ANAHEIM, California — More than 90,000 people traveled to California last week for the annual five-day exhibition of the latest products in the natural and organic industry.
This year’s Natural Products Expo West spread across several buildings as thousands of exhibitors launched new products and discussed what’s next for food and beverages.
Several trends clearly stood out at this year’s show. Heightened enthusiasm for hemp and CBD; plant-based products; regenerative agriculture; and more brands touting their paleo and keto focus were topics of conversation on the floor and among panelists speaking at the event.
Company executives representing these segments said 2019 will be a year of growth as they hit more mainstream stores and garner attention through social media and e-commerce. Food Dive attended Expo West and spoke with people and businesses at the forefront of these shifts in food consumption. Here’s what we learned.
1. CBD and hemp innovation
Although there are more regulatory hurdles ahead, companies said the passage of the Farm Bill helped provide more clarity for hemp and CBD-infused products.
Booths on almost every floor at the show touted their hemp and CBD ingredients. As big food makers keep a close eye on the trend, smaller companies have a head start with products already on the market.