Our team had a blast at Expo East 2023, and we can’t wait to share our favorite highlights and insights from this year’s event with you.
Whether we’re exploring the floor, attending the Harvest Festival, or meeting up with our INFRA Members, Expo East always reminds us how lucky we are to have a place in this industry ripe with innovation and excitement. We always look forward to discovering the next big consumer product or sustainability initiative.
I sat down with Andy Huth, Kim Route, and Rayna Kittredge from the INFRA team to get the latest on this year’s Expo – including the latest innovative products and emerging trends. Let’s get right into it!
Buckwheat is on the Rise
How well do you know your grains? Although “wheat” may be in the name, the seeds of the flowering buckwheat plant are actually gluten-free and pack quite a nutritional punch. Rich in minerals and antioxidants, buckwheat has become popular in processed flour, noodles, and more.
Our team took note of two buckwheat products beginning to take center stage – Diggables Buckwheat Puffs and the Nexty Award-Winning Better with Buckwheat crackers. It will be exciting to see how buckwheat begins to offer an alternative to traditionally wheat-based products.
Make Room for Mocktails
The next time you’re out for a drink, why not forgo the alcohol in favor of something just as delicious? Demand for non-alcoholic drinks has been growing steadily for a few years now, as “sober-curious” consumers have begun to seek out alternatives from their local retail store or restaurant.
Recess Zero Proof and PARCH are two craft mocktail brands to keep an eye on – offering a wide variety of classic cocktail flavors.
Lauded for their potential nootropic “brain-boosting” abilities and high antioxidant content, mushrooms may be the next superfood popping up on the natural foods scene. Mushrooms are becoming more prevalent in the supplement, beverage, and snack categories.
One such brand is Popadelics, a crispy vacuum-fried mushroom snack that offers a healthier alternative to
If you want to learn more about the health benefits of mushrooms, keep an eye out for our December episode of The Buyer’s Desk dedicated to the topic!
Menstrual Health and Hygiene
Sustainability in menstrual hygiene products has been on the rise recently, with products like the menstrual cup making consumers more aware of the ways that their disposable period products are creating waste.
The BFree cup, one of the E Nexty award winners, is an antibacterial menstrual cup founded with the goal of reducing period poverty.
After nearly 40 years of Expo East, the New Hope Network is officially re-branding the event as Newtopia Now in 2024. This new experience will provide even more meaningful opportunities for brands and retailers to connect. Cheers to another successful Expo East and to the end of an era as we head to Savannah, GA next year in August for the first ever Newtopia Now. We hope to see you there!
Can't wait until summer to connect with us? Catch us at these upcoming events:
Shoutout to Momo’s Market!
One of our favorite parts of the Expo is making new connections, so when Momo’s Market from Burlington, VT wanted to learn more about INFRA’s programs we hopped on the opportunity! Now, they’re an Associate Retailer. Congrats, Momo’s!
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