Key Takeaways from Expo West 2025

March 4-7, 2025

At Expo West 2025, the energy was unmistakable: part big reunion, part bigger reality check. Beyond the usual brand launches and roving investment teams, retailers showed up in force—many with booths of their own—signaling that distribution models are fundamentally changing. Even Instacart looked less like a delivery service and more like a serious distribution player.

Retailers made one thing crystal clear: Don't lead with "plant-based" unless you have a much bigger story to tell. After years of category losses, they're done with empty promises.

With tight capital, cautious consumers, and relentless cost pressures, brands have to work harder and smarter just to stay relevant.

Here's where the real momentum is heading:

Protein Takes Center Stage

Protein isn't just a checkbox anymore—it's the star of the show. From countless plant- and dairy-based protein shakes to Red Mill's protein oats, high-protein pasta sauces, protein pretzels, and protein sodas, everything revolves around clean, functional protein claims.

Consumers on GLP-1 drugs (and those seeking nutrient density) are prompting brands to lead with straightforward, substantiated claims: protein, fiber, and reduced sugar. Eggs, price aside, remain one of the cleanest proteins, and both organic and plant-based egg producers were out in full force.

Standouts:

• Crisp Power Protein Pretzels

• Sturdy Protein Pasta Sauce

• The Country Hen

2. Prebiotics, Probiotics, Postbiotics (But Make It Simple)

Gut health, functional hydration, and targeted nutrition continue expanding, but with much sharper messaging. Prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, fiber, collagen, and fermented foods are everywhere, but brands are finally dialing back the complexity. Fiber claims are surging as a simpler, stronger story.

Supplements have also evolved into more convenient formats, including sachets, strips, and liquid vitamins—all of which aim to capitalize on convenience and subscription opportunities.

Standouts:

• True Seamoss

• Diso Vitamin Strips

• Proper Wild Energy Gummies

3. Women's Health Finally Gets Real Attention

About time. Women's health is getting genuine focus, from hormonal balance supplements to menopause gummies. Brands are launching solutions across life stages instead of treating women's needs as an afterthought. Products directly addressing fertility, hormone shifts, skin health, and sleep were everywhere.

Standouts:

• O Positiv's Flo Endocrine Superfood Powder

• Reprise's Menopause Gummies

4. Alternative Fats & The Seed Oil Backlash

Snack manufacturers, take note. Seed oil scrutiny is going mainstream. The buzz around beef tallow—yes, beef tallow—was everywhere, from beauty products to protein snacks. Brands are shifting their focus from vegetable oils toward perceived "cleaner" fats, reflecting consumer demand for less-processed, more traditional ingredients. Seriously, though, will there be enough avocado oil to go around?

Standouts:

• Masa and Vandy Brands' beef tallow snacks from Ancient Crunch

• South Chicago Wagyu Beef Tallow

• Fat Works Premium Cooking Oils

• Algae Cooking Oil

5. Bold Flavors, Global Roots

Even as wellness trends dominate, flavor still wins. Latin American and Asian influences continue shaping new product launches, especially in sauces, snacks, and frozen foods. Mango emerged as the breakout flavor of 2025, nudging aside guava and yuzu.

6. Regenerative Certified and Smarter Labeling

Forget the vague claims of "natural" or "better for you." Today's winners are being direct: regenerative organic (a key new certification), lower sugar, more protein, less processed. Consumers will accept a little real cane sugar if the tradeoff is flavor, transparency, and trust.

Standouts:

• La Tourangelle Regenerative EVOO

• Lil Bucks Buckwheat

Spotlight: The Hydration Arms Race

The beverage aisle isn't a category anymore—it's an entire ecosystem. Beverages aren't just refreshment; they're nutrition, supplementation, and self-care in a bottle or can.

Winning brands blend functional benefits, clean ingredients, and genuine flavor experiences to meet consumers exactly where they are, from morning routines to late-night recovery.

What's Actually Working:

Hydration with Purpose: Water brands expanded into performance spaces—brain health, skin hydration, metabolic support. Brands like Daily Serve layered electrolytes, minerals, and fiber directly into enhanced waters, moving far beyond basic electrolyte playbooks.

Functional Sodas Rise (and Crowd): Prebiotic sodas exploded, but the conversation shifted. Instead of leading with complex gut health jargon, brands leaned into better-for-you cues: light sweetness, cleaner labels, natural fruit sugars. New launches like Slice's relaunch and Bloom Pop joined category leaders like Poppi and Olipop.

Smarter Sweeteners: Instead of demonizing sugar entirely, beverage brands showcased low-sugar options using simple, recognizable ingredients like cane sugar, fruit juice concentrates, or honey. Artificial sweeteners were notably less prominent. Real ingredients with light, natural sweetness seem to be winning consumer trust.

Protein-Enriched Everything: Protein invaded hydration, coffee, and even soda spaces. Ready-to-drink clear protein sodas, protein iced coffees, and drinks like Protein2o targeted consumers seeking functional nutrition without the heaviness of traditional protein shakes.

Sports and Energy Redefined: Energy drinks got cleaner and more targeted. Brands focused on cognitive function, endurance, and recovery with layered ingredients like nootropics, adaptogens, and electrolytes—without the chemical-tasting aftertaste of old-school energy brands.

The Real Takeaway

Consumers are looking for clarity and credibility. Simpler claims, functional benefits, clean sourcing, and bold flavor experiences are driving actual adoption.

For emerging brands, the challenge is bigger than ever, but so is the opportunity for those who are sharp, honest, and strategic about meeting today's consumer on their terms.

The brands that walked away from Expo West with real momentum weren't the ones with the flashiest booths or the most complex formulations. They were the ones who figured out how to deliver genuine value.