Expo West 2025: Evolving Trends and Smarter Strategies

This year, Expo West felt like a reset. It felt like the industry (somewhat) stopped chasing growth-at-all-costs and took a breath to do things right. There’s a more thoughtful, strategic vibe in the air, and honestly, that’s a huge relief.

But, the real truth about Expo?

It’s really fun. It’s fun to connect with CPG folks IRL.

It’s fun to sample new products. It’s fun to see the how creative someone can get with 10’ by 7’ of space and their imagination. It’s fun to run into old friends in the aisle, to gab about the best brand merch, to watch your favorite brands grow up, to go “adult trick-or-treating” and bring your best finds home to your deeply confused friends and family, who will inevitably ask to be reminded “what is it you actually do, again?”*

*: Me, trying to explain to a Non-CPG Regular Person (NCRP) that there’s an alternate universe that exists where “work” includes a three-day taste test where adults fight over tote bags and mascots roam in Anaheim, CA, and it isn’t related to Disney. - Jenna

Themes from the Show

If I had to sum up the “trends” from Expo West 2025 in one line: they’re not new, they’re evolved. We’re seeing better versions of familiar ideas, with improved execution, stronger branding, and more focus on taste.

Here’s what caught our eye:

1. Protein, Protein, and More Protein

Protein is still the star, appearing in just about everything—far beyond the usual bars and shakes. The people want protein snuck into just about everything they consume…and brands are getting seriously creative in delivery. This year, we saw a ton of clear protein beverages in every imaginable flavor (from Clean Simple Eats’ Pink Burst to Lunar Lifts’ Taro)

more high-protein pastas (Legendary Foods had a great mac and cheese)

and even protein-packed sauces (Sturdy) and pretzels (Kindling).

2. Non-Alcoholic (NA) Beverages Growing Up

The NA beverage category felt more mature than ever, with more focus on depth, flavor, and the overall experience—not just as an alc replacement, but as a standalone indulgence. De Soi’s margarita-inspired NA was a top sip

and Mocktail Club, Jas, and Töst continue to nail complex flavors that make us ready to ditch the booze. And it’s not just NA wine and spirits; Bero, a fast upstart NA beer brand started by Tom Holland, showed up in full gold-foiled force and did not disappoint.

3. It’s a Kids’ World, We’re Just Living In It

From improved baby food purees (with ingredients you can pronounce) to better-for-you snacks and even kids’ meal kits, it’s clear people are realizing parents want healthier choices that still taste good. Yumi continues to innovate and lead the charge with new cookies and freeze-dried smoothie cubes.

Sunnie Foods coming in strong with their BFY snack packs. Evergreen’s new Thick + Fluffy Waffles tasted fresh off the waffle iron and Better Sour’s new collab with Moana would sway any kiddo to go low-sugar.

4. Allergen-Free Is Everywhere

We’ve been heading in this direction for a while, but this year, “allergen-friendly” or “allergy-free” foods took over. Think nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free—everything-free, in the best way. Brands like Love + Chew are rolling out nut-free cookies that don’t compromise on taste. Gifted Breads blew our minds with the best gluten-free baguette we’ve ever tried (beating out even the real-deal glutenous OGs…)

and Maizly introduced corn milk (yes, you read that right) so even if you’re lactose-intolerant/vegan, soy-free, and nut-free, there’s a m*lk for you (and it tastes like cereal milk, so that’s a win-win-win).

5. The BFY Soda Boom

It seemed like everyone had a better-for-you (BFY) soda on display (except for two big names who decided not to show). Some are going after gut health with prebiotics or probiotics, others are super low-sugar or sweetened with fruit juices, and a few are even dabbling in adaptogens. It’s not the sugary stuff we grew up on—brands like Spindrift, Slice, Bloom Nutrition, Culture Pop, Popwell, and Perfy are rewriting the script on fizzy drinks, focusing on real fruit, fewer additives, and a “functional” spin.

6. Middle Eastern Flavors

The Middle Eastern food scene was popping off at Expo this year, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Sure, we’re all familiar with hummus by now, but that’s just scratching the surface. Brands like Maazah, Bezi, Zahav Foods, and Anne’s Toum all showcased the region’s bold, vibrant flavors in everything from creamy sauces to zesty condiments. One Expo newcomer making big waves in the U.S. market is Mezete, a family-owned brand from Jordan that’s been around for over 100 years.

7. Frozen Foods: Getting Better All the Time

That evolution theme shows up strongly in the freezer aisle. We’ve come such a long way from sad TV dinners. Now it’s about high-quality ingredients, balanced macros, and genuinely tasty meals. And that’s not just limited to frozen entrees (though we love House of Kajaana’s plant-based Indian meals). We’re talking frozen breads, fruit-based desserts, the most ridiculously delicious frozen brown butter cookies that beat out Levain any day (Something Sweet Dough), and the most gourmet pizzas we’ve ever had, frozen or otherwise (looking at you, Pi00a).

Some of Our Favorite Launches

Some launches that really stood out:

• Ithaca x Graza Collab – Because quality hummus + quality olive oil = a match made in heaven.

• Mila’s Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles – SO much flavor, they taste like they’re straight from an authentic Sichuan restaurant.

• INCREDIFULLS Breakfast Cups – Convenient breakfast that doesn’t taste like cardboard—in fact, these eggy cups taste like they were made by a local baker. The dough is insane.

• Sunny Dressings – Bringing new life to salads with the most flavor-packed dressings.

• Cravings by Chrissy – Baking mixes needed a makeover, and holy moly did these Key Lime Pie cupcakes hit the spot.

• Lil Bucks Savory Clusterbucks (Pre Launch - Hot Honey and Tamarind) – Clusterbucks are a longtime fave, and we were thrilled to see their savory take on this cruncy, regenerative snack.

• Clean Simple Eats Clear Protein: From powder to RTDs, these clear protein products blew us away. They taste like a refreshing sports drink instead of your typical, chalky shake.

• Applegate NEW Pancake & Sausage Sticks – If your morning is hectic, these are for you.

• Siete's Street Corn Maiz Chips - Siete has never failed us, and these street corn flavored chips are being added to the regular chip-dip lineup.

• Date Better Date Bark - Date Better knew they had to hop on the viral TikTok trend of date bark… and they did it fast and deliciously.

• Beyond Good's New Microbatch - This incredible chocolate brand will feature four new flavors this summer: Rum Raisins, Sea Salt & Nibs, Vanilla Bean, and Candied Ginger.

Our favorite bites & Sips

NATE

• Flavourit: Some of the best dried fruit I’ve ever tasted—sweet, chewy, and dangerously hard to stop eating.

• El Nacho: The Yo Pina and Ms Mango tortilla chips are beyond addicting. You’ve been warned.

• Incredifulls Breakfast Cups: A go-to for mornings when you need something tasty and nutrient-dense, these doughy pockets are everything.

• Unbun Bread: Possibly the best protein bread I’ve ever had—amazing consistency and flavor and I'm loving the rebrand. If you’re on the hunt for something macro-friendly, you’ll want to snag a loaf ASAP.

• Loisa’s new Rice Meal Mixes: Loisa does it again, delivering bold, comforting Latin flavor in a convenient form.

• Nancy’s Fancy Gelato: They’re about to give the big gelato names a serious run for their money. Top. Notch.

• Xinca Foods: Salvadorian pupusas that pack a serious punch.

• Lexington Bakes: A longtime favorite, now with oat bars that taste like the best flapjack you’ve ever had—an absolute must-try.

JENNA

• Mamame Tempeh Chips - This new-to-me snack brand is made with the most simple ingredients for an addicting crunch and yes, protein! Obsessed with the Hot Chili flavor.

• Rising Star Snickerdoodle Cookie Bar Mix - The entire aisle smelled like a bakery thanks to these ridiculously delicious baking mixes. Whip up this cookie bar mix and bring it to a party, for guaranteed favorite guest status.

• Maeve Hungry Blackberry Chocolate - Beyond having one of our favorite rebrands at Expo (seriously, these bars are art) this dark + white chocolate truffle bar made me audibly gasp.

• Bachan’s Sweet & Spicy Japanese Dipping Sauce - Bachan’s has never once failed us, but this new sauce is doing something that feels illegal.

• Bowlcut Dan Dan Inspired Creamy Sauce – Another testament to global flavors done right. I would eat this on anything.

• Honey Mamas Thin Mint chocolate - I am so very sorry to my local Girl Scouts, but this better-for-you chocolate was better than a real Thin Mint (and I would know… I have two sleeves in my freezer).

Closing Thoughts

Sahra Nguyen summed it up perfectly in a LinkedIn post: exhibiting can easily run you $60k on the lean side—and that’s before product costs. In her early days, she went super DIY, spending about $18k on a folding table and some posters. Even that was a hefty investment. For some brands, the cost may be out of reach; for others, the connections, brand awareness, and potential new doors justify every penny. It honestly depends on your goals.

At the end of the day, Expo is what you make it. Some folks will find it’s not the right fit this year, while others see it as a golden opportunity. Either way, the bigger truth remains: it’s just really, really fun—and sometimes, that’s a good enough reason to show up.