Expo West 2014 Nexty Award nominees: Food
March 11, 2014
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Found in southern Africa, the baobab fruit's creamy pulp is crushed into powder, sifted and packaged. To keep the fruit raw and the nutrients intact, Baobab Foods does not pasteurize, freeze-dry, heat-extract or concentrate the powder. The company's ready-to-eat snack, tasty baobab fruit cubes, come in resealable bags and are packed with fiber, antioxidants, iron, and potassium. Baobab Foods leaves 30 percent of the harvest in local communities.
Enzymedica’s new Enzyme Nutrition multivitamin line is an interesting spin on the whole-food supplement category. Using a base of food-grown vitamins and minerals, along with superfoods, botanicals and probiotics, the products are boosted with Enzymedica’s Thera-blend of enzymes to enhance the body’s nutrient absorption and utilization. This product launch highlights the growth and segmentation potential of whole-food supplements at large; on the flip side, it reveals the need for more consumer and retailer education on the category.
Water ... from olives! Founder Yanni created this Extra Virgin Olive Water while researching olive oil for his family’s consumption. He discovered that the typical American diet contains only a fraction of the olive oil compared with Mediterranean diets, and that Westerners have correspondingly high rates of heart disease. After tempering and adapting olive oil's pungent by-product for a beverage, each 16-ounce bottle reportedly contains the full nutritional benefit of a nearly comparable size container of straight olive oil (but very few of the calories!). This non-oily drink, with added vitamin C, tastes refreshing and mild, perked up with ginger and stevia.
Nontoxic sun care has received increasing attention recently due to bad press about conventional sunscreen chemicals, such as oxybenzone. Goddess Garden's innovative approach to clean sun care sparked hot launches, including a sheer, mineral-based spray-on sunscreen. Convenient, effective options like this will continue to fuel the growth of safe, natural sun-protection alternatives.
The simplest pleasures in life are often the most revolutionary. That’s why we love Activz products, which contain one ingredient—USDA Organic vegetables (beet, carrot, kale, etc.) that are dehydrated and crushed using a proprietary method. Consider the potential uses for this product—stir a tablespoon of beet powder into pasta sauce; dissolve spinach powder into a morning smoothie; boost quick-bread batter with mango powder. It’s on-the-go nutrition that people would actually use. Plus, there’s potential to easily supplement school nutrition programs with extra nutrients. Kale pizza, anyone? Want to learn more about what makes Activz so great? Check out this video about supplement trends spotted on the Expo show floor.
Sometimes, innovation is simplicity. As refined sugars continue to be the bane of modern diets, date syrup is emerging as a great alternative sweetener, suitable for paleo, allergen-free and vegan eaters. Dates spur a lower glycemic response than pure cane sugar and offer valuable nutrients like potassium, vitamin B6, and magnesium. Date Lady’s single-ingredient date syrup, made from organic dates with no added water, makes this delectable sweetener accessible to the busy, health-minded masses. Watch as it starts to show up in other finished products. (Date syrup with Greek yogurt, anyone?)
Caboo's sugarcane and bamboo paper products stand out because of their strength, functionality and texture. Whitened without chlorine bleach, the items have a soft-to-the-touch texture that many eco-friendly paper products lack, while matching them for resource conservation. Bamboo and sugarcane are both more sustainable than hardwood trees because they're quick-growing grasses and don't require replanting. Plus, Caboo's sugarcane is actually the dry, fibrous waste product that remains after the sweet juice is extracted. It's toilet-paper treasure made out of would-be trash!
Niacin is one of the few bioactives—pharmaceutical or otherwise—shown to boost "good" HDL cholesterol. ChromaDex has broken new ground with a no-flush niacin, officially known as nicotinamide riboside. The most impressive thing about this new ingredient? Its health benefits that go beyond cardio health to include obesity, antiaging and mitochondrial function.
Meet the Peace Corps for real food. What's not to love and admire about a nationwide service program with boots on the ground, planting school gardens and teaching kids about the value of healthy food? It's a practical training program with a goal to permanently change people's understanding and relationship to food. New Hope Natural Media is proud to serve on FoodCorps' corporate council, a strategic alignment announced at Expo West.
ChicoBag exists “to help humanity bag the single-use habit” with reusable bags for every single occasion and purpose. Its designs are incredibly versatile--one bag can transform from a tote to a backpack to a bicycle saddlebag, all made from post-consumer products and recyclables. The company also walks the sustainable walk; its headquarters participates in a waste-diversion program that enables the entire office to produce less waste than the average single American per month. Plus, ChicoBag's Zero-Waste collection program enables anyone to send in old bags or other materials that are then transformed into products.
We see the future of sustainable protein, and it’s … wait for it … bugs! Around the world, 80 percent of countries already eat insects in some form; insect protein is inexpensive, healthy, sustainable (the same amount of feed produces eight times more insect protein than beef; the same amount of water, twelve times more protein), and even delicious. So we’re psyched to finally see a finished product ready for Western palates. Chapul energy bars contain cricket flour in a base of organic date paste, with gourmet flavor combos like Dark Chocolate Coffee Cayenne (no nuts) and Coconut Ginger Lime. Plus, 10 percent of proceeds fund water conservation efforts.
Cold-brewed coffee is hot, and Blue Bottle hits the trend spot-on by blending its 100 percent organic, New Orleans-style chicory coffee with cane sugar and Clover Organic Farms milk to make a cool, dreamy concoction. Why use Clover? Because it was a clear winner in blind taste tests and was the first dairy in the United States to be American Humane Certified for animal welfare. Blue Bottle + Clover = a fantastic partnership for the future!
Clif Bar & Company deserves credit for far more than its iconic nutrition bars. Clif Bar has thrived in the natural and organic products industry because the founders' business model serves five bottom lines: people, business, brands, community and planet. Incorporating social and environmental responsibility into every area is the future for all successful natural businesses, both in terms of business growth and influence beyond the industry. Clif Bar started and remains an innovative leader in this bigger-picture approach.
This beauty line stands out thanks to its unique blend of ancient alchemy (including the use of energizing crystals and colors) and modern beauty, with ingredients sourced from its own certified biodynamic farm and including plant-based ingredients such as spelt oil.
Fresh, sexy branding on products such as personal lubricants, playful oils and private-parts cleansers positions Good Clean Love as the new, healthy option for sexual health products. What's more, third-party research that supports Good Clean Love products as excellent alternatives for sexual health makes this brand a leader to watch in an increasingly important, and traditionally overlooked, natural product category.
Bitsy’s Brainfood was started by two moms, Alex and Maggie, who wanted to make healthy eating fun for kids. Bitsy’s, a line of delicious cereals and cookies, are packed with vitamins and omega-3s that help developing bodies and brains grow. Beyond the amazing taste, Bitsy’s brings nutritious snacking idea to life by using fun, interactive packaging and characters that spark kids’ imaginations.
Two years in development, Garden of Life’s Kind Organics brand is the market's first vegan, certified organic, Non-GMO Project Verified line of whole-food multivitamins. Each certification is impressive on its own, but the three together testify to the amount of R&D behind this product. In addition, each nutrient’s source substance is clearly listed on the Supplement Facts panel, be it vitamin D3 from lichen or vitamin C from guava. Expect this product to hit shelves in April and to retail at a price comparable to Garden of Life’s Vitamin Code raw supplement products.
Big Slice launched in 2014 with 3 collections and 16 flavors of ready-to-eat, chunky (not pureed, hooray!) cooked apples and other wholesome ingredients. These pouches are amazingly delicious and perfect for an on-the-go snack. The design is fresh and modern and is sure to attract a younger audience. And with every Big Slice purchase, a donation is made to the Sparkle charity, blessing women in need.
Plant-based protein is on the cutting edge of carbohydrate-averse, paleo-style eating trends. Vegan, Non-GMO Project Verified and low-calorie, Botan's colorful drinks get their punch from pea protein. They're a great way to get your protein without a meat or dairy-heavy meal. The juice is light, refreshing and sweetened only with stevia and apple juice. No compromises; this drink has it all: great taste, great nutrition, great for the environment and pretty packaging.
This is natural personal care at its most convenient. The innovative folks at Clean George have repackaged medicinal salves—typically a pot of greenish, dubious-smelling goop—into sophisticated twist-up sticks. No greasy fingers! Named after the founder’s father, this awesome company has four Leaping Bunny Certified products that remedy stuffy noses, stressful situations, chapped skin, bug bites and more. Plus, 10 percent of profits go to the company’s nonprofit, Clean George Shares the Love, that assists families and individuals "who truly need a little help" (paying bills, buying groceries, funding a dream).
Turmeric supplements are blowing up in the U.S. market because turmeric’s active and potent constituent, curcumin, helps with the body’s natural inflammatory response. Gaia Herbs is harnessing this knowledge by expanding its Turmeric Supreme line into a variety of condition-specific products, each targeting a different type or occasion of inflammation. For joint discomfort, Gaia offers Turmeric Supreme Joint with Boswellia and Devil’s Claw. For nighttime inflammation, there’s Turmeric Supreme Pain P.M. with feverfew, kava kava and valerian. Building this condition-specific line around an ingredient as promising as turmeric will help elevate the herb into a category all its own, not unlike omega-3s and probiotics.
How cool would it be if plastic toothbrushes—4.7 billion of them every year—became a thing of the past? This eco-conscious company makes fully plant-based, vegan toothbrushes, plus goes the extra mile with biodegradable and recyclable packaging (even the “plastic” inside wrapper is compostable). And check out those cool bamboo straws—another thing we’d love to see take hold across the world. Just say no to plastic!
Check out Alton Brown's article in Wired last year for the full scoop on just how advanced the faux-meat market has become. We like the sustainability play baked into the business here as the great migration away from animals and toward plant diets marches on. Beyond Meat's mission is to reduce the world's consumption of animal meat by 25 percent by 2020, for human, environmental and animal health. Both strips and crumbles, made primarily with non-GMO soy and pea protein, have mass-market taste appeal.
Since Dr. Oz talked up moringa as a "super supplement," sales have taken off. Leaves of the moringa oleifera tree, native to the Himalayas, are extremely nutrient-dense, containing three times more iron than spinach, plus loads of other vitamins and antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium and potassium. Dead Sea Moringa is a mission-driven company that started by helping malnourished children before launching into the product business. We predict moringa buzz will keep growing.
Savory yogurt! This stuff tastes great, whether you go for carrot, sweet potato, beet, butternut squash, tomato or parsnip. It's probably worth a few more exclamation points to highlight the supply chain here as well. "All grass, all the time" is the mantra for milk sourced from 100 percent grass-fed cows on small, family-owned farms in New England, including the eponymous Blue Hill Farm nestled in the Berkshires.
Founded in 1984, The Ginger People set out to become the world’s premium and most comprehensive line of ginger products. After succeeding with ginger beer, candy, juices or tonics, and cooking ingredients, The Ginger People has most recently launched the first line of ginger-based beauty products, purported to stimulate circulation to help detoxify the skin and strengthen elasticity. The company sources more than 40 ginger ingredients from all over the world through a strong, sustainable supply network that helps its farmer communities thrive.
We first spotted this Aussie organic company at Expo East 2013 because of the astonishing range of allergen-free credentials in its cereals: no GMOs, soy, gluten, dairy, nuts, wheat, sesame, eggs, artificial colors and flavors, all milled, created and tested in a dedicated "free from" facility. So in other words, they're safe for pretty much everyone (and schools). And the tastes are terrific, with kid-friendly flavors, delightful crunch and even options boosted with probiotics, fiber, protein and more. We think these product profiles combined with mainstream-ish branding is set to take the world by storm.
Check out the new look from Brown Cow, part of the Stonyfield yogurt family. Clean, simple, plenty of white space ... just what the consumer ordered. Kudos to the designers and marketers here for getting the look just right on what is typically busy, color-addled refrigerator shelf.
Bgreen is taking gluten-free pastas to a new level with ancient, heirloom grains like millet, buckwheat and black rice. The company's signature angel-hair pasta showcases these nutty, wholesome grains in a delicate, approachable style, while sleek packaging gives the product a delightfully sophisticated air. It will be a treat to see what the company has in store for a soon-to-be released line of gluten-free flours.
Although no sugar is healthy, the day when we’ve eliminated all sugar from our diets is still a ways off. That’s why we're such fans of coconut palm sugar, which Dr. Oz called the best alternative to cane sugar. In the growing coconut sugar business, Big Tree Farms is the no. 1 selling brand—and for good reason. The company works with more than 6,000 organic coconut farmers on the island of Java to produce its coconut palm sugar, with the goal of helping to raise local producers out of poverty while bringing a sustainable supply source to the market.
Flaska combines two trends in drinkware: using glass or steel instead of plastic and on-the-go, integrated water purification systems. But this bottle stands out because Flaska’s reusable glass bottles claim to purify water through "vibrational restructuring"--meaning silicone's inherent "remembering" properties restructure water to a purified form when the water molecules contact the glass. Just as natural spring water is restructured as it cascades down rocks, this bottle purifies water as you walk, shake or twist, using zero added material. How cool is that?
Cappello's paleo-friendly pasta is something special in the getting-crowded gluten-free market. Made with almond flour and just a few other ingredients, it's stunningly delicious, wonderfully simple and cooks in a flash, just like ordinary fresh pasta, without falling apart. (The company also makes a dangerously addictive grain-free cookie dough.) The clean, modern black-and-white packaging and reusable containers are the icing on the (grain-free) cake.
Cappello's paleo-friendly pasta is something special in the getting-crowded gluten-free market. Made with almond flour and just a few other ingredients, it's stunningly delicious, wonderfully simple and cooks in a flash, just like ordinary fresh pasta, without falling apart. (The company also makes a dangerously addictive grain-free cookie dough.) The clean, modern black-and-white packaging and reusable containers are the icing on the (grain-free) cake.
Every year at Natural Products Expo West, New Hope Natural Media's editors and trend researchers partner with the Sterling-Rice Group to find the products and brands they predict will shape the future of the natural products industry. The best of the best receive NEXTY nominees, which recognize not only the most innovative edge of the natural products industry, but also its deeply held social and environmental values. Get to know this year's 62 NEXTY nominees in the food and beverage category, listed here in alphabetical order. Or check out our full list of all 105 NEXTY nominees for 2014.
In June, our team of researchers will announce the Editor’s Choice winners in the food and beverage, supplements, and natural living categories. But we also want to know which brands you think deserve a NEXTY award, so head over to our NEXTY voting page and cast your vote for those companies you think are doing the most to shape a healthy future for natural products. Voting opens March 31 and closes May 2.
The Editor’s Choice and Popular Vote winners will be profiled in our 2015 NEXT Forecast report, which publishes in June. We will also have an awards ceremony for the NEXTY winners at Natural Products Expo East, Sept. 18-20 in Baltimore.
The NEXT Forecast report is a joint venture between New Hope and Boulder, Colo.-based Sterling-Rice Group. Check out nextforecast.com to learn more about this premier insider’s guide to where the natural products market is now—and where it's headed.
The NEXTY Awards and NEXT Forecast are part of New Hope's NEXT suite of products, which were created to support and accelerate innovation within the natural products industry. Learn more at nextknows.com.
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