth addition.

Tal’s sampled its collection of toum, tahini and babaganoush dips, plus its new pita bread. Formerly Fun Sesames, the brand’s new name reflects its expansion into additional Mediterranean staples beyond its signature tahini, according to founder and CEO Tal Garden.

Sporting a refreshed brand identity at the show, Mazaah sampled its line of lentil dips alongside its bottled Afghan-style chutneys, all based on family recipes. The dips lineup includes Turmeric Ginger, Basil Jalapeno, Lemon Tahini and Roasted Red Pepper.

More Room for Mushrooms

Mushrooms appeared en masse at Newtopia Now with a robust focus on the coffee category. Malama Mushrooms displayed its line of ground coffee incorporating eight mushroom extracts, and Peak State poured its beneficial brews combining fair trade, organic coffee beans and adaptogenic additions such as cordyceps, turkey tail and reishi.

Brands including Four Sigmatic, Rasa, Everyday Dose, eightbillion and Enoki Cafe exhibited herbal alternatives to coffee formulated with functional fungi like chaga and lion’s mane to deliver such benefits as enhanced brain function and sustained energy minus the jitters or crash.

Another coffee alternative spotted at the show featured not mushrooms but roasted figs, promising to aid digestion, boost immunity and lower blood pressure.

Mushroom snacks at the show included Pan’s Mushroom Jerky, made with savory shiitakes, and SuperWow, a new brand of puffed chips containing porcini mushroom powder.