Last week retailers, brands and industry thought leaders in the world of Natural, Organic and Wellness converged at the CHFA NOW Vancouver trade show. BritOn Solutions Group was there again, checking out the trends, meeting with clients and supporting the innovators who pitched their products to a panel of high profile industry veterans at the CHFA Launch Pad Competition. 

Now in our second year of membership and sponsorship, we couldn’t be more proud and excited for all the finalists and winners.

For the first time in recent years, the CHFA show took place during the week and this made for a very different energy level over the course of the event. While there was not a massive rush of attendees, there was a consistent flow of people which allowed for a much more favourable opportunity to stop, ask questions and discuss the brands and innovations that caught our attention. 

Overall, we observed a continuation of key trends from recent shows.  

More great tasting plant-based products:

• More plant-based meat alternatives, such as plant-based sushi and salmon made from ingredients like carrots and konjac
• More ready to eat plant-based meals with ingredients and inspiration from around the world
• More dairy-free milk alternatives like almond milk, oat milk, and coconut milk
• More plant-based snacks like veggie chips, roasted chickpeas, and plant-based cheese

An amplified focus on sustainability:

• More compostable, sustainable and reusable packaging solutions 
• An amazing example of upcycling from BC’s Mindful FÜD, which uses fallen apples from a nearby orchard as a core ingredient in their Bee-Mindful HOT Hunnie (made from apples, not bees)

Functional foods and beverages:

• More probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir and kombucha, along with a multitude of supplement options for gut health
• More superfood powders such as spirulina, maca and matcha for added nutrients
• Functional beverages like collagen-infused water, adaptogenic teas and energy-boosting drinks
• An amazing innovation from Freshfield that crosses over a few of the key trends: their Ocean Saving Omega™ (Vegan) Fish Oil Replacement that is both functional and sustainable. Fishfield took home the big prize at this year’s CHFA Launch Pad event (congratulations to Michael Mazur and the entire Freshfield team on an impressive range of products!) 

More great tasting, healthy snacking options:

• Protein bars and salty snacks made with ingredients like nuts, seeds and plant-based protein sources
• Nut mixes and clusters with a variety of flavours and seasonings 
• An impressive range of great tasting, healthy meat snacks from Mitsoh – their Pemmican is made using a time-honoured tradition passed down through generations 
• Several cleaner, healthier salty and savoury snacks from Snack Factory and Kettle Chips, including their two new air fried items that are batch cooked in kettles then air fried, delivering the same great taste and 25% less fat than regular Kettle brand chips

Beauty and skincare innovations:

• Clean beauty products free from harmful chemicals and artificial fragrances. Dr. Squatch and Every Man Jack booths were extremely busy and attracted lots of attention! 
• Skincare products with natural ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and botanical extracts; congratulations to the CHFA Launch Pad finalist Neo Naturelle on their “C-Major” 23% Natural Vitamin C Serum which brings clean, high quality plant-based ingredients, coupled with a science-forward approach into the world of skin care 

As we continue navigating through these challenging economic times, it was obvious that many categories and brands are already outperforming their mainstream counterparts, and others are poised for another phase of exceptional growth. With the vast majority of Canadians not following any particular diet, rather just trying to eat and live healthier, the participants at CHFA NOW Vancouver should be extremely excited about their growth prospects. Now the challenge remains: how to get these products into the market as efficiently as possible while focusing on how to build awareness, engagement, followership and activation. (We can help!).

This was BritOn’s third CHFA event in the last 12 months. We are proud of our visible, active support for this industry and also energized by the entrepreneurial spirit of these events. We look forward to seeing everyone at the next one in Toronto this September!

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BritOn Solutions Group Inc. is a boutique sales and marketing consulting agency with advanced expertise in crafting comprehensive, multi-disciplinary strategies that deliver profitable revenue and growth for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies, brokers and retailers. Visit britonsg.com to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

*Photos & images courtesy of Chris Rodkin