Expo West

This week, we explored the ideation, business plans and growth strategies of three innovative and on-trend brands in conversations with Susan Buckwalter, the co-founder and CEO of ginger-powered wellness brand Recoup; Dr. Juan Salinas, the founder and CEO of P-nuff Crunch, a brand of nutritious baked peanut puffs; and Michelle Razavi and Nikki Elliott, the co-founders of functional, decadent snack brand ELAVI.

Trade shows have long been a launching ground for brands to show off new packaging and branding. At this year’s Natural Products Expo West, food makers arrived armed with new looks to help their products continue to pop on-shelf as consumer shopping habits shift between in-store and online. Here are some notable packaging redesigns we saw on the show floor.

Plant-based nutrition platform Laird Superfood has undergone a significant amount of change over the past few years, from acquiring energy bar brand Picky Bars to taking the company public and bringing in a range of new team members, including new CEO Jason Vieth. In this video, recorded at Natural Products Expo West 2022, Vieth discusses how he plans to use his background and expertise to continue propelling the brand onward.

In this video, recorded last week at Natural Products Expo West 2022 in Anaheim, California, Kuli Kuli founder and CEO Lisa Curtis discussed how the company has tackled a range of formats while also educating consumers on the benefits of Moringa.

Given rising interest in the confection category amid large exits from brands like Lily’s and Smart Sweets, it’s perhaps no surprise that several brands exhibiting at Expo West debuted new form factors and sales strategies as they attempt to stand out in the competitive set.

In this video shot at Natural Product Expo West 2022, HumanCo chief operating officer Will Lisman spoke to NOSH about the company’s process of developing and nurturing these brands, lessons the team has learned along the way, and how the company is setting brands up for the future while respecting their pasts.

Allegations of sexual harassment at recently-concluded Natural Products Expo West are rocking social media and causing the show’s administrators to take stock of the behavior of guests on the floor and at ancillary events.

After three days spent exploring the cavernous halls of the Anaheim Convention Center and meeting with hundreds of exhibitors at Natural Products Expo West 2022, Taste Radio hosts Ray Latif and John Craven have compiled a list of their picks for the best new product introductions from the annual event.

Snacks were not in short supply at this year’s Expo West. Among the crackers, crisps and chips were plenty of newer formats, like cooked snackable veggies, with exhibitors displaying a clear focus on short, clean ingredient labels. Here are a few of the notable new products we saw on the show floor.