Our team had an incredible time at the 2025 Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA, where we explored the latest and greatest in the world of natural, specialty, and emerging food trends. It was inspiring to see how brands are innovating to meet evolving consumer demands, and we are excited to bring many of these cutting-edge products to our retailer partners. Below are 6 trends our team is keeping an eye on (and think you should too!)
Nostalgic Sips & Sweet Treats: The Return of Classic Flavors
Everything old is new again! Classic soda and cocktail flavors are making a major comeback across multiple categories, from sparkling waters and energy drinks to confections. Cola, cherry cola, root beer, lemon-lime, and Dr. Pepper-inspired flavors took center stage, along with nostalgic cocktail-inspired tastes like Shirley Temple, mojito, Negroni, Moscow mule, and cosmopolitan. These flavors tap into consumer nostalgia while offering fresh, elevated takes in better-for-you formats.
Brands spotted:
Belvoir Farm
Farming Karma
Sweeter Collections Candy
Protein Power: The Rise Continues
Protein continues to dominate, expanding beyond traditional bars and shakes into categories like snacks, pasta, pasta sauces, candy, and even beverages. Some brands are even linking their protein-packed products to the growing conversation around GLP-1 medications. As consumer interest in high-protein, functional foods grows, we expect this trend to stay strong.
Brands spotted:
Brami Protein Pasta
Chichi Protein Hot Cereal
Flouish
Fuel Granola & Cereal
Kindling Protein Pretzels
Blue Hour Scrambled Egg Cups
Sturdy Sauce
Todd’s Egg-cellent Protein Puffs
The Great Seed Oil Shift: Better Fats Take Over
With increasing awareness around the potential downsides of seed oils, brands are pivoting toward healthier fat alternatives. Avocado oil was everywhere, with snacks prominently highlighting their "No Seed Oils" callouts. Consumers are seeking transparency and better choices, and brands are responding by reformulating to meet these new demands.
Brands spotted:
Frankie’s Organic
Levels 4D Chips
Poptime
Caffeine Craze: Clean Energy Takes the Lead
The beverage space was buzzing—literally! Natural sources of caffeine took center stage, with brands focusing on ingredients like mushrooms and yerba mate to provide clean, sustained energy. Whether in sparkling beverages, RTD cold brews, packaged coffee, enhanced waters, or even snacks, caffeine remains a key player in functional drinks.
Brands spotted:
Circ Energy Bites
Everyday Doze
Kate’s Real Food
Mateina Yerba Mate
Quantum Energy Squares
Squeeze the Trend: Convenience is Key
Speaking of squeeze bottles, this packaging format is taking off in a big way! Inspired by the success of Graza Olive Oil, we saw numerous olive oil brands introducing squeeze bottle versions, along with condiment brands expanding their lines into more user-friendly formats. New flavors and innovative applications are making squeeze bottles a must-have.
Brands spotted:
Drench Dupe Sauces
Lillie’s Q
Little Zing Danish Mustard
Mezete Sauces
Fat Alternatives on the Rise
The shift away from seed oils has also brought new attention to alternative fats. Beef tallow, duck fat, bacon fat, and pure lard are experiencing a resurgence—not just in food, but also in health & beauty products. Glass jars were a popular packaging choice, but we also saw innovative squeeze and spray bottle formats.
Brands spotted:
Aux Delices des Bois
Best of the Bone
Fatworks
Flock
South Chicago Packing
While these trends reflect some of what we saw at the show, we would be remiss if we didn’t give some trendy honorable mentions:
Snack Time Goes 3D: Snack brands are getting creative with shape and texture, and 3D snacks are emerging as a fun and engaging way to capture consumer attention.
Convenient Meals: Ready-to-Eat Takes Center Stage: we saw a strong emergence of meal kits and ready-to-eat options in categories like rice, soups, pasta, ethnic dishes, and breakfast.
The Slim Can Takeover: Slim cans were everywhere from sodas and energy drinks to coffees, protein beverages, and enhanced waters.
Buzzing about Honey: Honey is having a moment! This trend highlights consumers' growing preference for natural sweeteners with added functional benefits.
Our team left Expo West feeling energized and inspired by the innovations we encountered. We’re eager to hit the ground running and bring exciting new products to our customers—but remember, this is just a glimpse of what’s to come!
Stay tuned for more updates from Chex Finer Foods as we roll out new launches throughout the year.
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