Among the finest locations to trace traits is Pure Merchandise Expo West, a 3,000+ exhibitor commerce present showcasing new meals and drinks in hopes of gaining distributors.

The expo was centered on startups, meals entrepreneurs, and mom-and-pop corporations. It’s nonetheless a platform for rising manufacturers, however now main meals corporations have arrange massive cubicles to launch new merchandise. It additionally attracts sellers from everywhere in the world. If you wish to know the way forward for meals, it is right here.

I not too long ago returned from Expo West and tried out an enormous vary of progressive new merchandise. The large buzzwords of the present: plant-based, regenerative, recycled, household farms, ethically sourced, small-batch, fermented, sprouted, and superfoods (though I am getting slightly uninterested in the overused superfood descriptor).

Listed here are the highest meals traits I seen at Expo West. Search for a few of these upcoming merchandise at a retailer close to you.

Nuts have been featured in a surprisingly massive variety of exhibitions, from flavored nuts, sprouted nuts and nut butters to plant-based nut milks, together with two new manufacturers of pecan milks. The Every day Crunch sampled new Almonds and Sprouted Dill Pickle Nuggets, considered one of many pickle-flavored objects featured within the exhibit space, together with pickle juice. The brilliant inexperienced Turkish pistachio butter was like baklava in a jar.

Much less well-known unique nuts have additionally appeared, together with the baruka nut from Brazil and the sacha inchi nut from Peru. Intestine Nuts from Thinker Meals have been hailed because the world’s first fermented and dehydrated nut, providing gut-friendly umami style and postbiotics.

Many merchandise within the exhibit space have been fermented, however the clear winner was Korean fermented cabbage kimchi. This fermented vegetable has been showcased in lots of varieties, together with jars and baggage of ready kimchi and the paste for making your personal contemporary kale kimchi. Kimchi stuffed dumplings and flavored sauces as properly, from mayonnaise to scorching sauces. Korean fermented gochujang and Japanese miso have been additionally typically highlighted, together with miso mustard, salad dressing, butter, and broth.

Whereas plant-based was undoubtedly a mega-trend on the present, dairy-free milk and cheese particularly confirmed up in spectacular methods. Good Tradition launched a brand new probiotic cream cheese and Alexander Household Farm launched a probiotic grass-fed kefir, one of many innovation award winners on the present. Butter has had an enormous presence, together with Churn Butter, which was based by a chef to encourage the usage of spreadable cream in cooking. Savory varieties included tartufo, black garlic, pesto, and cacio e pepe with Parmesan, pecorino, and black pepper.

It was arduous to overlook the best-for-you fries made with every little thing however potatoes, from seaweed to mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and okra. Protein was a well-liked attribute for snacks, particularly within the type of balls. Merchandise included Merely Gasoline Protein Balls, Scotts Protein Balls and Frooze Balls.

Meat was additionally a well-liked ingredient in protein snacks. Wilde Protein Chips contained hen breast, egg whites and bone broth. Naera Icelandic Snacks shared its newest protein dried fish snack, and Baja Vida launched a line of chef-made beef jerky and beef sticks, together with avenue tacos and contemporary salsa.

Canned fish was an enormous development on TikTok, and it was undoubtedly trending at Expo West. However the development has gone past the can. Scout has launched single-serve fish snacks in moveable paper cartons stuffed with wild-caught tuna and crunchy toppings, together with chilli crisp and zaatar.

The Honey Smoked Fish Firm launched Salmon Stackers, a snack field that includes omega-3-rich smoked salmon, lemon chive cream cheese, and rice crackers. Seaweed has additionally been made snackable, together with crunchy roasted seaweed, together with seaweed-infused crackers, chips, and beignets. Along with snack meals, seaweed has proven up in burgers, dips, salad dressings, and condiments.

Whereas actual seafood was broadly featured, so have been plant-based alternate options, together with a brand new line of plant-based tuna bowls and sushi rolls from Konscious Meals. California Rolls, made with the konjac root vegetable and pea protein, received the present’s finest frozen product award. Jinka launched plant-based tuna cream and plant-based squid. An organization known as Avafina Organics has launched an progressive vegan caviar known as Chiaviar, made with chia seeds and seaweed.

The mighty mushroom continues to prevail as a development. Mushrooms have been current in espresso, tea, kombucha, cocoa, tonics, elixirs, powders and tinctures (concentrated mushroom extracts). Mushrooms have been additionally a well-liked ingredient in potato chips, beef jerky, hamburgers, chocolate, and the primary mushroom-based plant-based latte known as Shroom Junkie.

One product that induced fairly a stir throughout the expo was Meati, a brand new plant-based various to meat produced from the mushroom root, or mycelium. The corporate’s Traditional Steak, which received Greatest New Meat Different on the present, was surprisingly good with an actual meat-like texture. Meati additionally sampled a crispy plant-based hen cutlet on a bao bun primarily based on a recipe by famed Korean chef David Chang of Momofuku. Chang is considered one of a number of cooks who collaborate with Meati.

I seen an unimaginable quantity of chocolate on the ground of the exhibit and so they all appeared to have a unique angle to inform them aside. Many marketed single-origin, bean-to-bar, and Honest Commerce. Get up chocolate and get up! Espresso retailers boasted of their caffeine which equals the quantity of espresso or power drinks. Vgan was considered one of a number of chocolate manufacturers touting its plant-based standing, though all chocolate is inherently plant-based besides milk chocolate. FourX Higher Chocolate promoted the addition of adaptogens, nutritional vitamins and minerals. Momos Bean to Bliss sweet bars marketed its CBD content material. Vine to Bar sweets have been a novel product sweetened with recycled Chardonnay pressed grapes. I particularly appreciated the Past Good single-origin darkish chocolate that works immediately with cocoa farmers in Madagascar and Uganda.

Flavors from the Levant, together with Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, have been standard, particularly merchandise that made Center Japanese favorites simpler to get pleasure from at house. Mighty Sesame Co. has launched squeezable bottles of tahini, together with a model with harissa. I’ve noticed a number of manufacturers of falafel mixes to get you began on making this chickpea dish immediately. Fabalish introduced ready-made frozen falafel morsels, together with dips produced from aquafaba, the watery liquid left over from cooking chickpeas. AlFez shared Center Japanese sauces, marinades and pastes. Canaan Palestine promoted tapenades, freekeh, zaater and different specialty meals grown on small household farms within the West Financial institution.

What is going on on with the espresso? Sweets and power bars are including caffeine to behave as substitutes for espresso, and occasional can be attempting to reinvent itself. Tremendous Espresso is bottled espresso with added MCT oil, L-Theanine, nutritional vitamins D, E, B12, and different vitamins marketed as a pre-workout brew.

Caffeine Military Sensible Power Espresso is a powdered combine with MCT oil powder, collagen peptides, B nutritional vitamins and different vitamins. This on the spot espresso promised psychological and bodily well-being. Different canned chilly brews included Mind Java Home Brew, NuRange Chilly Brew with Advantages, and Jibby Chilly Brew with CBD.

The fruit was a well-liked ingredient in drinks and snacks, together with banana milk, freeze-dried strawberries, pineapple chips, dehydrated mango with probiotics, acai smoothie cubes, superfood smoothies, and ugly recycled nut snacks.

Dole launched its first retail product of Dole Whip, a favourite Disney Park snack. Made with actual fruit, the frozen deal with can be accessible in pineapple, mango and strawberry flavours. Dole additionally launched probiotic fruit drinks, Digestive Bliss fruit drinks and Power Delight fruit drinks with inexperienced tea, B nutritional vitamins and 80 mg of caffeine per serving.

Many corporations have been trying to construct a greater noodle, or no less than one which appeals to carbs. ZENB shared its line of yellow pea pasta; Banza introduced chickpea pasta. Palmini produces linguine, angel hair pasta and lasagna with hearts of palm. Different corporations shared pastas made with edamame, chard, pink lentils, tomatoes, candy pink peppers, broccoli, spinach, black carrots and inexperienced bananas.

Honey appeared to be all over the place, together with Manuka honey from New Zealand, monofloral honey from Hawaii, traceable honey from hive to bottle, uncooked hemp honey with CBD, and spicy chili-infused honey. Maple syrup additionally had fairly an enormous displaying, together with Vermont and Canadian maple syrups and artisan-style syrups that have been infused, smoked, and barrel-aged.

A number of stands promoted dates, that are more and more used as a sweetener. Exhibitors introduced pitted dates along with date paste, date sugar and date syrup. Dates have additionally been combined with tahini in a brand new unfold known as Datehini.