Expo East 2016: A Recap

Expo East (the Natural Products Expo on the East Coast) 2016 once again had quite a few kosher products being displayed. The buzzwords listed about the products were vegan, vegetarian, GMO-free, gluten-free, free from major allergens, energy, chia, coconut, cold-brewed coffee, fermented and raw.

The “free-from-allergen” movement has opened up the market to milk alternatives from various nuts and seeds, pareve ice creams, pareve chocolate, and pareve snacks, all of which are highly desirable products for the kosher market.

Protein was one of the top descriptors of products. I saw protein smoothies, protein powder to add to smoothies and other foods, pea protein, peanut protein, whey protein, protein bars, protein balls, protein chips, and pasta.

One of my interests is looking for products that contain protein and can be eaten by people on the go or who are traveling through a location without kosher resources. Some of the products that caught my eye were Explore Cuisine soups and bean pastas, Lightlife Smart Jerky, and House Foods Tofu Bar. All of these products help people who keep kosher to eat healthy wherever they go.