{"id":5676,"date":"2026-03-17T15:44:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T15:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/?p=5676"},"modified":"2026-04-20T16:06:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T15:06:01","slug":"expo-west-2026-observations-from-the-floor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/blog\/expo-west-2026-observations-from-the-floor\/","title":{"rendered":"Expo West 2026: Observations from the floor"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Bryce Clark<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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After a six\u2011year hiatus, I returned to Anaheim for Natural Products Expo<\/a> – the flagship gathering for natural, organic, and better\u2011for\u2011you brands – (aka \u201cThe Superbowl of CPG\u201d). The show has long been the epicenter of emerging trends across food, beverage, supplements and beyond. Historically, a walk through the halls offered a first glimpse at what consumers would be buying 12\u201324 months later.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A view of the Expo West 2026 Hall <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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But now the landscape felt different.<\/p>

Not because innovation has slowed but because how and where innovation now emerges has shifted. Direct\u2011to\u2011consumer ecosystems, TikTok\u2011fuelled micro\u2011trends, and the ease of fast\u2011following have dramatically reshaped the rhythm of discovery. Expo West in 2026 wasn\u2019t about shocking \u201cnewness\u201d – it was about finding clarity amid the sea of sameness.<\/p>

Here are four of the key things I observed on the floor – and what they mean for brands navigating today\u2019s CPG marketplace.<\/p>

01 \/ Copycat Culture: when everything looks the same<\/h3>

Whether due to AI, Pinterest\u2011perfect aesthetics, or social\u2011inspired homogenization, brand distinctiveness has eroded. Walking the Expo floor felt like being stuck in a loop: Same color palettes. Same claims. Same booth design. Same tone of voice. Same products.<\/p>

In some cases, it was genuinely hard to tell whether I was looking at a rebrand\u2026 or a knockoff.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Strategic takeaway for brands: Standing out in 2026 requires more than a delicious product or beautiful packaging. Brands must anchor themselves in a defendable positioning rooted in human motivations, not just category convention. Distinctiveness will win when sameness is now the default.<\/p>

This is where research\u2011led brand strategy becomes non\u2011negotiable.<\/p>

02 \/ Peak Poop: Gut health gets blunt (and public)<\/h3>

Fiber and gut\u2011health were omnipresent, no one is surprised there. But what was surprising was how boldly some brands were leaning in.<\/p>

From a booth featuring a toilet to brands like BelliWelli publicly tracking \u201chow many hot girls have pooped today,\u201d digestive wellness has officially moved from whispered bathroom humor to mainstream wellness vernacular. With GLP\u20111 usage reshaping the wellness conversation, it seems that one way to stand out is to respond with blunt, functional, benefit\u2011first messaging.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Strategic takeaway for brands:<\/strong> There is enormous opportunity at the intersection of gut health, GLP\u20111 needs, and lifestyle wellness, but getting it right is also important.<\/p>

The winners will be those who can balance honesty with dignity while truly understanding the consumer needs.<\/p>

03 \/ Protein Overload: When the battle of more goes too far<\/h3>

Protein was pasted on everything – snacks, desserts, sauces, candy. Some innovations felt smart. Others\u2026 felt like protein for protein\u2019s sake.<\/p>

This proliferation signals that brands risk sliding into benefit fatigue and many of them have forgotten what is most important when it comes down to food and drink \u2013 the taste experience. Protein spaghetti sauce? Sure. Protein candy? Why? Eventually the question becomes: Is this actually better, or just there because everyone else is doing it?<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Strategic takeaway for brands: Functional claims should enhance, not replace, product purpose. The real competitive edge lies in understanding which functional benefits consumers actually value in specific consumption moments, and designing innovations accordingly.<\/p>

04 \/ Tallow Time: the next frontier ingredient<\/h3>

Move over avocado oil and ghee – the new \u201cit\u201d fat is tallow. It appeared everywhere: in chips, skincare, snacks, even booth aesthetics (cowboy hats and denim for the win).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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While some see this as a fad revival, it taps into deeper macro\u2011drivers:<\/p>