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7 Key Insights From Expo West 2025
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Expo West has wrapped, and the industry is buzzing with insights from the show. While I wasn’t there in person, I teamed up with seven industry experts to break down the biggest trends, standout brands, and key takeaways that matter most for food and beverage founders. From shifting retailer priorities to emerging product categories, here’s what you need to know to stay ahead—straight from those who walked the show floor.
1. Less is Now More
Our industry has long been obsessed with what’s NOT in our food – GMOs, artificial colors and flavors, pesticides, gluten, sugar, etc. – but the hot trend of today is what HAS BEEN ADDED to our food. Whether it’s more protein, extra fiber, probiotics, nootropics, ayurvedic herbs, or even just more nutrient-dense plants grown in regenerative organic soil, it’s clear that we’re trying to get more function out of our food. Consumers will still vote for tasty and convenient with their wallets, so if you can check those boxes AND add clean, functional ingredients, you could be the next industry unicorn!
2. Strong Natural Growth + Economic Uncertainty
John Foraker, Once Upon A Farm
I asked over 50 retailers, analysts, and informed industry observers with access to REAL DATA (not just people with uninformed opinions) two questions:
- Do you see any signs of slow-down in premium N&O demand anywhere? The unanimous answer was a hard NO, and usually complemented by some comments about rising consumer interest in health & wellness, less processed, etc.
- What do you think of the economic environment in the year ahead and potential to impact this space? The near unanimous answer was highly uncertain. Lots of concerns about challenged consumer spending, massive uncertainty around tariffs, job losses, and government policy in general. The optimism and energy of the show was covering an undercurrent of real concern, no doubt. However, over multiple recessions I’ve seen demand for premium CPG hold up pretty well, and I see no reason to believe it will not do the same this time.
The consumer winds are blowing stronger than they ever have in my 30+ years, which will no doubt provide some insulation for the space during what looks like a rough economic patch ahead. As an aside, the energy and intensity of Expo was as high as I’ve ever seen it and aisles were so packed it was often unwalkable. That says something, not sure exactly what, but something.
3. Plant-based meats have officially peaked. The new protein obsession? Meat sticks and biltong.
Caroline Grace, Product + Prosper
Last September, I took my first real vacation since starting Product & Prosper and spent two weeks in Namibia—where I had actual biltong for the first time. Game-changer. And now? I’m seeing it everywhere in the U.S. market.
Biltong first hit my radar back in 2022 when I was living in Austin, but it’s only now breaking into the mainstream. At Expo West this year, you couldn’t turn a corner without running into a booth stacked with meat sticks, beef jerky, or biltong in every flavor imaginable. Even Guinness is getting in on the beef jerky game. One of Faire’s 2025 Forecast Featured products? Rogue Premium Beef Jerky.
Safe to say, we’re back to meat. The protein aisle is having a moment.
4. A Stormy Sign of Tough Times in CPG
Walking away from Expo West, it rained 2 of the 3 days at the show and is even raining after the last day as I head home.
I have never seen it rain during the show, but I don’t think this is a coincidence and is maybe the sign from the universe about the tough times we are in..
Very positive atmosphere when you walk the show and a lot of smiling faces, but let’s face the reality and brutal facts…
😟It’s harder than ever to succeed in the CPG space and it will get worse before it gets better.
😱Many many odds stacked against the brands from inflation, to raw material shortages, to tariffs coming online, and the list goes on
😳I’m seeing brands being rescued running out of cash and taking a deal to keep the brand alive, but not a favorable exit at times for the founder depending on the deal
🤬Founders are barely getting by with their take home salary and sacrificing so much, like less time with family and friends, to reach the promised land and reach the nearly impossible dream
😔Burn out happening more than ever. Founders are tired, working harder than ever, and it’s more saturated and competitive with new brands coming online all the time. The pressure is unreal
💰Gross margins getting eviscerated by high costs, pressure to do promotions at store level, chargebacks from national distributors, and rising raw material costs just crushing any chance of profitability to the point where you cant have a healthy cash flow.
I ran into a few founders doing it right, slow and steady, self manufacturing etc, and paying themselves well without getting into debt, but it’s few and far between.
5. Rise in International Brands
Expo West raising its prices this year shows an interesting externality when it comes to who chooses to accept being in Expo West. Though we have always had international companies come to Expo West, I’ve noticed an influx of very well-polished brands that are in Expo West trying to enter the American market that are trying to be American, but are not. This includes Chinese brands, Japanese brands, Taiwanese Brands, Korean Brands, South African Brands, and United Arab Kingdom brands.
Most of these brands are quite behind on trends but look polished enough to have a chance of making an impact on the US market which in their eyes, is the ultimate consumer. The American market is generally viewed as a lighter regulatory environment and a voracious consumer that has more buying power than their own country. The issue is generally, these foreign brands get crushed by the competition if they are going toe-to-toe in the US market because they have no idea how the US customer thinks and there is a home-field advantage to US brands.
Ten years ago, Expo West was about locals selling their natural ingredients and tinctures and it’s interesting about how Expo West has positioned themselves over the years. Slowly and slowly, it is now a place where international conglomerates (or rich people) rationalize Expo West as the best conference to enter the US markets. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? It just means Expo West becomes less and less supportive on smaller brands now as more international companies view it as a place to pierce the market.
I personally had a great time at the show and the level of activity and engagement in the area tells me Expo West will keep (or increase) their current pricing structure.
Can you tell if these brands are from another country?
6. A New Wave in Functional Beverages
Gut-health claims are still prominent throughout natural grocery stores, but a new contender is emerging. For centuries, plants have been revered for their healing properties, benefiting both body and mind. The emerging trend that we saw at Expo is the rise of botanical functional beverages—infused with powerful herbs like calendula, chamomile, rosemary and others. One standout in this new space is Whole Harmony Vibrational Botanical Fresh Pressed Juices. These elixirs go beyond traditional plant-based wellness. Steeped in crystal infused water, charged with specific hertz frequencies to balance your chakras, create a unique twist on holistic health.
7. Bold Branding Battles
With the beverage space more crowded than ever, brands are doubling down on edgy, attention-grabbing marketing—think Liquid Death, Death Wish Coffee, and Punk Bunny Coffee. Expect more rebellious branding ahead. Edgy, irreverent branding thrives in the meme-driven landscape of TikTok and Instagram. Consumers love sharing bold packaging and controversial ad campaigns, giving these brands free viral marketing.
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