5 attention-grabbing products from Natural Products Expo East

Among the more than 1,100 brands on the trade show floor at this year’s Natural Products Expo East in Philadelphia from Sept. 28 through Oct. 1 were hundreds of novel product offerings — many of which capitalize on growing trends in the wellness and functional food space — that their founders hope will find an audience. These products ranged from plant-based dairy alternatives to re-imaginings of staple food items featuring unique ingredients.

Some of the products on the floor were new, while some have been around for a few years. In an industry with an expanding number of options for consumers to choose from, natural and organic brands are aiming to stand out from the pack based on their taste, health benefits and functionality.

Here are five brands that caught our attention:

A hot cup of fig?

Andy Whitehead loves coffee, but the feeling isn’t mutual. He can only drink so much before the acidity and caffeine become too overwhelming. While the former tech entrepreneur hasn’t touched the beverage in years, it doesn’t feel that way because of his recent discovery.

After reading a magazine article about how figs were used to stretch coffee rations during World War II, he bought some at Costco and started grinding and roasting them at home to see what would happen.

“I was literally blown away with how close it was to coffee,” Whitehead said.

The revelation led Whitehead and his wife Marianne to start FigBrew, which makes a coffee-like beverage from figs, a year and a half ago. The Alabama-based company sells its beverage in pods and grounds. It uses a brewing process similar to coffee and has a nearly identical taste, smell, appearance and mouthfeel, Whitehead said. It also contains antioxidants, vitamins and minerals not even present in coffee, he said. 

“It’s more of a flavor experience kind of thing. You don’t get the caffeine spike and then a crash, but because of the health properties, you get all-day energy so it’s more sustainable. And it’s more healthy. And it’s right in the wheelhouse of a coffee connoisseur,” Whitehead said.

FigBrew, which sells its products in about 50 grocery stores, offers its grounds in flavors like pumpkin spice, cacao, beetroot, chai and, of course, coffee for “the addict who can’t quite give it up.”

Plant Bacon Corporation

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Christopher Doering/Food Dive

 

Food for the future

For Tyler Steeves, his inspiration for plant-based products like carrot bacon, beet jerky and onion cracklings comes from an unexpected place: outer space.

“If we’re ever going to go to space and live there, we’re not going to be able to bring pigs to Mars. So how do we make plants taste better now?” Steeves said. “Our total mission in life is to create amazing vegan snacks with really kind of pedestrian things.”

Steeves founded the Plant Bacon Corporation in 2019 with this mission in mind. His objective is to take the natural characteristics of the plant and then enhance them with flavor. His nutrient-dense carrot bacon, for example, includes the vegetable — but adds ingredients including olive oil, spices, maple syrup, onion and garlic powder. 

In addition to its bacon, jerky and cracklings, the company plans to launch a chewy line in the future with products including boneless watermelon ham and mango steak.

Steeves is careful to note Plant Bacon is not trying to replace any of the meat products in the marketplace. He wants his products to be close, but not exactly the same.

“There’s a place for meat, that’s fine,” he said. “The idea is how do you take that occasion and have a replacement. This does it without trying too hard to be so exactly the same.”

Acai Roots

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Christopher Doering/Food Dive

 

How do you pronounce that?

The word acai may be hard to pronounce, but that hasn’t scared a San Diego company from putting the berry into an increasing number of foods.

Acai Roots has incorporated the fruit found in Central and South America into bars, juices, kombuchas and other offerings that are especially popular among younger Americans, including teenagers and college students looking to eat healthier. 

“We’ve grown year after year after year, and right now the popularity for acai is growing so much,” said Melissa Bailey, senior manager of sales at Acai Roots.

Source: fooddive.com

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