A roundup of the major health & wellness food trends from the Natural Foods Expo West 2013.

1. EXPO WEST 2013
TREND ROUNDUP

2. Neighbor @ Expo
Every year, the team at Neighbor anxiously awaits the Natural Foods
Expo in Anaheim. It is undisputedly the place for new products to
debut, making it the perfect opportunity to see (and sample!) what’s
trending in the world of health and wellness. The show is
intimidatingly huge – you can easily spend two whole days and still
not see the whole thing – but we wanted to share our quick rundown
of the top trends you are certain to see more of in 2013.

3. Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia
While not a new name in the ever popular super food
category, Chia seeds were definitely the favorite this year,
showing up in more products and formats than ever. Chia
seeds are noted for their fiber, protein, and Omega-3
qualities.
Who’s Doing It?
Chia Pods, from the Chia Co.: The newest product from the
Chia Company, this product is not yet available at stores. A
tapioca-like snack made from chia seeds mixed with
coconut milk, the pods come with a spoon for convenient
and portable snacking.
Chia Squeeze Vitality Snack from Mamma Chia: Chia seeds
mixed with fruits and vegetables in a portable squeeze
pouch format. No sugar added, and only 70 calories.
Chia Peanut Butter by NY Superfoods: Peanut butter fortified
with chia seeds and chocolate take standard peanut butter
up a notch in flavor and health benefits.

4. Sweet Meets Savory
As consumer awareness around sugar intake continues to
grow, manufacturers have responded by creating sweet and
savory flavor combinations, or simply introducing savory
flavors into categories that are traditionally sweet. Herbs
and spices such as rosemary, thyme and turmeric are being
used to create interesting and unexpected new flavors.
Nutrition bars and yogurt are two categories that saw such
introductions.
Who’s Doing It?
Journey Bars: New line of nutrition bars with all savory
flavors, including coconut curry, and pizza marinara. Natural
and gluten free.
Chobani yogurt: Chobani sampled “café creations” from their
flagship Soho yogurt bar. Combinations included plain
yogurt with olive oil, cucumber, mint and pita chips.
Simple Squares: Square gluten free snack bars made from 5
simple ingredients, including herbs and spices such as
rosemary, sage and cloves.

5. Popping Up Everywhere
Whether a throwback to simpler times, or the naturally
low calorie quality of a simple popped kernel of corn,
one thing is for certain: popcorn has entered the healthy
snack category in a big way. Leaving the microwave
and fake butter flavoring in it’s wake, new products
focused on simplicity and the good-for-you nature of
good old fashioned popped corn.
Who’s Doing It?
Half Pops: Referring to the partially popped nature of the
product, these crunchy kernels come in 2 oz. snack
bags and 2 flavors: butter & sea salt and white cheddar.
The ingredient list is short and messaging centers on the
heightened flavor that comes from not popping the
kernels all the way.
Skinny Pop: Low calorie, plain popped popcorn with no
trans fats or cholesterol. 100 calories per 4.4 oz. bag.
Pop Corners: Triangle shaped chips made of popcorn,
available in 6 flavors including Cinnamon and Kettle.

6. Departing the
Dairy Aisle
Thanks to Greek, the darling of the culture category, the yogurt aisle has
become one of the most crowded in the grocery store. Rather than add to
the chaos, manufacturers this year looked to other categories where yogurt
could play a supporting role as an ingredient. Extending yogurt into new
areas of the store is a strategic way to leverage the popularity of the
category while not competing for shelf space. From yogurt covered
pretzels, to frozen desserts, yogurt is showing up in unexpected places.
Who’s Doing It?
Quark cheese by Elli: Technically a cheese, this “German style” strained
culture product looks and tastes very similar to Greek yogurt, but get’s
shelved next to cottage cheese. Similar nutrition profile to Greek as well,
with only 80 calories and 14 g protein.
Rickland Farms Yogurt Coated Granola bites: Exactly what they sound like,
these bites are an innovative way to make the ever popular combination of
yogurt & granola a portable and convenient snack.
Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars: At 80 calories and 6 g of protein each, these
popsicles are fat free and contain all natural ingredients. Marketing
communication encourages consumers to consume for a healthy breakfast,
not just dessert.

7. Greek 2.0
Greek yogurt’s popularity showed no signs of waning this year, but evolved
beyond the standard offering to introduce innovative new products. Expo saw
Greek in new formats, formulated for new audiences and packaged for new
occasions, an indication that Greek has opened the yogurt category up to new
territory.
Products of Note:
Powerful Yogurt- Dubbed “Bro-gurt” by the press, this Greek yogurt is
formulated for men. Complete with 20 grams of protein, masculine black
packaging and logo, and a marketing campaign centered on “finding your inner
abs”, Powerful sees an untapped opportunity for the protein promise of Greek.
Chobani Flips and Bites- The leader in the Greek yogurt craze debuted two new
products at Expo. Bites are a small 3.5 ounce, 100 calorie yogurt with
gourmet toppings already mixed in (e.g. Caramel yogurt with Pineapple). Flips
are a square shaped 5.3 ounce with a sidecar that contains toppings to mix in
(e.g. coconut yogurt with almonds and dark chocolate chips).
Greek Gods Kefir- A consumer favorite for it’s full fat nature, Greek Gods has
expanded into drinkable Kefir, making the much-loved creamy quality of the
yogurt available in a portable, drinkable format. The 32 oz. bottles are
available in 4 flavors and contain 12 g protein per cup.

8. Keen for Quinoa
While no newcomer to the Natural Foods Expo, quinoa showed an
increased presence this year, thanks in large part to the continued rise
of gluten-free diets. A great source of protein that can substitute for a
starch, quinoa was included in ingredient lists from breakfast smoothies
to liquor. Ironically, 2013 has been dubbed the International Year of
Quinoa.
Who’s Doing It?
Keen—wah Decadence by Yoga Earth: Protein bars fortified with quinoa
amongst other healthful ingredients such as chia and almond butter.
Sambazon Blended Breakfast: These ready-to-go smoothies combine fruit,
chia and ancient grains including quinoa to create a healthy yet filling
morning boost. At only 180 calories, they contain 6 g of protein.
Quinoa Burgers: Used to add protein and texture to vegetarian burger
substitutes alongside other ancient grains such as amaranth, meat
substitutes, and vegetables.

9. No GMOs For You
The current political climate over GMOs and food
labeling was well represented at Expo West, both by
advocacy groups and in product claims. More than ever,
manufacturers were drawing attention to non-GMO
ingredients while advocacy groups worked to educate
people of the dangers of irresponsible food labeling.
GMOInside had a team member dressed as a rat,
encouraging people not to be a “lab rat”, and passing out
stickers for labeling products in their home with GMOs in
the ingredient list.