The Natural List

This week’s episode of The Natural List Podcast offers listeners an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Nutrition Capital Network (NCN) Fall Meeting in San Francisco and dives into one of the most exciting trends shaping the health and wellness industry: Health span.  

Co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith are joined by NCN Investment Business Development Manager Jennifer Pfeifer to explore how NCN fosters meaningful connections between brands and investors, while also unpacking the generational drivers behind the health span trend. 

Listeners will gain insights into the mentorship and community-building that NCN provides, as well as the innovative brands and products that are capturing investor attention. Functional beverages, supplements and health span innovations are at the forefront of investor interest, with a focus on partnerships built on collaboration that go beyond just financial backing. The emphasis on partnership—where investors contribute both expertise and funding—is key to NCN’s success. 

Our hosts and guest also explore the health span conversation, sharing insights into how different generations are engaging with health span and the unique opportunities that creates for brands to meet evolving consumer needs.  

This episode is sponsored by Premier Research Labs. To learn more, visit their website. https://prlabs.com/  

Enjoy our vodcasts here or on YouTube. Prefer to tune in via podcast? Join us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.  

Get ready to feel inspired! This episode of The Natural List celebrates mission-driven brands that truly give back. With so many incredible CPG companies making a difference, choosing just a handful to spotlight was no easy feat. 

Jessica and Adrienne welcome special guest Meredith Kaufman, editor at New Hope Network, for an engaging conversation about brands that embody gratitude 365 days a year. Together, they explore Meredith's curated gallery of standout companies: Those with mission woven into their DNA, brands committed to charitable giving and everything in between. 

What does it really mean to be "mission-driven" in today's marketplace? While our industry naturally gravitates toward creating healthier products for people and planet, there's a beautiful spectrum of ways to build purpose into your business model. Tune in to discover how these brands are redefining what it means to do well by doing good. 

This episode of The Natural List podcast, with co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith, explores what's been happening in the CPG industry lately. The conversation kicks off by discussing the rise in traditional brands embracing cleaner formulations, highlighting how "clean beauty" trends are reaching into conventional retail channels. The duo then shifts focus to Thanksgiving favorites, featuring insights from Meredith Kaufman's latest gallery on seasonal must-haves, including a sweet potato and chickpea stuffing, innovative uses for tallow in holiday cooking, and a pumpkin pie filling that's making that homemade taste easier than ever. They then cover the major restructuring happening at Justin's, where founder Justin Gold is taking a more prominent leadership role while Hormel transitions to minority shareholder status. Jessica and Adrienne analyze what this strategic shift means for the brand and how it might influence their future innovation strategies.

Watch until the end of the episode where the hosts also preview the upcoming CPG Innovation Summit, a brand new event coming to Expo West 2026. They discuss how different perspectives are shaping what innovation means in the natural products industry, highlighting the importance and timeliness of an event like this.

Whether you're tracking investment trends, exploring brand positioning strategies, or seeking inspiration for product development, this episode has something for you. Listen to

The Natural List to stay up to date on what's driving today's natural products market. Add the show to your weekly rotation, because upcoming The Natural List episodes will feature more details on keynote speakers, Expo West updates and additional CPG Innovation Summit announcements coming soon. This episode is sponsored by Premier Research Labs. To learn more, visit their website.

The natural products industry is all interconnected. In fact, trends that start in the supplement industry often make their way into other areas of the industry. Stay ahead of the curve and join co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith as they welcome guest Bill Giebler, content and insights director of Nutrition Business Journal, for an exciting recap of SupplySide Global 2025. 

Jessica and Bill attended the event, which took place from October 27–30, 2025, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fresh from the trade show floor, Jessica and Bill share their firsthand insights into the most compelling trends shaping the natural products industry, including the rising prominence of the ingredient Shatavari and how brands are innovating to capture the attention of health-conscious Gen Z consumers. 

The conversation dives deep into the evolving landscape of healthy aging, exploring how the industry is reframing conversations around longevity and wellness to resonate with different demographics. The hosts also discuss the newly released theme of the 2025 NBJ Summit that encompasses industry experiences.  

Whether you're an industry professional or simply passionate about natural health trends, this episode delivers valuable insights straight from one of the industry's most important gatherings.  

This episode is sponsored by Premier Research Labs. To learn more, visit their website.

This episode of The Natural List provides essential insights for investors, CPG brands and retailers looking to understand the regenerative agriculture movement's impact on dairy investments. Co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith break down why companies focusing on sustainability and farm-to-consumer transparency are capturing both consumer attention and investor dollars. The duo discusses a recent article by Nutrition Capital Network Executive Director Mike Dovbish, which highlights the key trends and investments happening in this category.

The conversation kicks off with pop culture and industry observations before shifting focus to the notable transformation happening in dairy investments. With the Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ) predicting that dairy will account for 15% of total natural and organic product industry sales in 2025, this episode unpacks the key drivers behind this growth trajectory and why investors are on board.

Whether you're tracking natural product investment trends or exploring opportunities in the dairy space, this episode delivers actionable intelligence on one of 2025's most dynamic growth categories.

This episode is sponsored by Premier Research Labs. To learn more, visit their website.

In this episode:

0:00 – Pop culture trend recap

0:51 – 17-free nail polish update: Ella and Mila vs Mineral Fusion comparison

2:50 – New Hope Network’s 2026 Trend Predictions dropped on October 20th. Let us know if we missed any!

3:20 – Dairy ranks second in terms of growth in 2024, on track for the same in 2025

4:04 – Nutrition Capital Network (NCN) Fall Event happening November 12th, 2025

5:00 – How regenerative and sustainable dairy companies are attracting major investment

5:30 – Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ) predicts that dairy will account for 15% of total natural and organic product industry sales in 2025

5:52 – Chobani's massive $650M investment round in October 2025

6:20 – Strauss Family Creamery's Series B funding with Grounded Capital leadership

8:32 – NBJ data revealing dairy's projected top 3 growth status through 2029

9:20 – Painterland Sisters' successful seed funding and their strategy of perfecting basic flavors

12:14 – Alec's Ice Cream, a brand focused on sustainability, storytelling and strategic partnerships, secured $11M funding in Series A round led by Imaginary Ventures

14:24 – Read Mike Dovbish's comprehensive analysis on newhope.com here.

Enjoy our vodcasts here or on YouTube.

In this week’s episode of The Natural List, hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith talk with Cynthia Barstow, founder of Protect Our Breasts and professor at UMass, to explore how Gen Z is reshaping the natural products landscape.  

As the host of the podcast "Shelf Sense, the stories behind our stuff," Cynthia brings unique insights into how today's young consumers approach health, wellness and brand authenticity. She has also contributed to NewHope.com in the past, discussing chemical concerns in plastic packaging. https://www.newhope.com/business-management/4-tips-to-get-ahead-of-chemical-concerns-in-packaging 

Today’s conversation goes deep into Gen Z's data-driven mindset, their quest for transparency, and their complex relationship with trust in an era of information overload and social media.  

Through Cynthia’s experience talking with and teaching Gen Z students, this conversation discusses her perspective on the habits of these consumers. This generation is redefining what it means to make informed purchasing decisions in the natural products space. 

From food and beverage innovations to what’s new and noteworthy in supplements and personal care, this week’s episode of The Natural List breaks down the New Hope Network 2026 trend predictions! Co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith walk through the 10 trends predicted to make waves in the CPG and natural products industry in the coming year. 

Now is the time to start thinking about your 2026 planning, and these trends aren't just predictions—they're grounded in real data from Nutrition Business Journal, hands-on observations from major industry events like Expo West and Newtopia Now and comprehensive market intelligence gathered by our New Hope Network team to help brands stay ahead of the curve. 

According to New Hope Network's Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ), the industry’s size has more than tripled since 2007, reaching an impressive $325 billion in 2024—with projections to hit $343 billion this year. And with so many entries into the market, one thing is clear: The most successful brands can differentiate their offerings both on the shelf and behind the scenes through value propositions that go beyond pure profit to also support people and planet. 

Watch the full episode to learn what these top 10 trend predictions are and see product examples that are already bringing them to life. 

Welcome back to The Natural List! This week, co-hosts Adrienne Smith and Jessica Rubino are joined by special guest Erika Craft, NBJ market research analyst, to unpack the key findings from NBJ's newest Sports Nutrition and Weight Management Report.  

This episode provides listeners with essential market intelligence on one of the industry's most dynamic sectors, revealing how energy and hydration products are driving significant growth, while emerging trends such as "clean energy" formulations and women's cycle-based nutrition are reshaping product development. The conversation provides actionable insights into consumer behavior shifts, including the surprising demographics around GLP-1 usage and what's really driving purchasing decisions in the $18 billion functional beverages market. 

Whether you're a brand looking to identify the next big opportunity, an investor tracking market trends or a retailer wanting to understand consumer demand, this episode delivers the strategic insights you need to navigate the evolving sports nutrition landscape.  

Our guest breaks down not just what's happening in the market, but why these changes matter and where the industry is headed next, from the untapped potential in women's sports nutrition to innovative product formats that are expanding beyond traditional categories and reaching new consumers. 

For the complete data and analysis behind these insights, be sure to check out NBJ's Sports Nutrition and Weight Management Report.  

This episode is sponsored by Premier Research Labs. 

This episode provides valuable insights for anyone interested in the future direction of organic agriculture, food policy and changing consumer trust patterns in the natural products industry.

Co-host Adrienne Smith welcomes guest Douglas Brown, senior retail reporter at New Hope Network, to discuss his first-time experience at Organic Week 2025 in Washington, DC. The conversation explores the evolving organic landscape as the Organic Trade Association celebrates its 40th anniversary amid political gridlock and changing consumer expectations.

The discussion also delves into how organic must improve its storytelling to compete with regenerative agriculture's appeal, the growing importance of nutrient density metrics and how younger consumers experiencing "badge fatigue" are seeking transparency beyond traditional certifications.

Doug and Adrienne look at organic's balancing act between honoring its roots and staying relevant to new consumers and discuss how emerging technologies in farming, including AI applications like weed-picking robots and ripeness scanners, could fit into the industry.

In this episode:

1:20 – How has the DC food scene changed in the past 10 years?

2:00 - East coast vs West coast seafood debate

2:55 - Doug shares takeaways from his first time at Organic Week in DC.

3:20 - Organic continues to mature as a regulated sector and still strives to honor its roots. Big discussions around how to keep things lively and engaging for new consumers while still working in a highly regulated sector.

3:59 - The OTA celebrates 40 years!

4:29 – There was much discussion around trying to keep organic relevant in the face of uncertainty and political gridlock.

4:50 – Organic advocates and lawmakers are still fighting for the Farm Bill to be passed amidst political change and deadlock.

5:30 – There is tension and opportunity for organic growth with the emergence of regenerative and new consumer expectations.

6:03 – Regenerative has done a great job of storytelling, an opportunity for organic to improve storytelling for newer consumers and stay top of mind. Discussion around nutrient density and how newer consumers are beginning to look for that.

8:15 – There are new players on the organic scene; Many political players were not around when organic regulations were created or when the last Farm Bill was passed (2018).

9:20 – The OTA is insistent on working with lawmakers to ensure that everything needed gets included in this upcoming Farm Bill.

9:45 – Goal of the OTA at Organic Week: Investments in domestic supply chains so farmers don’t face bottlenecks.

10:06 - Goal of the OTA at Organic Week: Passing the Organic Imports Verification Act, to protect the integrity of the organic seal for products grown in other countries

10:34 - Goal of the OTA at Organic Week: Keep stable funding for the National Organic Program, who is responsible for organic regulatory enforcement. If no one is enforcing the organic regulations, the seal crumbles.

11:04 – Goal of the OTA at Organic Week: Discussion around the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which aims to address the labor issues that are specific to organic agriculture. In conventional agriculture, machines do much of the work, but in organic agriculture, more farm labor is needed. The organic industry

12:35 – AI’s opportunity for farming: Robots picking weeds, targeted application of pesticides, scanners that will tell you when your avocado will be ripe

16:43 – Half of baby food is certified USDA organic, and parents expect that as a baseline, showing a large cultural shift from years past.

17:09 – Younger consumers are experiencing “badge fatigue” and don’t automatically trust the USDA organic seal. They want transparency and are leaning towards The Clean Label Project’s heavy metal testing seal. Trust is moving from regulatory seals to proof of performance metrics.

18:41 – Discussions around outcomes-based testing for regenerative farming vs. rules/regulatory systems like the organic industry made some attendees skeptical.

19:45 – Like and subscribe via YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts. We’ll see you next week!

The latest episode of The Natural List tackles the natural products industry's hottest topics with co-hosts Adrienne Smith and Jessica Rubino. As Adrienne prepares to attend One Step Closer's Ripple Fest 2025, the duo dives into who really bears the burden of rising tariffs—brands, consumers, retailers or some combination–a pressing question Jessica will explore further in the upcoming SupplySide Global 2025 session, “Leading through disruption: C-suite strategies for growth, compliance and consumer trust.”

The duo discusses seed oils, dissecting the controversy that's reshaping product marketing and packaging. From "seed oil-free" logos on products that never contained them to innovative approaches like "extra virgin sunflower oil" that promote a better version, the hosts offer clarity amid the confusion, referencing Doug Brown's article on the topic, "The seed oil debate: Separating fact from fiction."

The episode concludes with game-changing market insights: new SPINS data in the New Hope Network State of Natural Industry Snapshot Fall 2025 confirms natural products are outpacing conventional growth across all channels, while sports nutrition crosses into mainstream use—with creatine expanding beyond athletics into cognitive performance and widening the consumer pool. Despite economic headwinds across the supply chain, the hosts support how successful brands are building consumer trust through authenticity and transparency in this rapidly evolving landscape.

In this episode:

0:20 - Adrienne follows up: Is she a pumpkin spice convert?

1:45 – Preview of next week’s episode with Doug Brown

2:11 – Predictions for One Step Closer’s (OSC) Ripple Fest 2025, which Adrienne is attending

5:20 – Discussing different approaches to communicating about tariffs and who absorbs them: Brands, consumers, retailers or a mix?

6:40 – These topics will be discussed at SupplySide Global 2025, at a session Jessica is moderating: Leading through disruption: C-suite strategies for growth, compliance and consumer trust

7:25 – Many of these brands are taking note from brands who have tried sustainable packaging, being open and transpareant about their process and acknowledging that they don’t have all of the answers yet

10:22 – What’s the deal with seed oils? Breaking down the industry buzz on the ingredients found in many processed foods.

11:02 – Doug Brown’s newest article digs into the scientific research behind seed oil claims, offering a great place to understand all points of view.

12:06 – Packaging trends: Logos calling out “no seed oils” or “seed oil free,” even if the product never had seed oils to begin with.

12:23 – Product trends: Products showing how seed oils can be done right, like “extra virgin sunflower oil.”

13:20 - How is the market responding to the buzz around seed oils? Brands are leading with differentiation, like on-package labeling, or education on how the oils used are different.

15:05 – New SPINS data shows that natural is outpacing conventional growth in every channel.

15:21 – How can natural products brands continue to differentiate themselves on shelf? We’re seeing examples through sustainability solutions, supporting people across the supply chain and connecting with consumers in authentic ways despite difficult economic times.

16:51 – Rick Polito’s recent Editor’s Take article finds that “sports nutrition” is just nutrition for lots of people now, as simple as a protein bar or protein shake for a meal.

18:44 – Creatine gains popularity, and consumer interest, as it crosses from sports nutrition into cognitive performance.

19:06 We don’t expect brick and mortar to ever represent less than 80% of the sports nutrition market, despite strong growth viability for e-commerce brands. The in-person use case is simply too strong.