Expo East 2016: Project NOSH Staff Picks

At this year’s Natural Products Expo East, there were crunchy, creamy, salty, sweet, meat-based, plant-based foods as far as the eye could see. Project NOSH walked the entire show floor, which included 1,450 exhibiting brands. After putting in that work, we felt entitled to pick out what we thought were highly relevant, important, or even just plain decadent products debuting at the show.

For the most part the NOSH team was drawn to reinvented classic American options, ranging from chips and dip to pork rinds to hot pockets. It seems that what’s old is new again when there’s a unique twist, be it new flavors, ingredients, or form factors. Brands also shared with us that pulling from familiar product categories has proven to be an easier way to introduce consumers to what may be perceived as a “scary” or “weird” ingredient or function.

Like many American consumers, the team also gravitated towards portable foods that could be eaten on the go as a snack. The snackification of daytime eating shone in full force at Expo East, illuminated by items like portable hummus pods and fermented crudites. The trend shows no signs of stopping.

To view the full list of staff picks and why they stood out, please view the video below.