From March 3 through March 6, the JOH and OSMG America teams attended the 45th Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, one of the most influential gatherings in the CPG industry.
The show floor was packed with innovation, energy, and great conversations with both emerging and established brands. Events like Expo West give food brokers a front-row seat to the trends that are shaping the future of CPG, while also providing valuable opportunities to strengthen relationships across the industry.
In 2026, grocery shelves will be inundated with products dictated by consumer purchasing and lifestyle trends. To prepare for the trends that will be defining the CPG industry this year, our partner OSMG America organized a list of the trends that dominated the Expo floor, and soon-to-be stores near you.
One Benefit is Good. Three is Better.
When it comes to benefits, less does not equate to more. Today’s consumers are more ingredient-conscious than ever, seeking products with cleaner labels and multiple advantages. Benefit-stacked consumer packaged goods or multi-benefit naming strategies ruled the Expo floor and will be significant aisle disruptors across categories.
This shift in consumer behavior reflects a broader cultural movement toward functional wellness, a more intentional, holistic approach to nutrition in which food is expected to deliver benefits that extend well beyond basic satiety.
In response to consumers’ growing demand for functional benefits, brands are developing products that deliver multiple outcomes in a single serving, with inclusions ranging from protein to support muscle growth, to prebiotics and probiotics for gut health, and hydration solutions designed to optimize the solubility of nutrients.
Beauty Joins Grocery.
The momentum behind holistic wellness is driving growth beyond multi-benefit consumer goods, as the demand for ingestible beauty products continues to rise. With consumers’ shopping behavior showing an uptick in the purchase of whole superfoods to reap the nutrient-rich and clean benefits, brands are responding by incorporating these ingredients into other formats, such as pills, beverages, and powders.
Ingestible beauty is disrupting several categories across aisles, with key packaging callouts for collagen and adaptogens designed to support skin, hair, and nail health. Beauty-from-within solutions are paving the way for innovators to package more than just products, but sell benefits as well.
The Farmer Story as the Brand Story.
A study by Ardent Mills found that “sustainability and regenerative agriculture have strong momentum in consumer eating behaviors, with 77% of consumers indicating they believe sustainability is important when selecting products to buy (+12% from 2021)”.
Consumers want to purchase and support brands that align with their core values. CPG brands have taken notice, leveraging strategic storytelling and benefit-maxing as a distinct selling point. Emerging brands are disrupting aisles across categories by integrating regenerative agriculture, transparent sourcing, and farmer partnerships as core pillars of their brand identity.
Bold Brands Break Through.
With showroom floors and grocery shelves growing increasingly saturated with products, definitive brand storytelling is not merely strategic but an essential facet to stand out in the aisle. Sharper messaging, memorable slogans, and more distinct packaging are integral and cohesive components in attracting both retailers and consumers.
Clear and prominent branding, fortified through storytelling and visuals, reinforces brand identity across channels. With consumer attention harder to earn than ever, leading brands are adopting a more international perspective in their booth and product design. Clear product call-outs and intentional design elements are crucial to reinforce your brand, helping shoppers quickly identify brand recall at the shelf.
Retailers Teaming Up with Marketing.
Brand storytelling now guides strategy beyond the shelf as retailers integrate retail media and digital engagement into their merchandising discussions. Conversations with food brokers and CPG marketers on the Expo floor revealed that multi-pronged strategies are shaping the future of CPG marketing.
Connecting with consumers beyond the shelf is becoming increasingly critical, particularly as the product discovery phase evolves. With AI overviews and the customer shopping journey prolonger, brands are expanding their marketing presence through influencer partnerships and digital brand activation, ensuring they intercept consumers across multiple touchpoints.
AI Speeds Up Innovation.
Beyond the grocery aisle, consumer behavior is shifting in various markets and day-to-day operations with expectations of on-demand products and/or results. Due to social media, markets are defined by accelerated trend cycles, making it increasingly challenging for brands to keep pace, stay relevant, and tap into trending innovations.
AI is another social disruptor that has shaped consumer behavior. Brands that are redefining the CPG industry don’t view AI as a threat, but as a tool. Industry leaders shared that AI can help brands keep pace with rapid trend cycles while being strategically deployed to accelerate innovation and boost factory productivity.
GLP-1 Lifestyles Reshape Eating.
Single-serve and individually packaged products are gaining traction as shoppers look for convenient ways to manage portions and support more mindful eating habits. This shift is influenced by changing eating behaviors, whether driven by GLP-1, its halo, or natural alternatives.
While GLP-1 medications directly shape how some consumers approach weight management, their broader halo is influencing purchasing decisions for CPG products that deliver similar benefits. In response to these evolving consumer behaviors and lifestyle habits, both emerging and established brands are innovating across categories to meet growing demand for portion control, satiety, and protein-rich options.
The New BYOB: BYONAB
Premium non-alcoholic (NA) beverages dominated the Expo West Floor. The growth in this market category is driven by an uptick in consumers pursuing a sober or sober-curious lifestyle. According to a study supplied by Gallup, “Young adults had already become less likely to report drinking alcohol a decade ago, but that trend has only accelerated, with the rate falling from 59% in 2023 to 50% today.”
The undercurrent of the functional wellness trend is another factor that has propelled the market growth for NA beverages. This sector has evolved past “mocktails”, as non-alcoholic beverages step into the functional drinks space, delivering hydration, relaxation, focus, and energy.
Longevity Leads Wellness.
The roots of the wellness industry and societal movement continue to grow and cement further into society. While consumers want products that support their current healthy lifestyle, there has been a notable shift in societal lifestyle and purchasing habits that indicates a desire for preventive and proactive health. To account for this shift in purchase intention, brands have responded to the growing momentum with supplements and anti-aging formulations designed to support long-term health.
The Future of CPG: Consumers Want Outcomes.
Across retail categories, consumers’ purchasing habits are outcome-driven. Emerging brands and products on the Expo West floor underscored this insight, illustrating how the CPG industry is evolving in response to shifting consumer preferences and accelerating innovation.
For the JOH and OSMG America teams, staying close to these trends helps us identify opportunities for both our clients and customers across the country. Insights from events like Expo West provide a valuable perspective on where the market is heading and how we can continue helping our partners grow.
If you’re interested in learning how these insights can drive growth and impact your business, reach out to our team today.
