So two years ago I attended Expo West as an exhibitor and was appalled to find that the year's big trend was "green" comfort food, that is, frozen hot dogs and hamburgers and the like with slightly greener ingredients.  The green junk-food trend seemed at the time a flagrant slap in the face of the movement out of which the Natural Products Expo grew, and seemed a distinctly unhealthy trend.

Last year that trend waned tremendously (thankfully), replaced by an EXPLOSION of gluten free products.  Upon reviewing them, I mentioned that many tasted like cardboard, a comment that caused me no end of trouble as it earned the ire of a commenter who crashed my blog server, made me lose scores of blog entries, and from which I'm STILL recovering data.  Let that be a lesson to you- don't mess with the gluten-free lobby!

No particular trend shined out above all the others this year.  Some peculiarities that I noticed included branded Stevia (as in, Sweet & Low for kids, Nutra-Sweet for Senior Citizens, something which I don't get at all), a growth in the use of tapioca to replace corn syrup, and several booths advertising "Non-GMO Soy!" (thank you Food, Inc.).  Gluten Free was represented (but greatly diminished), and if I saw a few more Aloe Vera beverage companies than I saw last year, I only mention it because I'm entertained by the notion of food executives thinking that they've got the "Next Big Thing" in the form of a beverage which, when you drink it, feels like you're swallowing a squid.

I did see one REALLY fun thing at Expo West, sort of a fusion of the use of new marketing tools for old classics (like the "greening" of comfort-food), and the angry passion of the Gluten-Free lobby:  I saw a PROTEST out from of the convention hall featuring about 100 young-ish people marching with signs saying things like "I won't fight for General Mills" and "UN-Natural Expo", chanting things like "Hey!  That's sick!  These brands are not organic!" and "Hey, Ho, what is wrong with Expo?!?". 

They were trying to reclaim Expo West for the revolutionaries who they perceived had sold out.  Now THAT'S a food trend to watch.  When the revolutionaries have to revolt against their own movement, then the revolution is officially over.  But at least that lets us get back to business.

And I'm happy to say that business is good.  Happy Snacking,

Peeled Skinny