The Future of Natural Products, EXPOsed!
Our report from Expo West 2018, co-written by Struck’s Machel Devin (Client Partner), Scott Sorenson (Creative Director) and Pauline Ploquin (Chief Relationship Officer).
We traversed (seemingly) thousands of miles of showroom floor. We canvassed (literally) hundreds of booths. We sampled (approximately) 18,759 new food products. We even found time for a few breakout sessions. And we wanted to let you in on what we saw, felt and learned at Expo West.
(Note: Natural Products Expo West is the world’s largest natural, organic and healthy products trade show, with 3,521 exhibiting brands.)
Consumers are becoming increasingly woke to what they put in (and on) their bodies — and brands are struggling to keep pace. Meanwhile, science and politics are complicating the landscape. So we at Struck were interested in how brands are responding — and in learning what your brand can do to navigate this space.
1. Label readers are here to stay. Consumers not only care about the nutritional content of their food, they increasingly want information beyond the required numbers. They are starting to look not only at the amount of protein in any particular product, but at the type of protein. They look at not only the ingredient deck, but at where the ingredients are sourced. Brands are well advised to be as transparent as possible about this information, and bring it to the front of the label when appropriate (think RXBar).
2. Consumers care about some things more than others. Gluten-free is no longer king. According to food trend forecasters Kerry, sugar tops the list. While the ketogenic and paleo diets remain faddish, the science on sugar is now widely known — and consumers are looking to reduce their intake. Next up is protein, as people continue to shy away from carbs and seek nutrition that helps them build strong bodies. Finally, calories matter, but not nearly as much as they once did.
3. Of course, being low in sugar and high in protein doesn’t matter if your product doesn’t taste good. Even consumers who care deeply about ingredients are not ready to give up on taste, so brands who succeed at bridging taste and nutritional content will win the day. We were impressed with ProBar’s new probiotic bar (a client of ours), and the Primal Kitchen’s delicious line of paleo-approved products.
4. Clean label is emergent: Non-GMO? Organic? Natural? While these concerns may not now be top-of-list for mass consumers, they are quickly becoming just that, especially for mothers looking to feed their children food free from pesticides and hormones. Brands focused on children should get ahead of the curve.
5. Real, and real convenient. Real food with fresh ingredients, delivered in convenient packaging, will increasingly rule the roost as busy and concerned parents look to feed their family without breaking the bank. We’d do anything to be able to buy Maison Le Grand soups in SLC. Can someone out there make it happen?
6. Snacking. It’s all. About. Snacking. Busy, conscious consumers seek on-the-go nutrition, and brands are clearly answering that call. We stopped counting how many nutrition bars we saw: it’s an unknowable number.
7. Your brand matters: This may sound self -serving (after all, we’re a branding agency), but with the proliferation of outstanding products in every category, nutrition, convenience and taste are just a start. Consumers have to find you. And then believe in you. So communicating who you are, and differentiating yourself from the next product over, is more important than ever. The brands we responded to were confidently simple, exceedingly transparent, and admirably optimistic.
8. Speaking of optimism, we loved those brands that created joyful spaces on the trade show floor. Clean, bright, airy. We loved sitting under the giant inflated Duke at the Baby Bum booth as a DJ spun tunes. After all, these products are meant to make one feel good, on multiple levels. Why not extend that brand message to the booth itself?
So what are brands and marketers to do in 2018? Brands must look at their list of ingredients and ensure that they are reducing sugar, paying attention to protein, focusing on flavor, delivering convenience and remaining true to their brand purpose. Marketers must continue to explore ways to convey ingredients, flavor, taste and brand personality while grabbing the eyeballs of busy and educated consumers who care about nutrition and brand in equal measure.
Need help with your food or beauty brand? Call us (SHAMELESS PLUG! 801–531–0122!) for a free audit of your brand and what it conveys to the consumers.
Shout Out
We’d be remiss to not mention we traveled to Expo West in large part to support our client, Kodiak Cakes. It wasn’t hard: they nailed it. By going full-tilt on their brand, by bringing the outdoors in, and by amping up the good vibes one feels around a campfire in the mountains, their booth perfectly captured the Kodiak experience. (Quick plug: if you have not tried Kodiak Cakes products, you are missing out — these products couple quality ingredients with legit, well, yumminess. In other words, they exemplify the trends we’ve outlined here).
The booth, born of the updated brand look and position we shepherded, perfectly encapsulated the new brand position: nourishment for today’s frontier. A brownie-baking, flapjack-flipping, waffle-toasting kitchen connected to an outdoor forest environment that was populated by a log cabin, canoe, plants, trees and a grizzly. (Or, rather, a Marketing Director in a 100-degree bear suit).
The product samples and giveaways brought in a crowd, and the lovely folks at Kodiak greeted them all with a smile. Well done.
Just a Few More Quick Takes
Add it up…
Make your product work harder. Take a cue from Kodiak: what’s better than pancakes that use whole grains and organic ingredients? Ones that also add protein and other essential nutrients.
…then, subtract.
The no’s are as important as the yes’s. Take out the pesticides, the hormones, the sugars, the chemicals. Get rid of irresponsible vendors and practices.
Be beautiful inside…
It’s easy to spot brands with sincere motivations and welcoming demeanors.
…and outside.
You may have a killer product. But if your brand isn’t sharp, no one will care.
And, finally,
Vodka-infused jello shots will soon be a thing—and maybe at your grocery store. And, well, that’s kind of awesome.
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