Celebrate Green Blog

By Corey

We just returned from Orange County, California where we joined 58,000 other industry members in a whirlwind four days at Expo West, the world’s largest natural products convention. Despite the persistence of the economic downturn, this year’s event boasted 3533 exhibits – the largest number in its thirty-one-year history.

This quote from ExpoWest.com:

“The record number of booths at this year’s Expo West is proof positive of industry growth and translates to healthier food choices on store shelves,” said Adam Andersen, show manager for Natural Products Expo West. “Year after year we continue to offer businesses within the healthy lifestyle marketplace a premier place to launch new products and the opportunity to build community.”

So much for claims that “green” is going bye-bye! It appears health and sustainability aren’t fads so much as they are lifestyles. Congrats and thank you to the many product companies who make healthy/eco options a possibility!

With 3533 exhibits featuring the latest and greatest in the natural food and product world, the Expo is a great place to identify popular trends in the natural product industry.

Are these crazes du jour? Or are they here to stay? You decide.

1. Multitasking foods

Our first day at Expo West’s Fresh Ideas Marketplace was a great way to kick off the weekend. And within the first hour, we knew we had honed in on our top trend of the year – a term we’re coining “Multitasking Foods”. (Mark our words, this phrase is going to catch on – NY Times, are you paying attention?)

Multitaking foods are those that do more than one thing – typically feed, super-nourish and delight the person eating the food. Multitasking foods are like multi-tasking people (yes, Mom, you). They are especially gifted at saving time, money and even sanity. They can do more in one bite than others can do in two (or more). They are uber resourceful, make the most of each precious moment and when the day is said and done have checked more off the to-do list than seems humanly possible (or even legal).

Yes, it’s true. We know about multitasking – for better or worse – so it’s no surprise that we quickly (and efficiently) recognized our own propensities reflected in bottles of pasta sauce and yogurt. Move over slow food (but stay close, we love you, too!), make room for foods that can keep up with the demands of the modern family. Our favorite case in point, Krazy Ketchup.

Malcolm Gladwell once pondered why mustard comes in dozens of varieties, but ketchup comes in only one. (Although Mr. Smarty-Pants-Bestseller didn’t stop to ask why only one variety of ketchup would need two spellings – for me, this is the more intriguing issue!). So I do believe he would be thrilled to discover that in fact, the folks at Krazy Ketchup have risen to the demand for a ketchup/catsup poly-culture. Now there are two kinds. The old school does-nothing-but-cover-your-eggs kind AND the cover-your-eggs-and-eat-your-ORGANIC -veggies kind.

Now, busy Mom, which would you choose?

That’s right, Krazy Ketchup is infused with a trio of three organic veggies (carrot, sweet potato and squash), joining the good ‘ol tomato to form one krazy kondiment. Rich in vitamins A, C and potassium, this multi-tasking food means that if by rare chance, between soccer practice and homework and bedtime you can’t get more on the table than nuggets and fries (organic, please), your child will at least be eating her vegetables, too.

Here are a few more of the new multitasking foods on the market:

• Milk with fish oils by Organic Valley
• Pasta sauce with veggies and beans by Mama Jess
• Juice with veggies for kids (“salad in a bottle”) by First Juice

2. Coconut

Personally, I’ve never been a huge fan of coconut (although I do greatly appreciate it’s health and anti-inflammatory benefits as well as it’s perfect ability to be used as a non-dairy alternative in baking).  But apparently, no one asked me. And this trend is huge.

We couldn’t take two steps without bumping into coconut products. The newest trend-within-a-trend seems to be coconut sugar, touted as low-glycemic and highly sustainable. We also saw a ton of coconut waters and other beverages, coconut oils/butters, coconut “ice cream” (OK, I am head-over-heels for Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss!) and coconut-infused body products.

(Pictured: Organic coconut sugar from Essential Living Foods)

3. Raw

There’s a raw food revolution—er, rawvolution—brewing. Raw bars, raw drinks, raw chocolate, raw dairy products, raw nut & seed butters, raw body products—raw, raw, raw.

Why the raw frenzy? According to those in the know, raw is better for you and the planet. No cooking, no processing, no energy use. Just whole, unadulterated goodness the way Mama Nature intended.

As an admitted raw food fanatic, I’m pleased to see the celebration and acceptance of un-cooking. No matter where you live, if our trend-spotting-talents are indeed talents, you are about to bear witness to an explosion of raw foods and body essentials at your natural foods store.

Let us know if we are correct.

(Featured: Heini’s Raw Milk Cheddar Cheese)

4. Gluten-free

As a gluten-free Mama to two gluten-free girls, I’m over the moon with the newest trend towards gluten-free products (including gluten-free beauty products; our skin absorbs what we apply to it just as readily as if we were to eat it).

And even though the numbers of gluten-free families are on the rise, I never expected to witness a gluten-free phenomenon. This we did.

Three years ago when we were at Expo West, you had to search hard to find a company who was Certified Gluten Free. At this year’s show, it was probably harder to find a company that didn’t have gluten free offerings. Oh, how the times have changed.

But the best part is that gluten free has gotten good. I mean real good. So even if you are OK with gluten, you may not know the difference. The breads, crackers, bars and cereals are just as “Yum” and the gluten free body and beauty lines are just as “Ahh.” No more living without.

You already know we practically live on gluten free Larabars (you just must try the new Blueberry Muffin!) but we also fell in love with Rudi’s gluten free bread (now in hamburger buns to go with our Krazy Ketchup!) and Acure Organics, a new line of Fair Trade, organic, fragrance-free, petrochemical-free, gluten-free beauty products.

5. Chocolate

In the recent years, chocolate has been a consistent trend (thank goodness!). But the recent proliferation of new chocolatiers and artisanal chocolates is enough to make heads spin (and mouth’s water). Fortunately, many new-to-the-market companies are doing it right, sourcing only organically and ethically grown cacao.

So what’s novel about the new chocolates on the market? The first thing we noticed was the larger number of companies using raw chocolate (see above). The other was the interesting ways in which chocolate is being presented, not just in harmony with unlikely ingredients, but also in somewhat unexpected places, such as in every-day drinks (as opposed to specialty drinks like hot cocoa), like Honest Tea’s CocoaNova.

One of our new fave brands, Fearless Chocolate, features organic, Fair Trade and raw cacao in crafty flavors: Sweet & Hot Hibiscus Ginger, Super Seeds (this one includes another emerging trend – Chia seeds) and Matcha Green Tea & Peppermynt. Fearless is also doing the Earth justice with 100% post-consumer waste packaging and 1% to environmental change-makers (suggested by you!). Bring on the chocolate!

Have you noticed these or other trends? Think these are here to stay or that they’ll be out like a light as soon as new crazes hit the market? What new natural product trends would you like to see?

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and authors of  Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, and founders of Green Halloween®.