these snacks have better branding than you do

takeaways from the fanciest gathering of makers, purveyors, and snackers

special edition this week because 1) I ate a lot and 2) who is even working (?)

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I once billed a client 20 hours for “figuring out how to make a jacket out of living grass.” A few weeks later, I had to create new job codes for “live bee transport” and “hire 10 male models in San Diego.”

I was, if you haven’t guessed it by now, responsible for managing an industry tradeshow. Tradeshows are corporate roulette. You might leave with a full pipeline and a signed contract. Or just a hangover, a company polo, and a stack of one-pagers destined for the hotel trash can — right next to the khakis that you’ll never wear again.

This week, I went to the Speciality Food Association’s Summer Fancy Food Show and ate my way through four floors of chips, skewered bites, and room temperature beverages. Here’s what you need to know about the food trends coming to you.

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5 Trends I Am Already Bored of

The TikTok —> manufacturer cycle runs at Zara’s speed, not Shein’s. You’ll continue to see these all over your feed and your grocery shelves:

1. PROTEIN

2. Sweet green flavors (Dubai chocolate, matcha, pistachio)

3. Everything packaged as “bites”

4. Hot honey

5. Popcorn

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5 Trends to Watch

1. Natural > Novel: the scrutiny on UPFs is real — consumers (and RFK, Jr.) are asking for cleaner, less processed foods, particularly in the plant-based category. Funding for novel ingredients has dropped >60% in the last year

2. K-CPG: we’ll be going to Seoul for skincare and snacks. Korean CPG is lightyears ahead in terms of packaging, flavor combinations, and texture (e.g., jelly, crunchy)

3. But First, My Adaptogenic Soda: beverages aren’t just to wake you up or feed your microbiome, they’re to help you focus, unwind, and sleep

4. Snap, Crackle & Pop: Gen Z and Millennials prefer cold beverages and quiet restaurants and brands are desperate to provide multi-sensory experiences

5. We’re All Going to Be Sipping out of Pouches: pouched blends aren’t just for kids (this is all a bit too dystopian for me)

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5 Best Bites (or Sips)

1. Root Tomato Chips: if you’ve ever accidentally eaten a whole pack of those snap pea chips, you will love these

2. Gamsa Foods Sesame Garlic Oatmeal: might become essential on my quest to eat more vegetables for breakfast

3. BARIS frozen chocolate-dipped raspberries: I looked up their stockists on the way home

4. For Bitter or for Worse Eva’s Spritz: a bitter-forward N/A with perfect balance of botanical and fruity notes

5. Guts Nuts Fermented Cashews: sour, crunchy, and strangely addictive

6. Honorable Mention WAZA WAZA Bean Dip: the team is making some tweaks to the recipe — but these already have a complex flavor profile and spice level that had me coming back for more

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The Aftertaste

I walked away from the show feeling inspired by conversations with founders and retailers and uneasy (and not just because I was extremely full). Gathering food — the most basic of human activities — is becoming an increasingly bifurcated experience in America. While I was stuffing my bag with free samples of novelty treats, the Senate was voting to slash SNAP by 20%. Food directors of school systems celebrated their ability to provide millions of hot, fresh meals to children on the main stage and then learned that budgets for after-school programs are at risk. Some of us will feast, while many others will not.

FYI I have not worn khakis since,

Sophia

P.S. CPG alone is not my typical beat — so check out Express Checkout, Snaxshot, and The Checkout Grocery Update for deeper coverage.