The Natural List

In this episode, we dive into the dynamic food service universe, and how healthier for you—and the planet—options are making their way into restaurants, dormitories, hospitals, airlines and more. 

The global food service industry is now valued at between one and three trillion dollars, representing a world of opportunity for CPG companies looking to expand their distribution strategies. From primo menu placements to innovative campus popups and in-flight makeovers, we highlight some of the most exciting things happening in CPG outside of retail. 

Plus, we spoke with Rob Morasco, vice president of innovation at Sodexo Campus, and Jennifer DiFrancesco, director of culinary innovation at Sodexo Campus, about the top trends in on-campus dining and what it means for the future of food service. 

From the “humble ham” to a luxurious foie gras, Prime Roots’ plant-based revolution is coming to a deli counter near you. By relying on hero ingredient koji, Berkley-based innovator (and Certified B Corp!) Prime Roots has launched a selection of mind-blowing meat analogues that include roasted ham to salami, pâté and, our favorite, koji foie gras. In this episode, we talk to the company's co-founder Kimberlie Le about the brand's origins, impacts and how she's transforming Old World deli products into clean, sustainable plant-based charcuterie coming to a food service location near you. Plus, hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith unveil the most convincing and delicious vegan products for creating a wow-worthy platter free from animal products.

For many, the mushrooms craze is somewhat new, or at least newly embraced. But for world-renowned mycologist Paul Stamets, it’s affirmation of something that, in nearly four decades of impassioned work, he never wavered on: Mushrooms can change the world. 

Stamets has spent 40 years funneling resources into the study of mycelium. He is the founder and owner of Fungi Perfecti and Host Defense, co-founder of Mycomedica Life Sciences, co-director of the nonprofit the Center for Ecological consciousness and the author of multiple books describing psilocybin mushroom identification and cultivation.

In this episode of The Natural List, we connect with Stamets to discuss mycelium, psilocybin and so much more, including the important role that kindness and connection should play in today’s business landscape. 

In this episode of The Natural List, we connect with Scott Dicker of SPINS and Nutrition Business Journal's Bill Giebler to make sense of the supplement industry's "wild ride" through the unprecedented sales growth peak of 2020 to the harsh, but healthy, normalization of 2023. From mushrooms to menopause and everything in between, we functional coffee talk the many trends driving the industry innovation of 2024.

Join us for this conversation from the trenches of the Natural Products Expo East show floor, where health-focused companies launched some of the most exciting wellness, nutrition and functional food and beverage products into the retail market.

What’s on our radar as we hit the show floor at Natural Products Expo East, one of the country’s largest natural products tradeshows? From the continued rise of NA beverages and soulful CPG to plastic-free packaging and the new face of fiber, Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith share the top natural food, supplement and personal care trends to have on your radar now. Learn more about these trends here (for the newhope.com article, link to the trends article that just went live; for Captivate, point to newhope.com). 

In this episode of The Natural List, Jake Deleon, founder of Fila Manila and co-founder of Founders Heritage, joins Jessica and Adrienne to discuss ways of challenging the CPG paradigm and how to take action around equity in funding and retail distribution.

Founders Heritage is a community of entrepreneurs whose products represent the founder’s authentic heritage. From its launch with five brands to a thriving community of 60, including Yai's Thai, Maazah, Nona Lim and others, Founders Heritage celebrates cultural diversity in CPG and retail. 

Join the three-time NEXTY Award winner as he shares insights from the other side of the NEXTY judging table. Eager to meet some of the Founders Heritage brands leading the charge of global flavors? Check out the Founders Heritage block at Natural Products Expo East in Exhibit Hall A.

In this episode of The Natural List, Founder of The Future Market, Mike Lee, joins Jessica and Adrienne for a discussion about defining responsible innovation and evaluating a brand's positive and negative externalities. Initially inspired by the concept cars at Detroit automobile shows, Mike unearthed an early appreciation for products that could do good for people and planet and delighted in the preview of future possibilities. 

In a few weeks’ time at the New Hope Innovation Experience, Natural Products Expo East and The Future Market will create a musuem-like experience that brings these forward-thinking concepts to life. The Innovation Experience is the ideal place to learn about, engage with, taste, discuss and even challenge the newest innovations that have potential to change the world.

Jumpstart your adventure into future innovations by listening to this engaging discussion with an innovation expert. As Mike says, “today’s innovations are stepping stones to the things you might see 20 years from now.” Find out how you can look for little signals about the future; after all, every big trend in today’s market started out as something small.

For over a decade, the NEXTY Awards have recognized innovative, inspirational, and integrity-driven natural products at Natural Products Expos West and East. Now open to all natural products brands—regardless of whether or not they are exhibitors at these shows—the NEXTYS are a platform for some of today’s most value-driven and exciting brands, many of which are embracing creative solutions to some of the most pressing issues impacting people and the planet.

For the Expo East 2023 edition of these awards, New Hope Network’s team of editors and analysts were joined by a range of industry experts to narrow down the list of 400 nominated products to 69 finalists across 20 categories, as well as to choose the winners. In this episode of The Natural List, Jessica and Adrienne talk to two of these esteemed NEXTY judges: Emily Schildt, CEO and founder of Pop Up Grocer, and Douglas Yu, Senior Contributor at Forbes.

Listen as our judges reflect on current consumer trends, communicating a brand’s mission, and their favorite moments from the NEXTYS.

Innovative women leaders are redefining the health and wellness industry 

Today, around 75% of Americans take dietary supplements, whether for health maintenance, daily optimization, or long-term prevention. But a lot goes on behind the scenes at the companies that provide these pills and powders to ensure that consumers' expectations are met.

At an executive event in Rancho Palos Verdes called the NBJ Summit, leaders from ingredient suppliers, supplement brands and retailers gathered to discuss the opportunities in this multi-billion-dollar industry. From AI-driven clinical trials and dynamic omnichannel sales strategies to scientific validation and ingredient transparency, the future of dietary supplements is largely being shaped by women leaders who are redefining the narrative around nutrition.

In this episode of The Natural List, Jessica Rubino, New Hope Network's VP of content, speaks with two of the supplement industry's brightest minds: Kat Schneider, CEO of women's supplement brand Ritual, and Pelin Thorogood, co-founder and executive chair of Radicle Science, a company working to democratize nutrition research. Plus, in the "The List" segment, we highlight five award-winning supplement companies and the people who make them shine.

How to support the brand innovators and industry disruptors of tomorrow

FounderMade, which began as a pitch event in 2015, has grown into a large-scale media company that specializes in "best-in-class content and experiences created specifically for tomorrow's brand innovators." Today, the FounderMade Innovation Show connects over 1200 industry leaders in beauty, food and wellness for a full day of networking, discovery and education. 

In today’s episode of The Natural List, Michelle Finizio, president and co-founder of FounderMade, details her journey from a background in the accelerator ecosystem to the evolution of world-class trade shows that support entrepreneurs. Find a cozy seat, and join our conversation about creating intimate communities, the next big themes in the founder space, and continuing to evolve human experiences.