In this episode of The Natural List, co-hosts Adrienne Smith and Jessica Rubino welcome New Hope Editor Meredith Kaufman to the show. The episode beings with a discussion of new AI features in the self-checkout at the grocery store. They then pivot to Meredith’s takeaways from the recent Sweets & Snacks Expo.

First up in the trend recap, the trio discusses whether sweets need to be functional. They dive into protein specifically and debate if shoppers really want it in their desserts (Meredith says yes; Adrienne says no; Jessica is neutral). On the protein front, they dive into meat jerky, which Meredith says had a strong presence at Sweets & Snacks.

Next up is a candy taste testing. They first sample Hormbles Chormbles, a new protein-enhanced chocolate bar, and Nebula Snacks, a zero-sugar chocolate cup. The team takes a brief intermission to discuss artificial food dyes and how new regulations could bring cleaner products to consumers but may also increase costs and cause supply chain issues in the short term. The episode wraps up with a Starburst Goodies sampling, a gummy created by Mars that is free from artificial ingredients.