Expo West 2024 Recap

New Hope Network’s Natural Products Expo West returned to the Anaheim Convention Center in March with a plethora of new product innovations in the beverage set, including freshly brewed products from La Colombe and Super Coffee, new line extensions from Uncle Matt’s and Minor Figures and much, much more.

Before the doors even opened to the 65,000 registered attendees, a handful of beverage brands announced sizable funding rounds despite the VC market recently dropping to its lowest level in four years. Alternative milk brand MALK closed a $7 million internal investment round led by existing investors Benvolio Group and Rotor Capital while canned water producer Liquid Death closed a $67 million funding round at a valuation of $1.4 billion.

Additionally, Asian-inspired sparkling water brand Sanzo added some star power to its cap table with producer/DJ Steve Aioki and actor Simu Liu joining the brand as investors.

When the doors finally opened on day one of Expo West, brands like Uncle Matt’s and Minor Figures unveiled their first forays into new categories.

Minor Figures’ relationship with coffee is still tight as ever, even if there’s been some changes. At the show, the UK-based oat milk specialists were serving up hot lattes at their booth, a reflection of the brand’s current strategy to drive awareness and adoption mainly from behind the barista bar. Minor Figures’ new slimmed-down lineup consists of three barista-version oat milks – original, organic and light, all of which are manufactured in the U.S. – that are mainly marketed towards foodservice and high end coffee purveyors. The brand is also looking beyond coffee as well: next up is its 32 oz. Chai Concentrate, set to enter foodservice outlets this June

Elsewhere, having extended its reach across the juice set with a deep portfolio of multi- and single-serve offerings, Uncle Matt’s Organic is also tackling a new category: tea. At its North Hall booth, the brand showcased its multiserve tea line, which features organic black teas in unsweet and sweet (10 grams of sugar and 40 calories per serving) varieties, both arriving in 52 oz. bottles. The drinks will retail for $4.99 each.

The brand’s namesake founder and CEO Matt McLean noted that Uncle Matt’s was already sourcing tea for its Half & Half tea and lemonade flavor for its line of lemonades, so using the same supplier it was a relatively simple addition to add proper ready-to-pour teas to its portfolio.

“I think the Half and Half makes it believable for us [to the consumer],” he said. “Our brand is about premium, and I think an organic refrigerated premium black tea is a pretty easy thing for us.”

Also at the show, there was no shortage of caffeine to keep attendees and brands alike awake and functioning for the three-day extravaganza, especially with La Colombe’s revamp under Chobani’s ownership and Super Coffee fine-tuning its identity (and portfolio).

Speaking with BevNET off the show floor, Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya shared a look at La Colombe’s first product milestone since the Chobani deal: a reformulated, redesigned and larger format version – now 11 oz., up from 9 oz. – of La Colombe’s flagship Draft Lattes (and labeled again under that name).

The success of Draft Lattes, manufactured at a dedicated facility in Michigan, will hinge partly on the success of La Colombe’s $300 million DSD distribution partnership with Keurig Dr Pepper, announced last summer but set to kick into gear with the new 11 oz. cans this spring. It’s easier said than done: just ask Molson Coors, La Colombe’s former distributor.

Creeping up on almost a decade since its founding, Super Coffee’s product portfolio has continued to expand and contract. Its founders are looking to streamline Super Coffee’s identity and redirect its offerings to specific need states and channels, all while maintaining a clear overarching vision for the brand.

First up is the return of Super Coffee Espresso, last seen in 6 oz. cans that launched back in 2019 before falling victim to COVID supply chain challenges. The new version upgrades to an 11 oz. can (SRP $2.49) in three SKUs – Vanilla Espresso & Cream, Espresso & Cream and Espresso Black – that are set to enter Northeast DSDs Big Geyser and Polar this Spring, as well as going nationwide with Sprouts.

Another major theme at the show: hydration brands seeking to appeal to a younger, more pint-sized demographic.

After a successful partnership last year with DreamWorks’ Trolls 3 movie, ShineWater is back with new kid-positioned packaging this time with Nickelodeon’s Paw Patrol franchise. The two-year licensing deal allows more time for the enhanced still water brand to piggyback on the success of the animated kids show. It also showcases ShineWater’s new, more sustainable packaging.

Meanwhile, established hydration brands Caliwater and Cure are seeking to get their products into tiny hands through new packaging formats and flavors.

According to Caliwater president Nick Benz, the vegan cactus water brand created a children’s line after consumers found themselves reaching for a can only to find out their kids had already consumed them all. Now the brand’s two most popular flavors – Watermelon and Prickly Pear – features the same formulation as the brand’s canned products, but in a 4.2 oz. recyclable pouch.

Similarly, Cure CEO Lauren Picasso said consumers came to her saying their children were drinking the regular hydrating electrolyte powder product line and asking if it was suitable for kids (it is). Picasso said she was inspired to create a line of new flavors in a smaller format. Available in three kid-approved flavors – Fruit Punch, Pink Lemonade, and Mixed Berry – the hydrating electrolyte mixes are crafted with coconut water powder, pink Himalayan salt and stevia extract and designed to be mixed with 8 oz. to 12 oz. of water rather than 8 oz. to 16 oz.