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BALTIMORE, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Hope Network kicked off the 32nd annual Natural Products Expo East, with the announcement of the top trends that are driving innovation in natural and organic foods and beverages; beauty and home products; and supplements and ingredients. The tradeshow runs from today through Saturday, September 16 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Natural Products Expo East is a leading tradeshow for spotting what's new in food and consumer products with more than 1,450 exhibiting companies, including more than 380 entrepreneurial brands making their Expo East debut. The content and research team at New Hope Network will be tracking the following product trends this year, highlighting companies fueling growth for the future and creating positive change in our food system and world.

• The Plant Revolution: Environmental and health concerns related to the production and consumption of animal products has moved purposefully plant-based foods, once relegated to the vegan and vegetarian minority, mainstream. Innovative new meat and dairy alternatives improve upon taste and texture, therefore widening the appeal of a plant-based way of eating.
• Wholegrarian Shopper: Taking a back-to-basics approach to health, brands across food, beverage, supplements and personal care continue to meet consumer demand for products with pronounceable ingredients and minimal or alternative processing.
• Protein Redefined: The next generation of protein products emphasizes quality and transparency, with claims like grass-fed and organic, or utilizes interesting or blended sources of proteins.
• Inherently Functional: The newest products spin adaptogenic herbs and other naturally functional ingredients like maca and mushrooms into snacks, treats, supplements and even beauty products that address the modern lifestyle concerns of stress and vitality.
• Probiotics 2: Probiotics, it is being discovered, are for more than just digestive health. The evolution of science around the role of the microbiome in human health is leading to higher bacteria counts in products, probiotic strains that target specific health benefits and a better understanding of the role of prebiotics.
• The Verified Brand: Smart brands earn consumer trust by telling the story of their purpose and demonstrating that they use safe, fair and environmentally friendly practices. Emerging certification programs being adopted by natural brands—like Glyphosate Residue Free, Demeter Biodynamic, Made Safe and C.L.E.A.N—move further down the supply chain to address safety and ingredient integrity.
• Nutrition Customized: Creative delivery formats and formulations give nutrition products appeal to consumers of different ages with a variety of needs. The convergence of supplements and food, as well as an ever-expanding selection of age- and gender-specific supplements, are evidence of this trend.
• Getting Crafty: Desire for clean ingredients and transparency are fueling a DIY movement among consumers, a la the continued rise of essential oils and herbal blends.
• Snackification: Millennials in particular are fond of snacking because brands are tapping into their desire for creative, quick eats that deliver on both taste and nutrition.
• Sugar Vilified: The war on sugar has reached a new level. Some brands are responding with products that are unsweetened or low in sugar. Other brands use alternative sweeteners like monk fruit or go back to basics with small amounts of cane sugar, honey or maple.

For examples of new products that support each trend visit the online gallery at newhope.com.

Natural Products Expo East badge holders can catch an overview of how a variety of natural and organic product categories are performing, and dig into emerging trends driving the industry, at The State of the Industry: How We Will Fuel Growth & Better the World session from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, September 14th.

Those who are unable to attend Natural Products Expo East may view the State of the Natural Products Industry session for free via livestream and join in the #ExpoEastTrends conversation online. During the livestream, @NatProdExpo and @Mamavation will host a Twitter discussion to bring together the experts on stage with everyone watching online. Follow #ExpoEastTrends during the livestream to join in.

"Every fall at Natural Products Expo East, we see hundreds of exciting new things to eat, drink and use in our everyday lives to improve the health of our bodies and homes," said Carlotta Mast, Senior Vice President of Content and Insights, New Hope Network. "But even more important are the large scale changes that these product innovations can drive when it comes to the health of our food system and the planet as a whole."

Follow @NatProdExpo and #ExpoEast on Twitter and Instagram, and visit us on Facebook for ongoing conversations.

About New Hope Network
New Hope Network is at the forefront of the healthy lifestyle products industry. With solutions for the complete supply chain from manufacturers, retailers/distributors, service providers and ingredient suppliers, the network offers a robust portfolio of content, events, data, research and consultative services. Through its mission of growing healthy markets to bring more health to more people, New Hope Network helps businesses identify the people, products, partnerships and trends that create better opportunities and connections. For more information visit www.newhope.com.

About Informa
New Hope Network is part of Informa's Global Exhibitions Division. With over 200 trade and consumer exhibitions annually, Informa Exhibitions is a global market leader in such end markets as Beauty, Construction & Real Estate, Design, Life Sciences, Maritime, Health & Nutrition, Natural Products, Agriculture and Pop Culture. Through face to face and digital channels, our transaction-oriented exhibitions and trade shows enable communities to engage, experience and do business. In doing so, we bring together people who want to buy and sell, network, do business and gain inspiration. Our industry insight, coupled with our innovative and entrepreneurial approach, provides them with the opportunity to create business advantage and access markets.

Informa Exhibitions is a division of Informa PLC, a leading business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. Informa PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

Press Contact
Carrie Kocik
New Hope Network
(617) 694-5971
ckocik@newhope.com

SOURCE New Hope Network