US Food Trends: Natural Products Expo West 2024
Eyeing the $209bn US natural, organic and functional food and beverages market (New Hope Network, 2024), brands exhibiting at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California (March 12-16) tapped into several prominent trends: upping the protein count across a surprising range of products, playing to maturing millennials and courting the mainstream with alt-meat and flexitarian products.
Approaching Peak Protein
Playing to Millennial Practicalities
The Future of Plant-Based Foods
Protein count was a dominant theme, filling a key perceived need for Americans – a quarter believe they’re not getting enough protein, rising to a third among Gen Zers (The New Consumer, 2024). While high-protein foods have proliferated since the rise of keto, brands are now boosting content in existing products and expanding from sweet (mostly bars) to an array of savoury categories.
Protein count was a dominant theme, filling a key perceived need for Americans – a quarter believe they’re not getting enough protein, rising to a third among Gen Zers (The New Consumer, 2024). While high-protein foods have proliferated since the rise of keto, brands are now boosting content in existing products and expanding from sweet (mostly bars) to an array of savoury categories.
Summary
Approaching Peak Protein | Protein count was a dominant theme, filling a key perceived need for Americans – a quarter believe they’re not getting enough protein, rising to a third among Gen Zers (The New Consumer, 2024). While high-protein foods have proliferated since the rise of keto, brands are now boosting content in existing products and expanding from sweet (mostly bars) to an array of savoury categories. |
Playing to Millennial Practicalities | Millennials – a generation steeped in modern conveniences and now shouldering growing work and family responsibilities – are seeking next-level time savers that cater for their foodie sensibilities. As seen at Expo West, this is spurring a wave of easily consumed handheld foods and clever kit ideas that enable semi-homemade eats. Read more in Millennial Food + Drink Trends: 24/25. |
The Future of Plant-Based Foods | As buzz around plant-based (especially alt-meats) cools down, brands and entrepreneurs assured attendees that the category’s prospects remain promising: it’s projected to more than double in the US to nearly $19.1bn by 2030 (Research and Markets, 2024). Attracting and retaining a wider consumer base and continuing to innovate with alt-proteins will be key. |
US Food Trends: Natural Products Expo West 2024
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