Showing posts with label natural food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label natural food. Show all posts

Friday, March 20, 2015

Natural Products Expo West 2015 Hosts 70K Smilers



Attending Expo West was a highly awaited year long promoted event. Therefore, you don't just stroll through without a plan at a massive industry natural products trade show such as Expo West. This year it held over 70,000 attendees whom all seek the same mission - introducing, seeking or analyzing manufacturers, services and/or networking with leading natural industry professionals. 

Sunday, March 1, 2015

The Search For Gluten-Free At Expo West Food Show


It's officially butterfly in the stomach time. I'm soooooooo excited for the biggest natural food trade show of the year, Expo West in California this week! This is not your ordinary food show as this is for business professionals within the organic, non GMO, gluten-free, vegan and sustainable manufacturers, distributors, brokers and supply chain that cover various categories from food, beverage, vitamins, supplements and services, too.  Most brands in your traditional grocery store cannot attend this trade show, as they contain distributing GMO ingredients, lack any form of sustainable footprint and do not care about overall healthy missions, just profits #Truth. 

Each year there are more gluten-free vendors, but some still claim "naturally gluten-'free" without verifying their product to any degree. Ugh it's annoying, but I probe deep enough to find the truth.  Remember, gluten-free has only one meaning; gluten-free ingredients and no cross contamination. This requires each brand/manufacturer to (a) obtain a full certification that includes inspecting the entire manufacturing facility, supply chain for all ingredients and testing the final product (b) batch testing the final product regularly through 3rd party laboratories to be sure the food, beverage and/or beauty product exceeds the FDA gluten-free labeling threshold for those with Celiac Disease

 

I'll have my eyes open and big ears out for gluten-free goodies. I do not sample products until I learn about the brand, inspect each brand's booth for cross contamination and find their team to be genuinely interested to share and meet with me. Sometimes trade show vendors are too excited and they look to hard for what's under their nose. This year my plans is extra focussed to support those who provide innovative, trending gluten-free products and call out those who do it wrong! Shame on you may re-appear post show. 

EXPO WEST VENDORS: Let's meet and discuss your gluten-free products. Email me anytime to meet up for sampling, interviews, and sharing your verified gluten-free and allergen free products. Be sure to find me on @GlutenFreeG on Twitter

EXPO WEST ATTENDEES: If you're a blogger, buyer, marketer, or gluten-free expert email me to get together to catch up at the show as well. I'm sure we can find ways to keep busy! Find me on @GlutenFreeG on Twitter. 

 

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Natural Products Expo East 2014 Expectations



It's one of two exciting times of the year for 2014, Natural Products Expo East comes to Baltimore (the other show, Expo West, is in the Spring in California). Even though this is a trade show, I attend to shed light on what's happening for my community who need to know where to go, what to trust, and what's trending.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Natural Products Trending From Expo East


 

Expo East 2013 natural food show was terrific! There were new products seeking distribution and existing products that were making heads turn. So when you walk down the aisle of your grocery store tomorrow, one that actually has innovative and natural products vs a traditional grocery who rarely has organic and/or gluten-free, there likely will continue to be even more trending ingredients on the shelf snagging your eye heading into next year...

FOOD TRENDS
  1. Ingredient Transparency: More than ever founders, marketers and their team are in tune with all of the raw ingredients, manufacturing protocol and food allergen information vs the past. Each chooses their own list of priority but it's good to see that they are more aware and open to share.
  2. Gluten-Free (GF): Albeit this phrase is almost everywhere and it's on many labels not everyone is getting GF certifications. Brands find it a real health issue, but as for consumer product labeling (A) brands believe it's still too expensive (B) claim the product already is "naturally gluten-free" despite it's possible contamination and don't need labeling (C) it's on their list of allergens to certify and/or self test
  3. Non GMO: It was the #1 buzz word this year and I was loving it! Look out for the documentary GMO OMG and go bring everyone you know to watch and support it. Very few vendors were from another planet not featuring this a selling point and/or knew nothing about this practice. 
  4. Chia: The miracle seed is found in everything from water, flavored drinks, milk, crackers, flours, chips, breads and tons more
  5. Raw: Everything and it's mother is raw including solo and combos of coconut water, tea, kombucha, maple syrup water, super veggies and energy bars
  6. Energy Bars: Look out for organic meat, jerkys, chia, raw fruits and veggies, veggie proteins and chocolates. Copy cat traditional brands are following yet look at how different the ingredients will be. 
  7. Kale: It's in and around everything. Perhaps the wise President Clinton's affinity for kale helped a bit ;) but it's better to have this on the market than a GMO corn chip that America still consumes. 
  8. Chips: I found the names of chips to be more creative yet also experienced they have less seasonings on the chip compared to the double sided coating that is out there! Even traditional brands have opened emerging divisions to offer a more natural chip product making them more competitive in this growing space.
  9. Popcorn: Smart, air popped, no oils or butter, flavored with truffle oil, half popped, non GMO, it was popping everywhere without the pooping!
  10. Water: Since we can't live without it, there continues to be innovation from different sources such as deep underground American resources, Korean, maple syrup trees, coconut, vitamin enriched this and that.


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