Retail news that keeps industry pros in the know
Retail Brew delivers the latest retail industry news and insights surrounding marketing, DTC, and e-commerce to keep leaders and decision-makers up to date.
With our walking shoes laced and our stomachs empty, we (it’s Erin, hi!) braved the halls of the Anaheim Convention Center last week to experience Natural Products Expo West, the natural CPG industry’s Super Bowl. Over 60,000 attendees—including retail buyers, investors, distributors, and even celebs like Gal Gadot and Vanessa Hudgens—hit the show floor to check out thousands of brands. Here are some of the most interesting food and beverage products and trends we spotted along the way:
Going greener: Many sustainability-focused brands used the show to zoom in on their sustainable farming efforts, particularly regenerative agriculture, which centers around maintaining ecosystem health, or as chocolate brand Alter Eco puts it, “farming like a forest.” At the show, Alter Eco showcased its new expanded line of chocolate bars and Truffle Thins (with fun flavors like creme brulee) made with regeneratively grown cacao.
Meanwhile, Lundberg Family Farms became the first US-grown rice brand to debut a regenerative organic certified rice with a white basmati rice product that’s hitting Whole Foods in April. The company said it’s working to certify all of its organic rice products as regenerative by 2027.
- Fun fact: Some of its regenerative practices include flooding a portion of its fields each winter to give a habitat for wintering fowl.
And New Barn Organics debuted what it says is the first regenerative organic certified almond milk at the show.
A new generation of sodas: The soda category has gotten a lower sugar, functional facelift in recent years, led by brands like prebiotic soda brand Poppi (which was, of course, at the show, in an expansive, hot pink booth). Other brands have followed their lead: Functional beverage company Rowdy Mermaid debuted its line of Good Mood Sodas offered in flavors like cola, lemon lime, and orange, featuring 200 mg of ashwagandha per can, which NYC shoppers can find at Pop Up Grocer.
Dole showcased its new brand, The Secret Nature of Fruit, which includes a probiotic fruit soda line containing 15% fruit juice. The move is part of the 170-year-old company’s recently announced mission to become a “purpose-led nutrition and wellness company.”
And prebiotic soda brand Vina showed off new flavors Dr. Spice, Yola Cola, and Peach Pop, which it’s marketing as better-for-you takes on some classic sodas.
Internet famous: The faces and flavors of social media also found their way into new food and beverage products. Breakfast brand Belgian Boys showcased its new TikTok-inspired pancake cereal, iced tea brand Swoon leaned into Barbiecore with a pink lemonade in collaboration with Mattel’s Barbie, and YouTuber Emma Chamberlain showed up to the booth for her coffee brand Chamberlain Coffee, which introduced a new line of ready-to-drink canned lattes.