What We Carried Home from Expo West

Between the fourth adaptogenic soda sample and the eighth protein-something (protein popcorn, protein pretzels, protein coffee… you get the idea), our humble herbal abode inspired by Santa Fe was at the Natural Products Expo West.

If you wandered by our booth, you might have found us by following the scent of jasmine (real plants only of course, which yes, went to a good home after the expo), or through word of mouth about the beauty of the booth and the new branding. We heard more than once that people came just to see it. Not to brag, but we’ll take it.

Herbalists, retailers, curious newcomers, and longtime friends of the brand gathered around our booth to talk about plants, formulas, and herbal medicine, which is really why we were there.

Also, for the record: our High Desert Hydrator mocktail made with ChlorOxygen Lemonade was a hit. Walking Expo West is a bit like an endurance sport, and chlorophyll-powered hydration turned out to be exactly what the booth crawl required.

But beyond the conversations and mocktails, Expo West is also a moment to step back and ask bigger questions about the industry we’re all participating in. The Expo is an interesting experience to witness where the ‘natural products’ industry is headed, how brands are positioning themselves, and the trends of the moment (many cringe moments if we can be completely honest).

Expo West is always a fascinating experience. It’s exciting, overwhelming, and inspiring, with a splash of irony.

The Marketplace of Function

One thing was impossible to miss: functionality everywhere.

Protein appeared in almost every category imaginable from popcorn to beverages to desserts, as brands chase consumer demand for high-performance foods. 

Functional beverages, hydration powders, and ingredient “stacks” promising multiple benefits in a single product were also everywhere. 

In many ways, the show floor felt like a laboratory of modern wellness culture: ingredients layered upon ingredients, benefits stacked on benefits, convenience optimized for a busy world to feed consumers. That’s when we were reminded of the power we have as businesses not to ‘feed’ consumer needs, but the responsibility we have to be a bridge between actual deep-rooted nourishment, health education, and the people and places we harvest from.

Seeds, Farmers, and Systems

The natural products industry owes its existence to agriculture and seeds, yet the farmers themselves often remain invisible behind finished products. Imagine an Expo where the growers of medicinal herbs stood alongside the brands who formulate them (spoiler alert for how we may just show up next year). Where buyers could meet the people cultivating Echinacea, Chamomile, or Osha. Where the story of soil health, seed stewardship, and regenerative agriculture shared equal space with marketing claims and packaging design. The health of our products is inseparable from the health of the landscapes that grow them.

One of the moments we appreciated most during the week was an event hosted by Non-GMO Project and A Growing Culture, which brought attention to seed sovereignty and the people protecting the genetic diversity of our food and medicine systems.

Their “Free the Seed” gathering invited brands to stand in solidarity with seed keepers and the global seed sovereignty movement. This kind of conversation is essential because without seeds, none of our products or this expo would exist. Another highlight was having dinner with Sustainable Herbs Initiative and its fellow members, who together form a coalition committed to sustainable sourcing in the herbal industry. There are incredible movers and shakers in this food movement committed to reshaping the future we are stepping into, and we’re honored to be part of the conversations.

The newest label introduced by the Non-GMO Project - focusing on non-ultra-processed foods - also points toward a growing cultural shift.

Consumers are beginning to ask deeper questions about how food is made, not just what ingredients appear on the label. From an herbalist perspective, this feels like an important moment, as we are collectively expanding beyond plants as inputs in a manufacturing chain, and more as living participants.

The Mycelial Network

Trade shows tend to present the industry as a collection of brands competing for shelf space. But if we zoom out, what we actually saw at Expo West was an interconnected mycelial network:

• Farmers

• Seed keepers

• Wild harvesters

• Formulators

• Educators

• Retailers

• Practitioners

• Eaters & Medicine Users

Each one plays a role in shaping the future of natural health. Which leads to questions we found ourselves asking while walking the aisles:

• What would happen if this industry used its collective power not just to sell products but to elevate the systems behind them?

• What if brands partnered more intentionally with farmers?

• What if ingredient sourcing became a shared mission instead of a competitive advantage?

• What if the natural products movement worked together to protect biodiversity, seed sovereignty, and regenerative agriculture?

The truth is, this industry already holds enormous influence. It shapes supply chains, agricultural practices, consumer awareness, and global demand for plants. Used wisely, that influence could help build healthier ecosystems, not just healthier products.

Why We Keep Coming Back

Despite the overwhelm, the trends, the marketing theatrics, and the occasional protein-infused surprise, Expo West still reminds us why this work matters.

Because beneath it all, there is still a deep love of plants. We saw it in the herbalists sharing formulas with retailers. In the clinicians discussing traditional uses of herbs. In the curious newcomers asking their first questions about plant medicine. And in the longtime friends of the brand who stopped by our booth just to say hello.

Herbal medicine has always moved person to person.

Teacher to student.

Practitioner to community.

Friend to friend.

Trade shows may be loud, crowded, and occasionally cringy, but they are also places where those relationships continue to grow.

And that, more than anything else, is why we’ll see you again next year (hopefully with a farmer by our side).

Until next time, Expo West. 🌿