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You are here: Home / Awesome / My Top Finds at Natural Products Expo West 2015

My Top Finds at Natural Products Expo West 2015

By Lindsay 50 Comments

My Top Finds at Expo West 2015
Last month I was away from Baby Awesome for the first extended period of time ever and headed down to Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim. This was my second time attending the show and second year being a part of the We.Blog team with New Hope (the company that produces the show).  For those of you who’ve never heard of Expo West before, it’s the world’s largest trade show and convention for the natural food products industry. There are over 2,500 exhibitors and they had a record breaking attendance number of 70,000 people this year. It was insane.

Now that I’ve been twice, I can honestly say that Natural Products Expo West is my favorite show of the year. There isn’t anything like it. Where else can you get all the brands and people in the natural foods industry congregated in one place? It’s pretty impressive. There is so much energy on the show floor and it’s so great to see such excitement around natural and healthy food products.

I admit I didn’t get nearly enough time to walk around the show floors as I wanted to. I honestly don’t even think three full days would have been enough. I had to be very strategic about my time. My main goal for products I was looking for at the show as part of the We.Blog team were products with under 5 ingredients. Here were my top 3 picks at Natural Products Expo West 2015:

My top finds at Expo West
1) Tava Life Ghee

2) Pacific Foods Bone Broth

3) Crazy Richard’s PB Burst

You can read more about these products and why I chose them on the New Hope site here.

Picking my top three products was so hard and there were so many brands and products I loved that I decided to list them out here on my blog. Here they all are broken down by categories!

Nutrition Bars & Snacks

GoMacro Bars Sample Pack

A sample pack of all the GoMacro bar flavors.

GoMacro bars- I have heard about this brand from several colleagues who just rave about their bars. Finally I had the chance to try one for myself. I was given a sample of their Sunbutter Seed bar and had it for breakfast the next morning. It was SO good. They gave me a sample pack to try out and I am digging all their flavors especially the cashew butter one. These are a fun new find for me.

Health Warrior- I’ve heard a lot about HealthWarrior and their chia seed bars over the years but had never tried one for myself. I received a sample of the Dark Chocolate Coconut Sea Salt bar in my press bag. I loved it! It’s such a great snack and has 10 g of protein and 5 g of fiber per bar.

Munk Pack –When I first had Baby Awesome I received a sample pack of Munk Pack pouches in the mail. They have three different flavors – Apple Quinoa Cinnamon, Blueberry Acai Flax, and Raspberry Coconut. They are all gluten free and are great snacks on the go for hiking or adventure sports. For me, they were great as a snack for a new mom that I could easily inhale quickly. If I had more time, I would have written a product review about just how awesome Munk Pack is. Instead I visited their booth at ExpoWest and personally thanked the founders for making such a great product. I have bought three boxes of Munk Pack on Amazon since having Baby Awesome and my favorite flavor is the Apple Quinoa Cinnamon.

Belicious- This is another snack in a pouch What intrigued me about Belicious was that their products are made using mostly veggies and are very low in sugar. They aren’t on the market yet, but when they are I highly recommend checking them out. Their booth was so busy when I stopped by and I believe it’s because this product is so unique!

Made in Nature Organic Toasted Coconut Chips Expresso– The ingredients in these are all organic and simple: dried coconut strips, maple syrup, vanilla bean extract, espresso, and sea salt. I had these as a snack and the bag quickly disappear. SO GOOD.

Home Goods / Apparel

Pact Socks

Fair Trade socks by PACT.

Pact- I first learned about Pact when I received one of their hoodies from a Klout Perk Fair Trade box I received right around the time Baby Awesome was born. I absolutely loved the hoodie because it was such a simple design but the story behind the product speaks volumes. I got a chance to speak to the Founder & CEO behind Pact and he said the process behind the making of the garments is what truly makes Pact unique. Their process is fair trade every step of the way beginning at the seed that is planted and the cotton that is picked. Speaking to the founders of Pact really inspired me and I was stoked to have had the opportunity to meet them.

Babyganics – Now that I’m a mom I’m very conscious about the products we use in our home and on our bodies. I have been more cautious than ever about what type of household cleaners and baby cleaning products I buy. I was introduced to Babyganics when someone gave us a pack of diapers as a gift and I loved them. Since then, I have bought their foaming dish soap for Baby Awesome’s bottles and their toy cleaner. I’m a fan. I saw they had a booth at Natural Products Expo and had to go check them out. I love what they are doing and look forward to checking out a couple more of their products such as their baby hand and face wipes and their baby detergent.

Coffee

Brewla Bars- I got to spend some time with the folks at Brewla Bars and they introduced me to their new flavor of ice pops – cold brewed coffee! It was so good. It’s not on the market yet but I can guarantee these will be a staple in our freezer once they become more widely available.

Marley Coffee- I’ve been familiar with this brand for awhile now but what really appealed to me this year was learning about how they are making the first Eco friendly K cup. It’s no secret that k cups are bad for the environment. I admit I use them and I feel guilty doing so. I would love to have an eco friendly alternative. As the sole coffee drinker in my house (on weekdays) this would be a great solution for me and it’s one that I am pretty excited about.

Brewla Bars Iced Coffee

Mmm…cold brewed coffee popsicle.

Fruits & Veggies

Natural Delights– A date brand who make delicious medjool dates and date rolls made with almond and pistachio. They’re so good. They sent me an awesome “Date with Fitness” package before the show that had several containers of dates and date rolls in them. All containers are now gone. The dates were so good! The folks at Natural delights offered to give away this same goodie package to my readers so enter below for your chance to win!

Monterey Farms ArtiHearts- I love eating artichoke but eating them and getting to the good stuff -the heart- is a pain. Sometimes I’m not even sure if it’s worth eating. But then I see things like steamed artichokes in a bag and it makes me remember how delicious artichokes are. Let me just tell you, I loved all the flavors of Artihearts from Monterey farms. I sat at their booth for a while and sampled every flavor. I’m thinking about them now and tempted to go to Whole Foods to buy a pack. You must try these!

Gluten Free Indulgences

Half Baked Gluten-Free Biscotti- I was walking down the halls and saw a gluten free baking company called Half Baked. I decided to try their gluten free almond biscotti because biscotti is something I haven’t had in years. I wasn’t expecting much but OMG- this biscotti was GOOD. So good that I stopped mid bite to take a picture because I was in such gluten free biscotti heaven and wanted to savor the moment. I have never seen gluten free biscotti before and wow- this recipe hit it out of the park. I might need some more of this in my life.

Whoopie Pies – This was another accidental find I discovered while roaming the expo halls. The Piping Gourmets makes a mint chip whoopie pie that’s gluten free. It’s really good! They are available at Whole Foods if you are looking for something that’s gluten free to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Next Organics Quinoa Bites – These are clusters of quinoa dipped in dark chocolate. So simple and so amazingly good. I was tipped off to this product from Next Organics by my pal Melissa over at TheValentineRD.com and so glad I took the time to stop and try their product!

 *Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. 

What about you? What were your favorite products from Expo West? What products from the above list would you be most interested in trying? Post in the comments and let me know!

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Comments

  1. Lisa Murray says

    April 8, 2015 at 4:51 pm

    So many good things! I found @coconutbliss irrestible, I stopped by their booth everyday. Also, Toasted Cocomunt Chips from @MadeInNature and the Vegan Awesome Chocolate Bar by Simply Smart. Tried the Krill chews…well, I guess they are good for you. Sorry I missed the Brewla Bars. Great show, my 1st time there.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 9, 2015 at 12:01 am

      Hey Lisa! The Krill chews sound interesting. Who makes them? Is Coconut Bliss the coconut ice cream? That is SO good.

      Reply
  2. Jordan D. says

    April 8, 2015 at 8:08 pm

    I know I’d love those Brewla pops and the PB Bursts! I wish I could go to one of these big expos, they sound awesome!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 8, 2015 at 11:59 pm

      Hey Jordan – It really is a cool event. The PB Bursts would be so good for long runs instead of using GU. Hopefully by the time they come on the market I’ll be back running again.

      Reply
  3. Melissa Burton says

    April 8, 2015 at 10:37 pm

    So many products and so little time, right? I do love this show too but it is overwhelming. You definitely highlighted products I didn’t get to see.

    I loved seeing you and you deserve a major award for being away from Baby Awesome and handling it so well!

    I think I’m already getting myself mentally prepared for next year.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 8, 2015 at 11:42 pm

      I know, I feel like I barely scratched the surface at the show but I went into it this year knowing I wouldn’t be able to see everything and I was okay with it. Had a blast hanging out with you on Friday!

      Reply
  4. suzie says

    April 9, 2015 at 8:50 am

    those coffee bars sound amazing!

    Reply
    • Lindsay @ Fit & Awesome says

      April 9, 2015 at 1:36 pm

      They are totally amazing!

      Reply
  5. Josie Chow says

    April 9, 2015 at 8:59 am

    I didn’t get to go . BUT the coffee bars sound super yum and the PB burst sound great!

    Reply
    • Lindsay @ Fit & Awesome says

      April 9, 2015 at 1:37 pm

      Josie,

      They are great! I should try and coordinate a giveaway with these product in the future!

      Lindsay

      Reply
  6. Apples and Arteries says

    April 9, 2015 at 9:07 am

    The coffee bars sound like such a good treat!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 9, 2015 at 11:34 am

      They were! I can’t wait until they are available in stores. Hope you’re doing well!

      Reply
  7. Holly E says

    April 9, 2015 at 9:29 am

    I love the cute socks and the Marley coffee.

    Reply
    • Lindsay @ Fit & Awesome says

      April 9, 2015 at 1:38 pm

      I know! The socks are so fun and I am in love with the concept of an eco-friendly K cup.

      Reply
  8. LaTanya Thornhill says

    April 9, 2015 at 10:15 am

    Half Baked Gluten-Free Biscotti

    Reply
    • Lindsay @ Fit & Awesome says

      April 9, 2015 at 1:46 pm

      It’s so good!

      Reply
  9. Kristin Goodson says

    April 9, 2015 at 11:42 am

    I love Marley Coffee and Babyganics products!

    Reply
  10. GiGi Eats Celebrities says

    April 9, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    I did not see ANY of these brands at EXPO when I went! LOL!! All I saw was HUMMUS!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 9, 2015 at 11:58 pm

      I saw ZERO hummus at Expo West. Funny how that works!

      Reply
      • GiGi Eats Celebrities says

        April 10, 2015 at 10:08 am

        OMFG THAT IS SOOOO WEIRD!

        Reply
        • Lindsay says

          April 10, 2015 at 6:04 pm

          We must have been on opposite sides of the Expo Halls or something.

          Reply
  11. kristen mcclary says

    April 10, 2015 at 12:01 am

    im all for those socks!!!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 10, 2015 at 6:05 pm

      Socks that give you warm and fuzzies both inside and out. Hehe!

      Reply
  12. Renata S says

    April 10, 2015 at 6:50 am

    Yum! Sounds like a delicious, fun event to attend! My favorites would be Brewla bars, Munk Packs and GoMacro bars as they all sound so unique!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 10, 2015 at 6:06 pm

      It was very fun! Where are you based? It’s amazing how many unique products there are out there on the market.

      Reply
  13. Ray says

    April 10, 2015 at 11:24 am

    Brewla bars and the GoMacro bars look very tasty and fun to eat too. Thanks!

    Reply
  14. HilLesha says

    April 10, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    I love the GoMacro bars. They’re so delicious and I buy them quite regularly.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 12, 2015 at 11:30 am

      I just bought a pack on Amazon! What flavors do you like?

      Reply
  15. Georgia says

    April 10, 2015 at 8:37 pm

    I’d like to try those Munk Packs!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 12, 2015 at 11:29 am

      Munk Packs are awesome! Try the Apple Cinnamon Quinoa flavor. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Lisa Jones says

    April 11, 2015 at 4:44 am

    I love my sweets so the whoopie pies from Piping Gourmet got my attention. Love whoopie pies!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 12, 2015 at 11:29 am

      I don’t think I had ever had a Whooping Pie until I saw the booth by Piping Gourmet. It was quite a treat!

      Reply
  17. Renee says

    April 11, 2015 at 5:54 pm

    PACT socks look super cute and soft too!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 12, 2015 at 11:28 am

      I love PACT clothing and what they stand for. Check them out – their products are available at Whole Foods!

      Reply
  18. Renee says

    April 12, 2015 at 8:08 am

    The mint chip whoopie pie sounds divine!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 12, 2015 at 11:28 am

      It was quite the indulgence!

      Reply
  19. Roxanna says

    April 12, 2015 at 5:26 pm

    I’m working on getting into dates so am very excited about the new date products.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 13, 2015 at 2:37 pm

      Roxanna – dates are really great in smoothies!

      Reply
  20. Sydney says

    April 12, 2015 at 9:05 pm

    I would love to try the coffee popsicles!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 13, 2015 at 1:19 pm

      I will have to post an update once they are in stores!

      Reply
  21. laura says

    April 13, 2015 at 2:53 pm

    The mint whoopie pies sound delish!

    Reply
  22. Sadie B. says

    April 14, 2015 at 8:10 am

    I really like the Pact socks. I love fun socks.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 14, 2015 at 10:11 am

      Fun sucks are awesome! My brother collects them 🙂

      Reply
  23. Meghan Malicoat says

    April 14, 2015 at 5:31 pm

    I would love to try the Brewla Bars and the Marley Coffee.

    Reply
  24. alona y says

    April 16, 2015 at 12:08 am

    I really like Babyganics, I have a small bottle of lotion from them and it’s my favorite.

    Reply
  25. Lindsey Garrison says

    April 17, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    The Brewela coffee bars were super cool. I love finding all these new items to try that are good for you.

    Reply
  26. Jennifer J says

    April 21, 2015 at 4:35 pm

    I really like artichokes, but hate the process to eat them. The Monterey Farms ArtiHearts sound awesome!

    Reply
  27. laura588 says

    April 21, 2015 at 7:59 pm

    The Half Baked Gluten-Free Biscotti looks good along with the Natural Delights. I think I could live in a place like this!
    Laurie Emerson

    Reply
  28. Sand says

    April 22, 2015 at 8:26 pm

    The date rolls sound delicious!

    Reply
  29. Trisha McKee says

    April 22, 2015 at 8:44 pm

    I am definitely intrigued with the coffee bars! I so want to try these!

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Lindsay. I am a surfer, snowboarder, and triathlete with a passion for music, tech, and life in general. Digital Marketing Consultant. Gluten-free. Partly Paleo. Always Awesome. Read More

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