There were hundreds of new beverage brands, re-branded products, new sub-lines and changed formulations at Natural Products Expo West, which concluded its three-day stand in Anaheim, Calif. on Sunday, March 8. In the report below, BevNET correspondents John Craven and Ray Latif point out some of the most important and impactful new products. In looking at the way brands are aligning with the most significant trends in the category, these products were all on-point. Certainly, HPP juices get their due, as Harmless Harvest, Temple Turmeric, Daily Greens and Forager are part of the discussion, but on-trend products like yogurt drinks, kombucha, and even a surprising new addition to National Beverages’ LaCroix line are in the mix.
While these 12 caught our correspondents’ eyes, they were also reflected in some of the products from larger companies as well. PepsiCo’s Izze launched a three-sku line of sparkling waters for release into its own distribution network, for example – likely aimed at Hint, Spindrift and LaCroix, all of which are growing behind unsweetened essence waters. On the coconut water front, Zico and Bolthouse Farms showed samples of products that deploy it as much as an ingredient in a smoothie or a juice as it does as a standalone product. There were other crossovers, as well: nut- and seed-based milks (alt-dairy, as the category is sometimes called) made their way into dozens of juice and smoothie blends, as did hot ingredients coffee, turmeric, and chocolate.
Meanwhile, Bai showed — but didn’t sample — a new “Anti-Water” to try to compete with Essentia and AquaHydrate for the burgeoning functional premium hydration space.
Keep coming back to BevNET.com throughout the week for ongoing news, analysis, and commentary following this very important event.