Slideshow: Expo West saw the debut of new products
Kansas City During Natural items Expo West Virtual Week, which took place May 24-27 and featured hundreds of items in the organic and natural foods sector, dozens of new products made their premiere. Nine innovation trends that New Hope Network believes will advance the industry were recognized at the premiere of the show.
According to New Hope, organic farming remains the “gold standard,” and companies are now moving beyond certification to implement policies that will tighten regulations, increase the amount of land dedicated to organic farming, and inform consumers about their ecological journey. Additionally, organic businesses are committing to reducing their carbon footprint and starting programs to promote fair supply chains.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, year-round immune support is of utmost importance. Food and beverage companies are assisting consumers in bolstering their immunity by incorporating components such as vitamins C and D, antioxidants, ayurvedic medicines, and natural plant-derived materials like mushrooms, elderberries, and chlorophyll.
New product introductions often feature a plethora of offerings that promote optimal brain function. Brands make promises to promote brain health by promoting attention and focus, maintaining or enhancing memory, and controlling behavior and mood with their products.
The days of the fat-free craze are long gone, as consumers—especially those following a ketogenic diet—seek out healthful whole fats as part of a balanced lifestyle. Whole milk, ghee, coconut, avocado, nuts, vegetable fats, and omega-3-rich fats are at the forefront.
Blue screen technology is making consumers’ eyesight worse, so companies are coming up with new ways to combat eye fatigue. These include using chemicals like lutein and carotenoids, which help strengthen and heal eyes, as well as preventing side effects like trouble sleeping brought on by excessive screen time.
You may also like:
Food security in emerging nations: issues and remedies
Are drinks the secret to increasing cannabis use among consumers?
Managing the lack of labour for mushroom picking
The popularity of plant-based foods and beverages is still rising, and food and beverage producers are innovating in this area to appeal to both adventurous adults and finicky toddlers who refuse to eat vegetables. There are several plant-based meal kits, dairy substitutes, and meat substitutes available.
Customers’ concerns about digestive health are developing as a result of expanding knowledge about the microbiome and increased experience with food intolerances and digestive illnesses. Companies are creating goods like fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics that aid in digestion.
In the past, people followed diets to lose weight, but now, according to New Hope, people are using particular diets to help with health problems, find intolerances, and lower inflammation. Brands are creating keto, low-sugar, low-glycemic, FODMAP, dairy-free, gluten-free, and grain-free products in order to appeal to these consumers.
As consumers give more careful thought to what they put into their bodies, clean label continues to rise in popularity among desired attributes in foods and beverages. Companies are eliminating artificial and natural colors, thickeners, stabilizers, preservatives, flavors, and other additions from their products.
Carlotta Mast, senior vice president and market leader at New Hope Network, stated, “We’ve seen a year of unpredictable challenges worldwide, but so much that’s good about the natural products industry has grown even stronger.” “The natural and organic industry has persevered in introducing novel products that enhance the well-being of a greater number of individuals and in discovering increasingly sustainable business methods that promote the sustainability of the planet.”