As always, Expo West 2026 was filled with new products, friends and colleagues new and old, and a genuinely palpable sense of excitement.
Innovation continues to center on function meeting format, with brands moving beyond novelty toward scalable solutions that address tangible consumer needs. Protein proliferation expanded across snacks, beverages, dairy alternatives, and meal solutions, while electrolytes, metabolic health, gut health, and women’s health remained major areas of demand, signaling continued consumer prioritization of everyday wellness. At the same time, cleaner formulations and fewer ingredients reflect ongoing demand for simplicity, transparency, and trust—particularly as consumers scrutinize ultra-processed foods and artificial additives more closely.
What’s Hot, What’s Held, and What’s Ahead
A notable theme at Expo West 2026 was a shift from marketing wellness as an aspirational “lifestyle” to meeting today’s shopper’s needs more directly and intentionally. Brands placed greater emphasis on ingredients, certifications, differentiators, and purpose as practical decision drivers, focusing less on identity-driven positioning and more on helping consumers understand what makes a product relevant, trustworthy, and worth choosing. Messaging was notably simplified, with many brands leaning into clearer brand stories, transparent ingredient communication, and straightforward articulation of what was—and was not—in their products.
Just as important, the tone across the show felt more approachable and inclusive, reflecting a broader democratization of wellness. Access, education, and wellness solutions were positioned as being for everyone, not just a niche or highly engaged natural consumer. From our perspective, this signals a meaningful evolution in how brands are connecting with shoppers: moving from lifestyle signaling toward clarity, accessibility, and consumer-first relevance as core growth drivers.
The industry’s growth continues to accelerate, attracting more buyers and trips. Growth has moderated but remains resilient relative to conventional CPG, supported by enduring demand for clean-label, ingredient-transparency, and functional benefits. However, the sources of growth have shifted.
Fresh Ink: Spotted Certification and Callouts
Across categories, sustainability, health & community credentials emerged as key label callouts. Emerging certifications and labeling boost transparency and accountability with higher standards for sustainability, purity, climate, and ethical sourcing.
Trending Certifications
As younger shoppers broaden their focus from personal health to the planet, certifications tied to environmental impact are rapidly gaining traction. This was very evident at the show with claims and brand stories focusing on how brands are using 3rd party standards as part of their messaging to emphasize their commitment to quality products and practices.
Certification Size and Growth
Source: Natural Channel+ MULO (powered by Circana), Alcohol, Frozen, Grocery, Produce, Refrigerated, VMS, Pet Departments 52 Weeks Ending February 22nd, 2026.
Certifications like Non-GMO Project lead in size, while regenerative organic and upcycled certifications are among the fastest growing. These are driven by brands such as Lundberg – not only Non-GMO but also regenerative organic. Continuing their 80-plus year legacy of organic farming, they’ve been growing rice in California since 1937, following the mantra “leave the land better than you found it”. Their Sweet Cakes are made with Regenerative Organic Certified brown rice in facilities powered by 100% renewable energy, ensuring the product supports soil health and carbon sequestration.
Big Tree Farms has grown from a local initiative into a major producer of sustainably sourced, organic foods, working with over 19,000 farmers. The company is renowned for its regenerative agriculture practices, specializing in coconut sugar, cacao, and spices, aiming to build a more sustainable and equitable supply chain.
Finally, Upcycled Certified is a relatively newer cert, but has gained many logos over the last several years. Smash Foods was among the first to receive this logo, with their brand story aiming to break the convention that jam requires 55%+ sugar, utilizing chia seeds and “imperfect” fruits to reduce food waste.
Ingredient Shakeup: A Return to Real
A unique alignment of governmental and consumer forces is reshaping the ways consumer product companies formulate, position, and market their products.
So Long, Seed Oils…
Vilified in their strength category, Seed Oils have been eagerly replaced by more traditional animal fats and alternatives at numerous Salty Snack Expo booths.
The very first brand activation attendees encountered at the Natural Products Expo West show was Steak & Shake, which was handing out free samples of beef tallow French Fries available at their restaurants and in frozen sections across conventional grocery stores nationwide. That alone was a sign that this year’s Expo would have some new influences in trendy ingredients.
The Seed Oil Free Certification was introduced in 2023 (before the current administration, it should be noted) and has strategically expanded its roster of certified brands. As such, the bar chart pictured above is based on a smaller data set but should not be ignored, given the obvious impact across the categories on the right.
Salty Snack booths like Potato Chips and Tortilla Chips were the easiest categories to observe this trend, thanks to the inclusion of TALLOW, and with the seed oil-free sales growth seen there, it’s no real wonder why so many brands are jumping in.
Frozen Potatoes may be up next if Expo West is any indication, with brands like Jesse & Bens leaning into beef tallow while brands like Folkland favor simple Olive Oil. Coming down the pike are tater tots and wedges, too.
Finally, the frozen meal case shows the seed oil-free impact as new brands like Lekker Kitchen launch with a seed oil-free claim, while established brands like Saffron Road opt to revamp their entire product lines to eliminate seed oils completely.
Got Milk’s 2.0: Dairy’s Resurgence
For some time, dairy has been pushed to the wayside with the rise of plant-based alternatives in recent years. However, real dairy is now riding a new wave of relevance.
The push for cleaner labels and recognizable food sourcing has provided a surprising boost to old-fashioned animal dairy products. Dairy is also perfectly aligned to meet the moment of consumer skepticism toward animal-alternative ingredients, alongside a new era of FDA leadership that promotes animal meats and dairy alike. This is bad news for almond milk, great news for the Wisconsin dairy industry.
Dairy brands at Expo West honed in on three key areas of perceived strength.
Protein – Dairy is naturally a good source of protein, but some brands cranked it up even higher, and with good reason. SPINS data shows dairy brands with protein counts in the 25 g+ range are doing really well right now. Ex. Organic Valley, Pioneer Pastures
A2 – Utilizing A2 dairy helps brands reach a wider audience seeking these protein-rich options, but who might otherwise experience digestive discomfort with standard A1 dairy products. Ex. Le Zette, Moozy
Clean Label – Familiar dairy products are doubling down on their clean-label claims, going beyond the usual Antibiotic-Free or Hormone-Free claims to also include newer assertions like No Artificial Colors or Grain-Free. Organic Valley gets two separate shoutouts on this slide due to its promotion of Grassmilk, milk from cows exclusively fed pasture grass rather than grain meal. Drippy Dip – No Artificial colors, dyes, or seed oils.
Short Supply, Smart Swaps:
Surging demand is forcing brands to rethink ingredients, supply chains, and forecasts to balance availability, cost, and shopper priorities.
Protein: Beefed Up
As the price of beef continues to rise and the U.S. cattle herd size is at its smallest since 1951, we may see brands branch out beyond beef or have more premium offerings. High-protein products continue to see strong growth, and chicken is becoming more prominent in the meat snacks and jerky space as beef prices rise. However, we shouldn’t forget that despite the rising prices, consumers will still buy beef products, but they might look to premium products to justify those prices. We saw game meats and other meats out on the show floor, again, another sign of diversification in the meat snacks space. In general, the meat snacks space has seen strong growth as consumers continue to seek ways to increase protein intake. From the ever-familiar jerky to the growing protein chips space. For on-the-go meals, products like packaged chicken breasts could grow in popularity as they already have in other regions like Asia.
Protein: Whey and Beyond
Whey protein sees prices increase to new heights as demand outstrips supply. With more protein products hitting the market, suppliers attempt to catch up to the ever-growing demand. Will collagen and plant proteins be able to cash in on this protein boom?
Clear protein showed up in full force on the show floor, debuting new flavors and new functionality. The texture of clear protein drinks has improved, and brands are combining protein with caffeine or protein with hydration.
We still see protein proliferating through the aisles, going beyond the familiar bars and seeing them in cereal, ice cream, and so much more. There is also potential for protein to be combined with a rising ingredient, creatine.
With whey protein prices hitting all-time highs, we could see consumers explore different protein options like casein, pea, collagen, and more. Plant proteins have not seen the strong growth that whey has in recent years, as the popularity of whey has surged. However, the high prices might drive consumers to rediscover these plant proteins and other alternative protein sources.
Extra Signals: What Else
Standout trends and innovations that didn’t fit neatly into one callout, but are worth watching.
Dubai chocolate is out as the trend fades, but pistachio is still going strong, with brands continuing to innovate and add it to their lineups. Ranging from condiments to beverages, we saw the flavor in products across different aisles.
Asian flavors and formats continue to see strong consumer interest, and we see brands bringing them to market. From innovative chip flavors to clean-label ingredients for the sector.
Saucy: Sauces were a big hit at the show, from jalapeno aioli to dill pickle mayo. The category is still exciting – giving consumers a fun way to dress up their meals and snacks
Bare home basics: clean ingredients matter, and we see brands innovate with plant-based soaps and products that are free from harsh chemicals and plastic packaging – once again encouraging sustainability in this department.
Tropical, Sweet & Hot: Sweet and spicy, or otherwise known as swicy, is still going strong. From mango habanero to familiar hot honey and the quick-growing favorite, chili crisp, this trend is still going strong
Hydration nation: Though hydration has declined from the days of triple-digit growth, we still see strong consumer interest in this sector. Brands continue to innovate by bringing gummies and shots to the show floor. Even within the powder space, we see brands continue to bring multifunctional items that not only target hydration but also other health focuses, like liver support, into their products.
Conclusion
Expo West 2026 once again delivered a high-energy gathering of innovation, relationships, and forward-looking perspectives across the natural and wellness CPG landscape. The show floor reflected a clear maturation of the industry, where innovation is no longer driven by novelty alone, but by function, meeting format, and the ability to solve real consumer needs at scale. Protein remained a dominant force across categories, while hydration, gut health, metabolic health, and women’s health continued to anchor consumer demand. At the same time, brands leaned heavily into clean-label simplicity, reinforcing the importance of transparency, fewer ingredients, and trust as consumers grow more skeptical of ultra-processed foods.
A defining shift this year was a move away from aspirational “lifestyle” branding toward a more shopper-centric, decision-driven approach. Brands focused on clearly communicating ingredients, certifications, and product differentiators, simplifying their messaging to make choices easier and more intuitive. This was paired with a broader tone of accessibility and inclusivity, signaling that wellness is no longer positioned as niche or premium-only, but increasingly democratized. From a SPINS lens, this represents a structural evolution in how brands drive growth—prioritizing clarity, relevance, and conversion over storytelling alone.
At the same time, the industry’s underlying growth engine is shifting. While overall natural channel growth remains resilient versus conventional CPG, momentum is increasingly concentrated in function-forward, premium-but-justified, and transparently positioned brands. Certifications and third-party validations (e.g., Non-GMO, regenerative organic, upcycled) are becoming more prominent as signals of quality, sustainability, and accountability. Meanwhile, ingredient narratives are evolving rapidly—from the rejection of seed oils to the resurgence of dairy and the continued expansion of protein sources—reflecting both consumer sentiment and broader supply dynamics.
Finally, Expo West highlighted a market balancing constraint and creativity. Supply pressures (e.g., rising protein costs, cattle shortages) are forcing brands to innovate in sourcing and formulation while still meeting consumer expectations. At the shelf level, this is translating into diversification (new protein formats, alternative ingredients), continued flavor experimentation (spicy, global influences), and sustained excitement in high-engagement categories like sauces, hydration, and snacks. The net takeaway: the next phase of growth in natural and wellness will be defined not just by trend adoption, but by a brand’s ability to translate those trends into scalable, retailer-ready, and shopper-relevant execution.
Sources:
https://www.spins.com/data/pos-data/
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Below we break out total MULO with Natural Products, Total MULO Base, Total Natural Expanded with Natural Products, and Total Natural Expanded Base.
Looking for more information? Please get in touch with the SPINS Account Manager for PRESENCE, Hans De Schaaf at hdeschaaf@spins.com.
(847) 277-9500