Virtual Show Was a Go!

Natural Products Expo West 2021 even though virtual, still delivered on bringing inspiring, fun, and new product excitement into our homes. All of this without the aching feet at the end of jammed-packed days!

May 24th -27th, Givaudan participated and attended Natural Products Expo West Virtual 2021. Throughout the 4 day show, you could discover new product launches and inspiring educational topics. The Expo covered a broad range of topics including climate change, the state of natural and organic, and the ever-changing consumer. Givaudan showcased how to co-create unforgettable food experiences for your consumers. By combining Givaudan’s leading product technology and application expertise with Naturex’s natural ingredients, we offer solutions to help you create food experiences your consumers will love.

We were able to listen in on many sessions and found them information-packed. Some of our favorite sessions were around the different category trends, innovative products, and the “State of Natural and Organic“. These sessions lead a positive and insightful look for the future of our industry. 

Our Key Takeaways From the Seminars:

• Plant-based popularity continues to increase as food and beverage manufacturers get creative with their innovation in the space by utilizing beans, nuts, and plant-protein fermentation.
• Food as Medicine: The use of functional ingredients like mushrooms and hero ingredients to support immune health were highlighted throughout. They noted stress reduction grabbing hold with the help of adaptogens, and other mood and emotional interest that increased over the past year. Ask us about our functional botanicals!
• Last, this past year reinforced to all what truly is essential.

Pitch Slams Trends Impacting the Market

Can we just say WOW? All the brands that were selected as finalists for this year’s Nexty awards were inspiring and brought so much energy and innovation to the show! We will be talking about these brands coming up in our more category-specific blogs! We did, however, notice some cross-category themes that we wanted to highlight.

Theme 1: Mission Statements From Brands

We saw some of the recurring themes noticed with these brands were the commitment to educate consumers about their ecological journey and making climate or mission commitments for their brand. For example, Take Two Foods and 12 Tides had missions like using upcycled materials or programs surrounding climate impact.

12tides’ kelp chips are positioned as not only being delicious and good for you, but also good for our planet!

Theme 2: Equitable Sourcing

Brands like Happy Moose Juice have launched initiatives to support equitable supply chains. For instance, ensuring the dedication around sourcing their materials and delivering fresher tastes, while working with farmers to ensure the working environment in and on the fields are being monitored and supported. This theme clearly goes hand in hand with climate initiatives.

Happy Moose Juice is a juice company that sells better for you drinks, giving you a “daily does of health and happiness”

Theme 3: The Global Experience

Lastly, the other major theme was bringing a global experience to everyone’s homes. With brands like Tia Lupita and Agua Bonita, global experiences can be had in your own home. These brands are not losing sight of who they are and where they came from. Being able to deliver traditional cuisines or beverages from around the globe continues to engage excitement with consumers and bring better for you global experiences. 

Tia Lupita is a brand dedicated to bringing the “bright, bold flavors of [the owner, Hector Saldivar’s] Mexican hone to your table”.

More to Come: Category Insights from Expo West

Keep a lookout for more Expo West content in the upcoming weeks! The posts will highlight insights and exciting brands we saw at Expo West within the supplements, food, and beverage markets.

Didn’t have a chance to connect or learn about our areas of expertise at the show? Contact us today!