Snacks

Meat snack makers are leaning deeper into sticks as better-for-you brands grow distribution out of natural and into other retail channels.

The Natural Products Expo West show floor was buzzing on day one with new products, refreshed brand identities and stories about shifting category focuses. Here’s a look at the Nosh team’s thoughts, observations and analysis from the first day of the natural products Super Bowl.

The hallowed halls of Natural Products Expo West 2025 all officially open today in Anaheim, Calif. Our coverage of the event kicks off with the latest from Harken Sweets, Rustic Bakery, Seattle Chocolate, Bubbies Ice Cream and RedBud Brands.

Launching at Expo West this week is Wild Fox Foods, a new seed oil-free snack brand from the founders of Kevin’s Natural Foods.

Robert Broome created chilled oat bar brand Mooski three years ago as a fresh take on granola bars using a formulation inspired by his family’s muesli recipe. He didn’t realize then that he had developed the perfect product for skiers and snowboarders, an avid community of consumers seeking slope-worthy snacks that don’t harden in frigid temperatures.

Less than six months since its debut, the gold-wrapped, high-protein David bar is rolling out a new recipe featuring artificial sweeteners and flavors. The brand’s co-founders, Peter Rahal and Zach Ranen, claim the new formula improves the taste, texture and shelf life and cited studies showing the safety of ingredients now used in the bars.

Will the rising adoption of weight loss drugs dent snack sales on Super Bowl Sunday? According to survey data, chances are slim. Retail insights firm Upside polled Americans and found that people with weight loss goals are still likely to indulge on game day as much as – if not more than – anyone else.

Frozen sandwich maker Chubby Snacks appears to be ceasing operations after four years in business, following financial and legal challenges. In a December 10 email viewed by Nosh, Chubby Snacks notified its suppliers of the decision to wind down, citing a spate of challenges including “increased competition, rising overhead costs, limited capital and inflationary pressures.”

Purely Elizabeth Cookie Granola was the biggest new product line launched in the granola category last year, creating new eating occasions for a segment traditionally tied to the morning meal and propelling the brand’s sales up 85% year-over year, according to SPINS data. This week, Purely Elizabeth expanded the cookie-inspired granola line with the addition of a peanut butter recipe, crafted with organic oats, coconut sugar, coconut oil, chia seeds and maple syrup.

Jeni Britton, founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, today debuted a new snack brand focused on gut health and sustainability called Floura & Co. The brand is embracing upcycling with its first product, a Fruit Crush Bar, crafted from overlooked plant parts like watermelon rinds and apple cores, plus a blend of white chia, pumpkin seeds and puffed quinoa, with 13 grams of fiber from 12 whole plants.