Expo Explosion

Imagine a Whole Foods the size of 15 football fields…now imagine browsing it’s aisles for two days straight…now imagine representatives from every product giving your samples of their latest and greatest to try (for free!)…and THAT, my friends, is EXPO WEST.

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In other words, hippie heaven.

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Friday started bright and early as Kyle and I made our way to Anaheim to register and all that jazz.  And before we knew it, the doors pearly gates opened and BAM!

Instantly we were slammed with people pushing samples at us…nibbles and bites of savory, creamy, sweet, smooth, crunchy, and everything in between.  Nothing like making a breakfast of mini-spoons of peanut butter followed by burritos, naan, soy yogurt, noodle stir fry, and vegan cream cheese!  To be honest, my stomach wasn’t happy (but how could I say no to all these wonderful treats!).

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Food for Life had a HUGE booth but I never saw a single representative.  I didn’t see any new products out to display, so I’m assuming their presence was mostly for buyers/customers that didn’t yet have their standard lines.

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Of all their products, their sprouted breads and english muffins are my favorite.  The faux chik’n nuggets and veggie burgers aren’t the best.  I still have yet to try their granola or pasta though.

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Mary’s Gone Crackers will soon have COOKIES on the shelves.

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N’Oatmeal Raisin (without oats) was out for people to try.  Mmmm.

The thing I noticed very quickly about the show was how huge the role of allergies were in all the new product lines.  Gluten free was DEFINTELY this years hot trend.  There were wheat-free options at every turn, and even the most obviously non gluten items (ie pulled pork) had the GF label proudly displayed on every part of their packaging.

While I love this trend of awareness for the gluten free community and those suffering from food allergies, I am leery about the motives behind some of the companies.  It seems that several of them had no idea WHY there was a need for this kind of food in the market.  Rather than research the rationale, they simply went with the buzz word of the moment to get attention on their product.  I suspect these are the companies that won’t have the longest shelf life and come 2012 they will be absent from Expo West.  By contrast, the more responsible companies (ie Enjoy Life Foods) with actual knowledge supporting their motives will continue to thrive.

LARABAR!!!

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Chocolate Chip Brownie, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Carrot Cake, and Blueberry Muffin

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Love

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Of course I had to stop by and say hi to my beloved Alvarado Street Bakery.

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Their new line of breads are bigger (as in wider) and look especially fluffy for sprouted breads.  Can’t wait for them to hit the shelves!

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Navitas Naturals superfoods

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New from Clif Bar…drumroll please…

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Coconut Chocolate Chip!!!!

 

 

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Eat your heart out.

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Medjools stuffed with coconut butter and peanut butter.

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I’ll take the whole tray thanks.

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Artisana repping their delicious, unique, raw nut butter creations!

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If I worked for this company I’d be so obese.  Cashini is one of my desert island foods for sure.

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Luna and Larry’s organic Coconut Bliss

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They are debuting new flavors in 2011, including lunaberry swirl, chocolate walnut brownie, ginger cookie caramel, and mocha maca crunch.  I think it differs for Canadians, but as usual, the entire line of ice cream is non dairy, soy free, gluten free, and vegan.  Holler.

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Steaz (I was so obsessed with these back in NYC but then I moved to CA and completely forgot about them!)

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They were kind enough to hook me up with a four pack, but accidentally gave me the regular kind as opposed to the zero calorie ones I requested.  Oh well.

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Alexia had the grillers on full blast.

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Sweet potatoes anyone?

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So Delicious was pushing their coconut milk products full blast – coconut ice cream, coconut milk, coconut yogurt, coconut creamer, etc.  And who was there to pimp out the goodies on Saturday???

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My fave hard a$$ trainer Jillian Michaels!

Pacific Natural Foods was another company with a display the size of a small country…

Much more than boxed soups!

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Look at all those non-dairy options!  Oat, hemp, 7 grain, almond…and the latest to hit the shelves is a CHOCOLATE flavored hemp milk.  Sweet!

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Everybody loves Nature’s Path.  I never knew how many different products they had though!  This was a mere fraction of their display.

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I only wish Stonyfield had more dairy free items.

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Zico debuted the world’s 1st chocolate coconut water.  Uh, blech.

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Mrs. May’s is not only a Costco staple (Trio bar love!), but they are the perfect snack for anyone with a food allergy.

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Rounds are their new product coming out soon with fruit and nut fillings wrapped in chocolate love.

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Baby balls

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Had to say hi to my ooey gooey cheesy Daiya friends 🙂  They have a new flavor (Pepper Jack) coming soon!  They were grilling up sammies on one side of the booth…

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While offering up vegan mac ‘n cheese and “cheese” pizza on the other end.

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Bob’s Red Mill had a rather massive area on the show floor…did you know they have over 400 products!?

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Oh and guess what?  I met Bob!!!

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While Nana’s isn’t offering any new flavors, they did have Curious George on staff to get kids (and me) excited about their cookie bars.

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Mmmm…minis!

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Justin’s nut butters

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VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER CUPS!

 

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Dear Justin, You officially have my heart and soul (and taste buds).

New Gardein goodies!

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According to their rep, frozen meals are their best sellers.  I like that their products come in re-sealable bags so you can choose your own portion based on what you are doing with it (salad topping, entree, whatever).  This is especially useful in the packaging of their frozen veggie burger patties, which never seem to avoid frostbite in my experience (I’m looking at you Boca).

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I sampled the Mandarin Orange Crispy Chik’n made fresh on the skillet one frozen bag at a time.

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Oh ma (faux) chik-a-dees was this good.  Vegan or not, add this to your grocery list stat.

Ozery Baking Inc.

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Time for Morning Rounds!

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This Canadian company wins the award for cutest product name.

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Sunland Peanut Butter

 

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Nasoya’s Super Hummus is basically like the tofummus I made way back when (but far thicker).  They also make a spinach garlic flavor.  I don’t really buy into the whole mega protein thing, but it tasted good, so that’s all that matters.

 

 

Given the small percentage of photos I took, and the even smaller percentage I am showing you now, you can imagine the magnitude of the day.  There were THOUSANDS of companies present.  I was in vegan foodie heaven.  I came home with some major loot, which I have already started to make my way through.

Like trick or treating in a Whole Foods – could you fathom anything better?

All in all, the weekend was a huge success – I saw new items that I am thrilled to see hit the shelves and I met people who are changing the way the nation eats.  Vegans have much to look forward to, but then, so do non-vegans as well.  I truly can’t wait for the average market to catch up with the natural foods market, because what I saw at Expo West was more than an explosion of fabulous flavors, companies have the consumer’s health in mind.

What’s your favorite healthy/natural foods company?

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Comments (51)

  1. Annabel @ www.FeedMeImCranky.com

    i would have gained twenty pounds at that expo. I love the simplicity in how the dates were served! get in my belly!

  2. Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine

    I AM SO UNBELIEVABLY JEALOUS OF YOU RIGHT NOW. Seriously, there are no words. Ahhhh. I live on the wrong side of the country. We knew that though. Looks like such an amazing time!!

  3. Meg

    Ummm SO green with envy right now 🙂 Looks like a BLAST!

  4. Jess@HealthyExposures

    SOOO jealous!! That looks like what I imagine heaven to be, basically. And I agree with you re: the buzz word of gluten free. I’ve been thinking the same thing myself lately, wondering if companies even realize why there needs to be products that are gluten free – it seems buzz words have switched from “low fat” to things like “gluten free” or “vegan” or “all natural.” I just bought dates recently that say “vegan,” for Pete’s sake! Is that not a little ridiculous?
    I love that Ozery bread!! Well, the kinds I’ve tried thus far, anyway 😛

  5. Emily

    Wow, that looks like it was awesome!!!

  6. Jennifer@ knackfornutrition

    what i wouldnt give to have that opportunity!! oy vey it’s overwhelming. i love your pictures!!

  7. elise

    hahah. vegan dates. i love it. so insane (and sad) how marketing is geared at idiots. we as consumers need to get educated so we can demand more knowledge from the companies.

  8. Heidi @ Food Doodles

    Wow I am jealous! Thanks for sharing with us! It looked awesome 🙂

  9. Melissa

    this is such a bloggers dream. So many amazing products! enjoy

  10. elise

    thanks! it was a blast 🙂

  11. movesnmunchies

    kdjfljsdfjsdfgjdlkfjuifdjkfudksfdk
    SOOOOOOO JEALOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  12. hippierunner

    OMG!! faux orange chicken?! I need to find that! A frozen kind would be amazing since the only other time I have it is in my fave veg restaurants in Pasadena and Silverlake!

  13. Stephanie

    I live so close to that place and knew nothing about this event! 🙁 I should be ashamed for being a inactive resident. haha!

    Seriously, how did you know about this event? Are there any other events similar to this coming up soon? I want to go!!!

  14. Jessica @ Dairy Free Betty

    Oh my gosh!! Foodie Heaven or what?!!? Lucky lady

  15. cbrady3

    After reading yours, Monicas, and Melissa’s reviews, I am DYING to go to this one day!! Seems like foodie heaven!

  16. Marci

    Sooo awesome. I don’t think of Alexia as healthy food, but we do love their fries when we don’t feel like baking our own.
    Would have loved to sample so many of those without having to buy a whole bag or box in the store. Don’t you feel special to get a sneak peak!?

  17. Olivia

    Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups!?! OMG!! everything, seriously, everything looks incredible on here. Thank you so much for taking and posting such tantalizing pictures!!! I’m so jealous that you got to go to such an awesome expo, I’m curious is this an expo where you have to be invited to to go? Or can you buy a ticket? I’m guessing you must be invited…?

    Anyway, I absolutely cannot WAIT for the coconut bliss new flavors!

  18. elise

    You have to be in the industry to go and even then tickets are pretty $$$$. And unless you are a buyer, companies dont exactly want to give you a ton of samples aside from those on display. I felt pretty damn lucky to get to go.

  19. elise

    well don’t feel too bad because it’s not open to the public. you have to either be a buyer or seller (or some other role in the health foods industry) to go and tickets are still $$$$$. it was a dream to be there. seriously. heaven on earth!

  20. elise

    i agree about alexia….but they are a nice treat every once in a while.

  21. elise

    i LOVE gardein’s products.

  22. vegansmarties

    This looks aaamazing! Soo jealous right now 🙂 Sounds like you had a great time! My mouth is watering from those peanut butter cups now…

    http://vegansmarties.wordpress.com/

  23. BroccoliHut

    Just to reiterate what others have said–I am SO jealous! I can only dream of attending such an awesome expo!

  24. elise

    🙂 it was awesome

  25. Mama Pea

    I am dying. I want to go next year. Can you make that happen?

  26. housewifingaround

    I got turned on just imagining what it would be like to be there lol. Even though we’re all wishing we were there, thanks for sharing. It’s nice to know heaven exists.

  27. Dad2

    Are you kidding me that Jillian was on the floor Saturday and I missed her? The So Licious was amazing!

  28. glidingcalm

    I think all of us are pretty jealous!! Thanks for all of the eye candy Elise!!! someday I will make it to one of those!

  29. Casey

    Foodie Heaven!
    I saw those justins pb cups at some store in Denver, but had no idea they were new!
    Ahhh so much food to look forward to when I get back to America now

  30. mayapamela

    No picture with Jillian Michaels!?

    Loved the sneak preview of all the products, especially from Luna and Larra, Daiya, and Clif. I don’t think Stonyfield would come out with non dairy products considering they are huge advocates for organic dairy farming, but, who knows?

  31. Juliette

    What an awesome event! For me, my fav is LaraBar! Hey, I love Jillian Michaels too.

  32. Paula

    Oh. Holy. Good. Gracious. I think that’s a little bit of what heaven is like 🙂

    You are one lucky duck!

  33. janetha

    I want to kick you. I am so jealous!

  34. elise

    hahahah…kick me!?! you make me laugh 🙂

  35. Leng

    oh that’s a hard question. I can’t narrow it just down to one. Many of my favorites are actually in this post: Bob’s (can’t believe you met him!), Alvarado Street, Alexia… gosh the list can go on and on!

    Btw, I am so jealous of your time at the convention!

  36. missymiller

    I may have to go lay down now that you posted about the Mary’s Gone Cookies….just. too. excited.

    I love your blog….I have only begun recently and can’t wait to keep reading.

    Blove ya! Missy.

  37. Brown On Rice

    Ok, maybe I need to move out of my denial phase with lactose. It took me 3 days to look through this one post because I kept going back and looking at the photos and descriptions. This probs won’t be my last look, but this 3rd time around is really making me re-evaluate my dairy intake. Being in denial is so much better than giving into reality. Let’s dine out soon! I’ve still got coupons!

  38. elise

    thank missy!

  39. elise

    denial is not better. come to the healthy side!!! youll feel so much better!!

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  41. Haley

    I was totally there this weekend!! It was the most amazing thing everrrr! The Ozery bread was sooooo good I thought. And I highly recommend the Coconut Bliss ginger cookie caramel, but I still think that So Delicious has better coconut milk ice cream. I can’t wait until next year!
    P.S. I met Bob too! It made my life haha

  42. elise

    soooo cool right!?!? ive still never tried so delicious but if jillians a fan…

  43. Katie (quickcookrice)

    You had me at vegan peanut butter cups. YUM! Thanks for sharing this food porn. It was *almost* as good as getting to go. A gal can dream.

  44. elise

    You’re welcome 🙂

  45. Tracy

    I was at a Peet’s coffee in LA a few years ago and they had bottled water that said “fat free” on the label….!

  46. elise

    thats literally the craziest thing ive ever heard.

  47. kissmybroccoli

    “Like trick or treating in a Whole Foods – could you fathom anything better?” –Oh my Lord! You would’ve had to ROLL me out of there by the end of the day! Wow!

  48. elise

    You should come with me next year. Well be glutinous together 🙂

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