New Products from Expo West
New trends, technologies and products were on display at Expo West in Anaheim, CA, last weekend – the largest innovation show of the year for the packaged goods industry. Many of these new products will significantly change the CPG landscape in the next 5 years. Here are our picks for the hottest trends:
- Non-Dairy Dairy Products. While products like Silk and Almond Milk have been around for years, we are about to see a whole slew of new entries that are not just for the lactose intolerant – but better for everyone. These new products taste better, are healthier and more sustainable than real dairy products. Most notable is Ripple Foods, which makes milk out of Peas and recently raised $43 million in funding from Google Ventures and other tech investors. The company is co-founded by Adam Lowry of Method Home Care fame. Ripple’s products contain more Vitamin D and Calcium than regular milk, with less sugar. They also taste great.
- Alternate Caffeine. As time becomes more precious – particularly in the morning – there are now more ways to get your daily caffeine buzz without a trip to the coffee shop. Eat Your Coffee from New Grounds Foods is a new line of breakfast bars that include coffee and have all of the caffeine of a full cup of coffee in each bar. For those who want to stay caffeinated all day, 3 Water is a new type of bottled water with added caffeine. It has no calories, color or flavor. Or for those who want to chug their coffee, there is the Bizzy Coffee Shot and Forto Coffee Energy Shots.
- Probiotic Foods – Gut health has been a growing trend for several years, but until recently it has been restricted to yogurt and supplements. Soon probiotics, which improve digestion and health, will be present in many more foods. Farmhouse Cultures is a company in Watsonville, CA, that makes fermented vegetables that contain natural probiotics. The company recently began producing probiotic chips and other snack items made with juice from its fermented vegetables. The company recently received $6 million in new funding from General Mills and others. Other probiotic innovators include Living Intentions, which has Activated Probiotic Popcorn, Go Live probiotic drinks and Wildebrine salsa, kimchee and sauerkraut with probiotics.
- Happy Farm Animals. Happy farm animals produce better food that everyone can feel good about. That is the philosophy of the Happy Egg Company, which allows its hens to play on 8 acres of green pasture – 21.8 square feet of personal space per hen. Austin-based Vital Farms makes butter from grass-foraging cows that are given ample pasture space in small herds of 50-60 cows.
- Bone Broth. Bone marrow has experienced an upsurge in restaurants. Now bone broth is poised to become a new healthy beverage. High in minerals and other nutrients, several companies now offer bone broth as a healthier alternative to bouillon. One company based in San Anselmo, CA – BRU Bone Broth offers the liquid as a drinkable beverage. BRU has 6 flavors of beef and chicken in 16 oz. bottles to heat and sip.
- Social Justice Products – Products with a social justice mission continue to gain traction. Soapbox Soaps donates a bar of soap to a person in need when you purchase one of its cleaning products. Divine Chocolate is a chocolate company owned by African women farmers. There are now over 1600 Certified B Corporations, with many of them in the natural-organic space.
- Tree Water – The next hot trend in beverages may be water made from tree sap. Treo Birch Water and Happy Tree Maple Water both promise high levels of minerals, antioxidants and micro-nutrients from tree sap.
- Sleep – Sleep aids and the need for more sleep is on the rise. Dream Water, a 2.5 oz. shot of GABA and Melatonin is the latest entry into this space. Look for it at checkout.
- Mushrooms – Mushrooms are the latest new health food. High in selenium, iron, niacin and Vitamin D, more new health products are including mushrooms. Four Sigmatic, a company from Finland that is dedicated to promoting healthy mushrooms, offers mushroom coffee, mushroom elixir and mushroom hot cacao.
- Mothers Milk – The ultimate health food for babies is mothers milk. Products that support and promote breastfeeding are on the rise. Mamava now offers private breastfeeding rooms at airports and other public locations. Seattle start-up Milkmakers offers a line of cookies and teas that stimulate milk production in nursing mothers. The company was recently acquired by Munchkin and distribution is expanding.
To learn more about how GameChanger can help you create better new products through real market testing, contact us at [email protected] [1].