Expo West Recap

Expo West has been described as the 'Super Bowl' of the natural foods industry. The comparison may be apt in a number of ways. 70,000 attended the 2026 Super Bowl at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, while 66,000 vendors, buyers and industry professionals gathered at the Anaheim Convention Center the first week of March.

The 45th edition of Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA was a showcase for an industry that continues to grow. The Organic Trade Association's presentation highlighted certified organic sales growth of 6.8% in 2025, double the sales growth of conventional products. This year's show featured protein in everything, new certifications, a brand new Snack Lab feature and more.

3300 vendors exhibited this year across six different halls in the massive complex. Trying to see the entire show in one day is an impossibility, but the distinct spaces make it easier to target what you're looking for. Buyer-only hours on Wednesday and Thursday morning also gave retailers extra time with vendors before the crowds descended on the halls.

The third floor Hot Products and new Snack Lab featured brands looking to scale their distribution and reach. Startup CPG hosted a section of the Hot Products hall with brands like Loopini protein pizza and Ava's Pet Palace.

Protein was ever-present throughout the show. Protein snack bars, protein pasta, protein pizzas, collagen infused beverages, etc. Organic Valley promoted their Protein Plus milks. Dave's Killer Bread left the bread at home and sampled their Amped Up organic protein bars.

A new third-party certification called Non-UPF Verified had a presence at the show. The new label is from the team that launched the Non-GMO Project back in 2006, and aims to certify foods that are not ultra processed.

Beef tallow was also a noticeable presence in a number of vendor displays as the health attributes between tallow and seed oils continues to be debated. There were also trends noticeable in their absence. While granolas and breakfast bars continued with a healthy representation within the show, boxed cereal brands were almost non-existent. Either no one is challenging the establishment within the category, or perhaps people aren't eating as much boxed cereal as they did a generation ago.

One category stood above protein, fiber or even snackables in its sheer presence throughout the show. Beverages were everywhere. Sparkling water, teas, functional beverages, non-alcoholic wines, mixers, sodas, alternative milks, you name it. Canned beverages especially like teas and sparkling had an outsized number of brands competing for assumedly a limited number of spots on the shelf.

The educational sessions were well curated and impressive as always. The State of Natural & Organic keynote on Wednesday morning featured an array of speakers and presenters discussing the strengths and opportunities within the industry. GLP-1 users were described as a chance to engage with health conscious consumers looking for supplements and products with caloric density, not people simply buying less. Gen Z and Millennial shoppers continue to look for quality and values alignment in brands.

The Organic Trade Association hosted a State of Organic presentation that covered a variety of topics for products with USDA organic certification. Their 'The Seal Makes It Simple' marketing campaign that rolled out at the end of 2025 focuses on building awareness and trust of the organic seal. Marketing collateral for the campaign is available on their website.

There was talk about the strict verification and anti-fraud protections within organic certification as a reason the label continues to receive consumer trust. Organic packaged goods vendors reporter that product supply was their number one issue in organic. Scaling organic growth can be a multi-year process, so farmland investments may lag behind demand for raw ingredients.

The 2026 Expo West was invigorating and inspiring for an innovative industry that is still on the way up. Navigating uncertainty in policy, trade rules, raw ingredient availability and more are real headwinds, but the demand for these products continues to increase nevertheless. The ability to meet and talk with the best and brightest in natural foods all in one place is an invaluable annual opportunity. The 45th edition did not disappoint, and there should be many more decades of this show to come.