Baltimore, MD –It rained very little at the Convention Center, but Hurricane Florence took a toll on both attendees and exhibitors, making Natural Products Expo East a bit less crowded but still filled with trends.

We honored our Retailer of the Year MaMa Jean’s Market of Springfield, MO, with a champagne toast.

Here are just a few of the trends we noticed:
  • Hemp takes over HABA: Hemp and CBD were visible throughout the HABA section as a topical ingredient.
  • Labels Vegan, Paleo and Keto in brand names and on packaging.
  • Probiotics in everything.
  • Shot sizes/on-the-go products
  • An abundance of children's products
Organic was a very hot topic at this year's Expo as well. Many educational sessions focused around the recent issues in organic, from lack of consumer knowledge on labels, to theglyphosate lawsuitsand pesticide effects. Some organic trends were highlighted:
  • Bone broth and collagen
  • Saturated fats like coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.
  • Grain-free alternatives
  • Cold brew beverages
  • Keto products
  • Non-dairy beverages
  • Innovative salty snacks
  • Plant-based foods and meat alternatives
What did you notice at Expo this year? Do you think the hurricane had an impact on the show? What trends did you see?

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