Expo East 2014 NEXTY Award nominees: 29 ahead-of-the-game natural products
October 8, 2014
![Expo East 2014 NEXTY Award nominees: 29 ahead-of-the-game natural products Expo East 2014 NEXTY Award nominees: 29 ahead-of-the-game natural products](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/blt2283eb834f77b099/64e9036a86ea5b4bc799c29c/Nexty-collage-revised.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Hoping to change the pasta world forever, two energetic brothers created this high-protein, high-fiber, gluten-free pasta made of chickpeas and a few other non-GMO ingredients. The low-glycemic pasta cooks quickly, tastes good and, thanks to the ridiculously high 13 grams protein per serving, won’t leave you with a post-pasta blood-sugar crash.
There are lots of companies that donate to philanthropy, but more and more brands are creating products for the sole purpose of supporting worthy causes. Coexist Coffee exemplifies the “mission first” trend because it originally was a nonprofit dedicated to reducing violence in post-conflict areas (you’ve definitely seen their blue and white bumper stickers). To uphold this mission, Coexist bottles and bags Ugandan coffee from a cooperative called Peace Kawomera, which facilitates Jewish, Muslim and Christian farmers to work together to create sustainable economic growth in the region. And the coffee tastes darn fantastic, too.
A brand name for palm jaggery, SugaVida is a sustainable sugar the company says is safe for diabetics. Perhaps even more remarkably, a single tablespoon contains 36 percent RDA for vitamin B12 (typically found in animal products), 210 percent RDA for vitamin B6, and 500 percent RDA for vitamin B1. Certified organic and vegan, it’s got a lovely caramel-like taste and, in recipes, substitutes at 50 percent less than regular sugar. We predict we’re soon going to see this sweetener everywhere.
Cook Simple is natural’s answer to Hamburger Helper, helping time-pressed folks create healthy, delicious meals by combining legumes, grains or gluten-free pasta with unique spice blends. Winner of the Next Accelerator Pitch Slam, this non-GMO, vegan and gluten-free product has real potential to inspire eating well on a large scale. Mainstream flavors like All American Sloppy Joe, Cowboy Chili and Skillet Lasagna appeal to conventional consumers, while Punjabi Coconut Curry, Alaskan Salmon Patty and Tibetan Dal attract natural shoppers. The question “What’s for dinner?” has finally been answered, and it doesn’t have to be “beef.”
The young co-founders of Eating Evolved may have been creeped out that we kept returning to their booth with new colleagues in tow each time, but their Dark Chocolate Coconut Cups were just too good not to share. Had you also tasted the finely ground, maple sugar-sweetened coconut encased in dark cacao, you’d be stalking them, too. Bonus: the entire line is certified USDA Organic and paleo-friendly.
The insect-protein movement marches on! Exo Bars have a well-articulated mission: to normalize insect consumption. Incubated in a college dorm and originally funded via Kickstarter (this month they snagged $1.25 million in investor seed money), Exo could become the Facebook of food—a company with a revolutionary product that becomes the norm for every young person (and then their parents). The bars, in four chef-developed flavors, are healthy, delicious, and mission-based—the perfect “future of food” trifecta.
Greek yogurt? Yawn. Quark? Now that’s something we can get excited about. Almost every Eastern European country has a version of Quark, which is technically a cheese. America can now jump on the bandwagon with Misha New American Quark, which is thick and less tart than Greek yogurt. This fledgling company deserves a Nexty nomination because they're encouraging Americans to bring patriotic culture (pun intended), into their high-protein snacks. We also loved Misha’s smart packaging.
The Neat company (which garnered a NEXTY nomination in 2013 for its meat-replacement mix) has now launched a vegan egg substitute made of just two trendy ingredients: garbanzos and chia. Touted as ideal for baking or savory cooking, it has the potential to be a superclean, easy, and cost-effective egg alternative. We love the less-is-more innovation that Neat continues to show.
Though tigernuts—actually a tuber—have been around for all of human history, they’re new to the natural products scene. They’re also the number one food source of resistant starch, a prebiotic called “the biohack of the decade.” Our True Roots is rapidly capitalizing on this new-old ingredient, turning it into certified organic horchata, raw snacks, gluten-free flour, and cold-pressed oil. We’re excited to see how tigernuts evolve on the food stage.
Just when we thought we’d seen everything with coconut, along comes this ingenious tortilla alternative: a paleo-friendly, gluten-free, pliable wrap made of coconut, coconut water and salt. With two terrific flavors (plain and curry), they’re suitable for desserts or lunch wraps, and the texture is impressively delicate -- not too chewy or thick. Simplicity itself, yet how did they do it?
The next wave in packaged greens: Actual growing plants! Radicle Farm Company’s gourmet, locally grown salad greens are sold in an organic, no-soil, compostable mixture in recyclable trays (with traceability codes). Because they’re still alive and growing, greens last almost two weeks on store shelves and provide a superfresh and arguably more nutritious and flavorful product. Radicle represents a bold new step in packaged-lettuce innovation.
More than once at this Natural Products Expo, we tasted a soup or drink, deemed it delicious and then turned around the package to find the product contained an enormous amount of sodium. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case with Thince Foods’ gourmet line of ready-to-heat soups. Created by a registered dietician, these soups contain no added salt, and we think they are all the better for it. Our favorite was the Kale, White Bean and Tomato, although they all were delicious and made with only wholesome, nutrient-dense, vegan ingredients. We hope this is the future of ready-to-heat soup!
It was Vital Farms’ beautiful packaging that first piqued our interest, but this egg purveyor’s worthy practices won them a Nexty nod. Vital Farms specializes in selling pasture-raised eggs. The family farmers who partner with this ethical company give every hen at least 108 square feet of outdoor space during daylight hours -- the amount required by Certified Humane, rather than the two-foot maximum that “cage-free” requires. Because birds are eating a variety of food—bugs, weeds, grasses, worms and feed—yolks are bright yellow, nutrient-rich and ridiculously tasty.
Whole-food multis continue their march. This product is on the bandwagon and offers consumers vitamins and minerals from whole-food sources. Nothing fermented in here -- just 50+ ingredients, charged with real-food enzymes to enhance absorption and uptake. The bonus is a time-release formulation that takes 8 to 10 hours to get into the body, providing extended nutrition.
Technically a dietary supplement, this raw, sinus-clearing concoction of wildflower honey and organic apple cider vinegar, oranges, onions, horseradish, turmeric, lemons, ginger, garlic and habaneros is brewed by a holistic health coach to promote healthy digestion and support immunity. All of these ingredients steep for six weeks to create a powerful, wickedly spicy elixir infused with the benefits of Fire Cider’s “roots and fruits.” Millennials may be resistant to taking supplements, but Fire Cider's hand-drawn, rustic packaging, clean ingredients and experiential delivery could actually encourage this fickle demographic to supplement their diet every day. If that doesn’t justify a Nexty nomination, we don’t know what does. Bonus: Fire Cider also has a theme song.
The "greens" category offers the cleanest nutrient-dense solutions for consumers. This nutritional powder entrant from Juvo was created by an oncologist who saw malnourishment as a problem among cancer patients. The company's research team went on to study 3,000 ingredients in developing the product, which contains 55 of the best raw greens and whole foods. The vanilla chai tastes great!
The Whole Earth & Sea Bone Structure product, part of the Natural Factors' Whole Earth & Sea line, contains dozens of ingredients from organic whole-food sources. The linchpin ingredient is Polycan, a patented polysaccharide complex fermented from a novel strain of black yeast shown in studies to activate bone-forming osteoblasts and suppress osteoclasts. Two clinical trials have shown efficacy at doses of 400 mg/day and 150 mg/day (this formulation contains 25 mg). Another large human trial is currently underway, results of which could cement Polycan’s status as the new kid on the bone-health block.
Take that, gluten and GMOs. This New Mexico mineral blend in a liquid form is said to ameliorate the deterioration of "tight junctions" of the cells that make up the intestinal lining. These tight junctions degrade in the presence of gluten and glyphosphates - the latter of which is the key ingredient in Roundup, the archetypal GMO. This loosening of cell-wall lining can lead to leaky gut syndrome and the thing responsible for GI upset that we attribute to gluten sensitivity.
Nordic is the fish-oil leader. Krill has been eating fish oil for lunch lately, and it's (pretty much) because of the phospholipids in krill, which lead to enhanced uptake of the all-important omega-3s DHA and EPA. This has not gone unnoticed by the fish-oil people. Leave it to Nordic Naturals to take an already-superior omega-3 concentrate, then infuse it with phospholipids to create an even better omega-3.
NOW is the consummate “value brand” in delivering quality ingredients for less. The company has entered the cognitive health space with RememBRAIN, featuring the phospholipid PS, along with plant-derived huperzine-A, alpha-GPC (a B vitamin cousin related to choline) and the high-quality methylcobalamin form of vitamin B12. NOW also has CurcuBrain, featuring the branded ingredient Longvida, which shows enhanced bioavailability, and has been the subject of dozen research studies and clinical trials suggesting efficacy in reducing inflammation in the brain. For those who don't want to wait for the evidence to be ironclad, curcumin in any event is the anti-inflammatory ingredient kingpin.
This supplement and ingredient company began with the vision of a scientist and healthcare practitioner who was searching for an ecosystem to grow the world’s best nutrient-rich and medicinal plants. This quest led to Tibet, where he developed a 10,000-acre certified organic farm that is now the foundation for all of Tangut’s finished supplement products and raw ingredients. Tangut’s mission is to research and discover plants that provide clear health benefits and then grow those plants in the purest environment possible. The company is also committed to protecting the Tibetan environment and nurturing the people who cultivate and produce its products.
Everybody wants energy, but not everybody goes for the caffeine buzz. For those seeking healthy, sustained energy, there are solutions: Some foods pack in fiber, while some supplements contain functional ingredients that act as carb blockers to slow down the digestion of sugars and prolong the energy source's actions in the body. Twinlab has been on a new product development tear lately, much of which is targeted at the performance enthusiast. Its latest is MCT Fuel, a calorie source that is not incorporated into the adipose tissue (aka, fat cells). Based on medium-chain triglycerides, which provide double the energy of carbs or protein, you might call this viscous yellow fluid the anti-fat fat.
It was surprising to learn that Bambeco’s stunning glassware is made entirely from old soda bottles retrieved from landfills in Mexico. The line is one of many from Bambeco that proves beautiful things can come from humble beginnings and that their creation can actually help to create a more sustainable planet. As the company’s co-founder and CEO Susan Aplin says, Bambeco is “changing the world … one room at a time.”
Created with organic cotton muslin, beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin, Bee’s Wrap (an alternative to plastic wrap for food storage) is such a simple and functional product that it’s a wonder something like it hasn’t been offered before. The warmth of your hands softens the wax, allowing it to mold to the top of a bowl or tightly cover foods. When it cools, it holds its seal. The antibacterial properties of beeswax and jojoba oil work together to keep foods fresh and also make the Bee’s Wrap itself easy to wash and reuse. One piece lasts for up to a year with proper care. Imagine, for a moment, how much plastic that would save you from tossing out in a single year. This is one product that needs to catch on.
This small, brand new line is bound to prove that a simple idea can have a big impact—when it's executed well. Its DIY appeal (just add some of the exfoliant to your fave face wash for a one-two punch) combined with the company's arsenal of luscious foodie flavors capitalize on the growing gourmet trend in the natural food space. Crave-worthy varieties such as Strawberry Parfait, Sweet Potato Pie, Apple Granola, and Rice & Beans are crave worthy and so on trend. Such a concept, though simple, has the potential to get more shoppers on board with the natural beauty space.
Male-focused branding and men’s personal care is finally having its moment, thanks to companies such has MIG. Investing in the space makes a lot of sense considering the #Young4Ever demographic is showing such promise in the natural world. These Man Face products have fun, mountain-inspired branding (the rest of the MIG products are androgynous, too) and the ingredients are natural and pure—think almond and coconut oil combined with colloidal oats and purifying clays. Plus, the do-good company donates 10 percent of proceeds to ending human trafficking. Needless to say, “mission-based” is a trend that is never going out of style.
It was tough to choose our favorite men’s personal care company. So, since we think this trend is right on point when it comes to the future of the personal care category, we chose two. This company totally nails masculine branding and natural formulations. For example, the shave "lube" blends organic white tea, green tea and vitamins for a clean shave that the company describes as safe for all "MANkind." All products are free from artificial fragrances and colors, and the brand’s website includes “men’s living” info such as awesome recipes, “a man’s guide to yoga” and more. Oh, and the brand even has its own television series, entitled “Manhood TV.”
Food-grade USDA Organic ingredients continue to be a rising trend in personal care, but Shoosha’s new line of baby skin care products raises the stakes of the “safe enough to eat and drink” claim. Galvanized by the statistic that an infant’s skin is ten times thinner than an adult’s, founder Patricia Di Gasbarro designed ultra-clean products to meet practical needs for moms and babies alike, including laundry soap, protective diaper butter, baby lotion, shampoo, and a calming massage oil. “Nobody should have to get a chemical degree to decide whether a product is safe or not,” Di Gasbarro asserts. We can only hope that this level of commitment to fully safe, food-grade ingredient purity becomes the standard for baby care in the future.
Keeping with the hot trend of marketing personal care to demographics beyond moms and babies, this line tackles a hard-to-please but critical-to-reach tween and teen market. Apparent from its name, the company is focused on using social media to reach these important decision makers. And beyond its branding success, we have to give kudos to a company that spent five years formulating a line of four products to ensure that each could boast the USDA Organic label. Feeling empowered, for sure.
Keeping with the hot trend of marketing personal care to demographics beyond moms and babies, this line tackles a hard-to-please but critical-to-reach tween and teen market. Apparent from its name, the company is focused on using social media to reach these important decision makers. And beyond its branding success, we have to give kudos to a company that spent five years formulating a line of four products to ensure that each could boast the USDA Organic label. Feeling empowered, for sure.
For the first time this year at Natural Products Expo East, editors and trend researchers from New Hope Natural Media and Sterling-Rice Group scoured the show floor to find the products and brands they thought would shape the future of the natural products industry. The best of the best received NEXTY nominations, which recognize the companies that embody not only the most innovative edge of the natural products industry but also its deeply held social and environmental values.
From these nominations, we choose two types of winners in each category: The Editors’ Choice winners, which are selected by New Hope and SRG’s team of NEXT Forecast researchers, and the Popular Vote winners chosen by YOU.
Read about our 2014 Expo East NEXTY nominees here and then vote here (voting is now closed) for the one nominee in each category that you think most deserves the coveted NEXTY Award.
Voting begins at noon MT on Wednesday, Oct. 8 and ends at noon on Thursday, Nov. 13. The Popular Vote winners, along with the Editors’ Choice winners, will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 19. They will also be recognized in a ceremony at Expo West 2015.
Congratulations to all of the NEXTY nominees, runners-up, and winners! It’s an honor to be chosen as a NEXTY nominee. Learn more about our criteria for choosing NEXTY nominees at newhope360.com.
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