We sent wellness vet and long-time contributor, Alexa Gray to this year’s Expo West to report back on the best of this year’s new product offerings. Gray is brand consultant for CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) businesses and part of the founding team at Olipop.
This year’s Natural Products Expo welcomed over 65,000+ attendees and 3,000+ exhibitors at the Anaheim Convention Center. The conference is, appropriately, hosted across the street from Disneyland and quite literally feels like the Disneyland of all things health and wellness.
The Expo showcased the latest and greatest new product launches in the health and wellness space from all around the world – and, yes, it’s a foodie’s paradise. Imagine every brand you’d find on the shelves of Erewhon and Whole Foods, plus all their founders, mingling, dropping new products and generally getting amped on the progress happening in our space.
Here’s a sneak preview of all the latest trends and products — some of which haven’t hit shelves yet — that you’re going to want to add to cart…
The 9 Best New Products From Expo West 2023
HoldOn plant-based Bags | You may already have seen HoldOn on social, as they are quickly becoming a favorite with the wellness set. HoldOn has designed an entire line of biodegradable heavy duty plant-based storage and trash bags, that break down in weeks, not centuries. They use non-toxic ingredients from renewable resources, like corn starch and sugar, to produce strong materials you can feel good about buying. HoldOn has made it easier for us all to make a small but highly effective change for our planet.
mushroom-based Meati | Mushrooms are popping all over the food scene and are the main ingredient in our new favorite plant-based meat brand, Meati. Made from 95% mushroom root, they offer a variety of classic meats like Carne Asada, Classic Steak, Classic Cutlery, and Crispy Cutlet. Meati is turning heads and kitchen cultures towards the innovative and sustainable alternatives found in the shroom world. Even the all-star chef of Momofuku, David Chang, is a mega fan.
Food Huggers Produce Savers | Do you ever just throw half an avocado or half a lemon in the fridge for later, and completely forget about it? Food Huggers is on a mission to combat both food waste and single use plastic with their colorful, chic and perfectly-sized seals. They work for all shapes of produce, let you skip the plastic wrap and they’re dishwasher safe.
Brutal Puffs | We all need a little comfort food sometimes, and for all our friends out there who love quinoa, there’s a new Peruvian superfood snack in town: say hello to Brutal Puffs. Brutal contains the “chocho” lupin bean, which has been consumed for centuries and grows in an elevation over 11,000 feet, high up in the Andean mountains. This Peruvian superfood is rich in fiber, high in protein (containing all 9 essential amino acids), full of minerals and is completely gluten free. Their flavors are to-die-for and include creme de la sour, cheeky cheese and churro extravaganza. Will chocho be the next quinoa? We’ll have to wait, snack, and see more on the chocho trend.
Siete Foods Botana Sauces | These days, Siete Foods seems to be at the top of everyone’s shopping list. But a new addition to their lineup is truly just one of the most delicious things we tried at Expo this year, their Botana Sauces! These creamy bottles of spicy goodness pack contain so much flavor using simple ingredients and clean oils like avocado. Say hello to your new secret sauce.
Plant Perks cashew cheese dips | Female-founded and mission driven, Plant Perks is on an animal and planet-friendly mission, one cheesy bite at a time. Founder, Tiffany Perkins, a culinary student of Matthew Kinney, developed a mouth-watering line of cashew cheese dips you’re going to want to know about. Her seven all-star flavors include: super clean sour cream, french onion dip, buffalo blue dip, sriracha cheddar cheese, smoked gouda, garlic and herb, and dill havarti. These organic, non-gmo dips are nearly identical to their dairy counterparts and will blow your taste buds, and best buds, away.
Cocojune Labneh | Many foodies have heard of coconut yogurt, but what about coconut labneh? Labneh is a tangy and creamy cheese, typically found in Lebanese cuisine and adds a rich flavor balance to the dish. CocoJune, known for their coconut yogurts, is coming out with their very own labneh this year and the taste is spot on! Great for your mezze platters or used in salad dressings, we are so excited about the next plant-based drop from Cocojune.
Super Fat keto Mac & Cheese | The world’s first keto-certified mac ‘n’ cheese has arrived. Satisfy all those carb cravings with high-protein, low-carb cheesy pasta made from lupini beans. This Super Fat Mac & Cheese has the taste of pure nostalgia and comfort food, without any of the junk. The elbow pasta clocks in at 7 grams of net carbs and 24 grams of protein, and sends you to food heaven. We’ll be ordering the 12-pack, thanks!
Wundereggs | Something wunderful is around the corner. Meet WunderEggs, the world’s first whole food, plant-based hard boiled eggs — made from the simple ingredients of water, almonds, cashews, coconut, and a few herbs. Founder, Hema Reddy, had the passion and drive to create high-quality, convenient, and minimally-processed plant-based foods that are good for our bodies and the planet. Totally worth the try. Your avocado toast won’t know what hit ‘em.
Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce took Expo West by storm. Their booth was buzzing with chefs and influencers — taste buds tingling with delight. No surprise, for a brand that’s generated a lot of hype in the clean and speciality condiment category. Bachan’s is an original family recipe and features delectable flavors including Original, Hot and Spicy, Yuzu and Gluten Free. Their sauces are all small batch, vegan, non-GMO, preservative free and will send you straight to umami heaven.
Read Next: A Guide To Healthy Condiments For The Stay-At-Home Foodie
