Fresh Take: Delighting In The Food Startup Paradise Known As Expo West

From sea moss beverages to pickle brines and plant-based eggs, Expo West in California is filled with natural products and specialty foods looking to make their mark on the industry.

Yesterday afternoon at the natural products and specialty food playground Expo West, I started dragging under the weight of two massive bags of samples. Then I discovered that actor Michael B. Jordan had just unveiled a line of sea moss beverages, called Moss, and I’ve never been more delighted. As a sea moss-er from time to time, this “water” actually solved a problem for me. Namely, not having to cringe through gulping down a spoonful of this antioxidant-rich gel every time.

Sipping on a bottle of Moss’ mango ginger beverage, my energy returned. I tried tinned fish from Minnow, the strawberry swirl whipped cream from Whipnotic, and the just-launched herby dressing from greenhouse grower Gotham Greens. This is a year filled with Millennial-fueled Hot Fries nostalgia, pickle brines, plant-based eggs in all their potential forms, honeys, pistachio butters and a lot of other weird stuff.

I’ve been one of the thousands meeting founders and trying samples this year, and, while I’m pretty exhausted after a keynote interview and a bunch of meetings, I’m also heading back to the booths today feeling revitalized and inspired. This is the show, after all, where dreams can get made. Chobani billionaire founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya reminded me that yesterday.

More from that interview, and many others, plus a lot more takeaways to come once I’m back from Anaheim. If you see me walking today, say “hi” on the floor!

— Chloe Sorvino, Staff Writer

Source: Forbes