Functional Foods and Regenerative Production Highlighted at Natural Foods Expo West 2024

Functional foods, international flavors, and sustainable production practices were among the leading themes highlighted at the 2024 Natural Foods Expo West conference.

Expo West, the largest gathering of natural products and food companies, provides insights into the consumer preferences and trends shaping the food and beverage industry over the next couple of years.

A growing number of consumers are basing a larger percentage of their diets on functional foods. These foods help improve their health, reduce chronic disease, and contribute to their quality of life. This is creating opportunities for producers of natural and specialty products designed to promote wellness, such as snacks based on mushrooms, plant and animal proteins, and adaptogens that help the body respond to stress more effectively.

On the show floor you could not walk more than a few steps without coming across functional beverages, such as sparkling waters that relieve anxiety, support mindfulness, cleanse and detox consumers, or provide energy. As part of this interest in healthy beverages, non-alcoholic beers and mocktails were also featured at the show and are the fastest-growing segment of the beverage sector as younger consumers enjoy social interactions but prefer alternatives to alcohol-based drinks.

Consumers are still very interested in plant-based food products for several reasons, including the greater variety of products and flavors available today. Some consumers are avoiding animal-based proteins for personal health reasons, environmental considerations, and for being displeased with animal-based food production methods.

A standout in this category was the many forms of gummy products featured at Expo West were plant-based which confused many attendees as they did not know the gelatins found in most gummy products are animal-based. We also saw this with the supplement brands showcasing their plant-based capsules for similar reasons.

International inspiration is appearing in a greater range of food products. For instance, the Korean staple kimchi is featured in snack products, seasonings, and supplements. Other Korean-inspired products include frozen kimbap, burdock root tea, seaweed snacks, and more.

Other countries inspiring popular food products include Venezuela, Tunisia, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, and Morocco.

Consumer interest in natural foods and ingredients extends to higher awareness of food production and stronger expectations that food brands will follow regenerative production practices.

Regenerative food production includes planting diverse crop varieties and cover crops, and rotating grazing fields, to more closely mimic natural grasslands and forests. This, in turn, provides a habitat for pollinators and soil microbes that promote food production while reducing the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

Consumers are embracing these practices, searching for labeling that includes:

This movement extends to large food retailers demanding their produce suppliers reduce pesticide use, while working to reduce waste and energy use in their operations and promoting environmentally responsible packaging.  

Ethnographer June Jo Lee in her keynote at Expo West said Gen Z, the largest generation globally and 27% of today’s workforce, values the social aspects of cooking and eating more highly than the Millennials or their Gen X parents. Gen Z uses food as a basis for social interaction and emotional support, frequently cooking for and eating with groups of friends.

They are more willing to purchase sustainable and natural products as an investment in the meal they are preparing to share. Food is more of a ritualistic process of showing care and love for Gen Z.

“They enjoy cooking for each other and hanging out,” Lee said. “Cooking is a practice of caring for each other.”

Gen Z entrepreneurs are also starting their food brands, often tapping into their ethnic heritage and strongly emphasizing sustainable production.

To learn more about the benefits of sustainable and regenerative business practices, contact us.