Natural Products Expo West 2020 would have showcased the top trends entrepreneurs and brands are innovating against to win over natural products industry consumers. Refreshingly, eco-social trends led the way by volume of exhibitors going into Natural Products Expo West 2020. These trends include responsible packaging, sourcing responsibly, organic and multi-stakeholder business (Certified B Corporation and triple bottom line companies that care for other stakeholders beyond shareholders). 

Interestingly, even pre-coronovirus, innovative brands were responding to consumer desire for products to help them live a life of vitality, one of New Hope Network's top macro force trends. The chart below shows some of the fastest-growing trends among Natural Products Expo West exhibitors. CBD exhibitors showed the most year-over-year growth, but those serving the nation's quest of rest and brain health showed healthy growth, too.

Innovators, particularly the younger and newer natural products brands, show where the market is headed by debuting fresh ideas to meet the evolving consumer. So, what’s the status of these top trends, from the consumer perspective, now?

Through a natural products industry engagement index, we can monitor how consumers are engaging with these trends. By rolling up the top 50 trends that are representative of core natural products industry trends and innovations, NEXT Data and Insights tracks social and mass media engagement with the industry. Tracking this index allows trends watchers and business leaders to monitor the health of the natural products industry through social media conversations in the time of coronavirus and over the last six months, starting at a pre-coronavirus October benchmark. The index shows engagement has not declined, nor have conversations shuttered like the rest of the world. In fact, social media engagement is alive, and consumers are engaging more with trending natural products industry topics. 

Sustainability trends such as organic, regenerative agriculture, renewable energy and waste reduction remain top topics of conversation. What is no surprise is the conversation for macro force trends such as a "life of vitality" and "modern conditions" have trended upward compared to their pre-coronavirus benchmarks. A life of vitality encompasses trends such as CBD and the endocannabinoid system, healing and optimization diets. Modern conditions represents trends addressing immunity, inflammation, brain, digestive health, eye health and stress coping for that ultimate quest for rest during this chaotic period. 

About New Hope Network's trends tracking: The NEXT Trend Framework is New Hope Network’s unique way of assessing innovation patterns as they evolve through time. The taxonomy shows how trends connect to greater cultural shifts and macro forces occurring in business and with consumers.