Expo West food trends
Expo West 2026 flagged ‘sensemaxxing’ foods that aim to boost sensory pleasure plus nutrition, along with big pushes for high‑fiber ingredients, relaxation beverages and GLP‑1‑friendly options — signaling what health‑conscious travelers and home cooks will see on shelves. Functional mushrooms and regenerative sourcing also featured as sustainability and wellness drivers. (foodnavigator-usa.com) (foodnavigator-usa.com)
Natural Products Expo West 2026 ran March 3–6 in Anaheim and, according to organizer New Hope Network, brought more than 66,000 registered health and wellness leaders to the show floor and over 3,200 exhibiting brands for the event’s 45th edition. (newhope.com) The Specialty Food Association had already declared “sensemaxxing” its Trend of the Year at Winter FancyFaire on Jan. 12, 2026, and that consumer push for sensory‑forward products showed up repeatedly in Expo West programming and exhibitor messaging. (specialtyfood.com) Exhibitors highlighted GLP‑1‑friendly formulation work by combining protein, fiber and gut‑targeted ingredients; ingredient supplier demos included a prebiotic oat latte with 5 g fiber and 15 g Palatinose per 355 ml and a sparkling protein beverage with 7 g fiber and multiple protein options. (foodingredientsfirst.com) Functional and “relaxation” beverages were abundant on the floor, with brands such as Recess, Hiyo and Juni pitching adaptogenic sparkling waters and exhibitors like BREZ, Odyssey Elixir and Four Sigmatic showcasing cannabis‑ or mushroom‑infused tonics and sparkling mushroom elixirs. (source86.com) Regenerative sourcing moved from side‑event to center stage: Expo West hosted Climate Day and off‑site RegenerativeExpo networking events, and Wild Orchard used the show to debut a Regenerative Organic Certified green‑tea energy shot at Booth F62. (attend.expowest.com) Industry scale and market context were emphasized on the keynote stage: the natural and organic sector was reported at $342.1 billion in sales with roughly 72.3% coming from food and beverage, and Expo programming noted participation from buyers and brands representing more than 130 countries. (foodinstitute.com)
