Expo West 2026: Protein, Protein & the Pursuit of the Perfect Bag

Natural Products Expo West, the Super Bowl of natural products where thousands of brands descend on Anaheim to launch, sample and swag their way into relevance. The floor was packed with food, beverage, personal care, and wellness brands. Some booths ran the same playbook as years past, but a few stopped us in our tracks.

We kicked off the day at our client Cliganic’s booth. Our experiential “Wellness in Real Life” booth concept was back for year two and continues to be a sought-after crowd-pleaser. Then we hit the aisles. After aggressive sampling and serious seltzering, we sifted through the noise to identify the trends worth watching.

The Snackable Summary

• Protein Won: Protein was the undisputed star of the show, showing up in every conceivable format. If it could carry more protein, it did—even if it shouldn’t (hello dusty protein popcorn by Khloud).
• Fiber is the New Flex: Brands have graduated from screaming GLP-1 to a smarter conversation around gut health and fiber is leading the charge.
• The Matcha Establishment: Matcha isn’t “trending” anymore. It has arrived, earned its place, and settled in for the long haul. 
• The Ice Tea Comeback: With notable launches from Spindrift, Mom Water, and more, RTD iced tea was the line extension we weren’t expecting.
• Flavor Faves: Two worth watching. 
  • Dill Pickle is riding the coattails of last year’s pickle craze into chips, snacks, and sauces—the savory flavor du jour has gone mainstream. 
  • Banana is having an unexpected moment, popping up in beverages and quietly encroaching on the citrus and berry territory that’s dominated for years.
• Cooling & Quieter: Kombucha and functional mushrooms both created serious noise at the last few Expo Wests, but didn’t carry the same energy this year. 
• Say Bye: Two things we’re ready to see go.
  • Unnecessary caffeine in food (we have plenty of other great options, thanks).
  • The Millennial brand playbook. We won’t name names but you know exactly which rainbow-hued, cursive-script brands we mean.

Claiming the Throne: Supergut 

The message was clear: Fiber is the new flex. By anchoring around total gut health (not just GLP-1 support) Supergut positioned itself to own the category. Their “Total Gut Health Club” (complete with a lounge, lockers and a sampling bar) made prebiotics feel like a lifestyle. And with customizable totes, on-brand merch and yes, even a toilet that somehow looked chic, they made every touchpoint count.

Bodega Boss: Grüns

Grüns kept it refreshingly unpretentious. Their bodega concept was fun, fresh and a statement that greens belong in everyday life. 

Owning It: Humann

Humann arrived with an award-winning full brand refresh. Maybe we had seen this brand before, but they were not memorable—so we forgot them. But now we won’t. Known for their SuperBeets® line, they’ve evolved from a superfood ingredient to claiming a bigger, bolder position in cardiovascular health. Cleaner design, sharper benefit communication and an ambitious booth presence to match.

Setting the Inspiration for Expo 2027

• Belgian Boys: Still setting the standard for the swag game, we expect to see more spectacle, security and another iconic bag next year.

• Minor Figures: Proving that small considered swag is memorable too. Expect more brands to go beyond the basic tote to brand-specific formats moving forward.
• 100% Yellow: 100% Magenta and 100% Cyan have had their moment. We are seeing the next shift in the CMYK branding wave. Full saturation yellow is starting to make its presence known.

Until Next Year..
xo