Here’s What to Expect at Expo West 2026: Foods and Beverages that Give Consumers More Out of Every Bite and Sip

 

Will you be at Expo West in Anaheim this coming week? Dairy processors with a booth, I promise to visit. Just attending? Meet me at morning exercise class/yoga in the Grand Plaza at 7:30am! I will be there on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Shoot me a text (312-656-6453). Let’s visit and talk all things dairy. Don’t forget to stop by Dairy Management Inc.’s The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy booth on the second floor of North Hall in the Hot New Products section. It’s booth N2211. 

And today’s blog sponsor—Arm & Hammer Performance Products, a part of Church & Dwight’s Specialty Products Division, the B2B engine behind its legendary bicarbonate products and beyond—is a new player in the “probiotics for dairy space.” Make sure you visit them at booth 3187.

Today’s consumer understands the role of probiotics in promoting overall wellness and is driving demand for continually advanced products. Evolved Probiotics strains are designed to naturally transform in the body, activating targeted health benefits for gut, immune and women’s health. Limosilactobacillus reuteri 3613-1 produces reuterin, a potent antimicrobial compound that inhibits vaginal and urinary pathogens up to 90% more effectively than other strains. For gut health, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 276 is clinically shown to improve digestive health, enhance intestinal barrier repair and increase cell migration in wounded intestinal monolayers, with superior restorative properties compared to competitors. These strains are both built for versatility across key delivery formats, with seamless integration into powder mixes, cultured products and capsules.

The Acosta Group reports that half of U.S. shoppers are worried about artificial ingredients in food. A new ingredients-focused shopper study from Acosta Group underscores the growing importance of transparency in food, beverage and beauty purchasing decisions. Reflecting Acosta Group’s 2026 Predictions, the research highlights how personalization, transparency and trust are shaping wellness-driven consumer behavior. The study, released ahead of Expo West, was conducted with Acosta Group’s proprietary U.S. Shopper community. 

“Label reading is becoming a routine part of shopper decision-making,” said Mark Rahiya, Group President of Omnichannel Sales and Services, Acosta Group. “Consumers are actively seeking ingredients that support specific health goals. That creates an opportunity for natural and organic brands to connect through transparency and clearly communicated benefits.” 

Two-thirds of omni shoppers have a balanced or flexible approach to food and nutrition, selecting both healthy and indulgent foods for their grocery carts based on product availability, taste, occasion and mood. 

A significant percentage of all consumers, however, are selecting products that support health and wellness: 

• 35% of all shoppers define themselves as “health aware,” or trying to eat healthy most of the time but enjoying occasional indulgences. 
• 15% of Gen Z and 21% of Millennials define themselves as “health focused,” or actively seeking nutritious foods, avoiding processed foods and prioritizing health in nearly every food choice, regardless of price. 

“We learned that 58% of all shoppers are reading labels all or most of the time prior to purchasing a new item,” said Kathy Risch, Senior Vice President-Thought Leadership and Shopper Insights, Acosta Group. “That number jumps to 87% for health-focused shoppers. That’s a clear message to brand owners, confirming that ingredient transparency is key to purchasing decisions.” 

And label reading is on the rise, with 40% of health-focused shoppers and 39% of Gen Z saying they’re reading labels more often than they were six months earlier, specifically those who are seeking out nutritious non-processed foods.

For consumers with specific health goals, whether weight management, digestion, allergy-free or increased energy levels, ingredient transparency is critical. More than 25% of U.S. shoppers have someone in their household with an allergy or sensitivity to ingredients in foods, beverages or beauty products, and 76% of these shoppers are reading labels all or most of the time. These shoppers called out natural and specialty stores as the highest-rated for assortment selection.

Consumers report that they are worried about health risks from artificial ingredients, chemicals and preservatives in foods. 

• 50% of all shoppers 
• 79% of health-focused shoppers 
• 63% of natural channel shoppers 

According to this new study, nearly half of all shoppers are aware of national initiatives related to ingredients and product safety, and 58% support efforts to ban synthetic food dyes and certain sweeteners, transition to natural alternatives, and standardize regulations across states. 

Notably, nearly 62% of all shoppers believe that more food product safety regulation is required, with 71% supporting U.S. efforts to meet Europe’s stricter standards on artificial ingredients.

Moving on. Gut microbiome and holistic health awareness drive food and beverage innovation, according to new research from GlobalData.

Rising awareness of the importance of gut health and of the diverse gut microbiome needed to support holistic health goals is driving demand for gut-focused food and beverage products. In addition, greater recognition of the gut-brain axis and its role in supporting mental health and a strong immune system has further reinforced this shift. 

This is substantiated by a 4th quarter 2025 survey by GlobalData with 22,613 respondents across 42 countries. The survey found that 66% of global respondents stated that their food and drinks purchases are either always or often influenced by how the product impacts their health and wellbeing.

“The growing gut microbiome trend is driving demand for innovative gut-health-focused food products,” said Naveed Khan, consumer analyst at GlobalData. “Consumers are increasingly looking for prebiotics and probiotics in food products to improve digestion and gut health. Functional ingredients that boost the immune system, as well as fermented products, are also preferred by consumers for fostering a healthy gut.”

Manufacturers are introducing products that promote a healthy gut to capitalize on this trend. At Expo West 2025, Alec’s Ice Cream introduced Culture Cup, a line of low-guilt ice creams. The company states that the product contains more than a billion probiotics and prebiotics, is low in sugar and is marketed as clean label. 

I promise there will be a lot more players in this space at Expo West 2026. Alec’s Ice Cream will be exhibiting on Tuesday at the Fresh Ideas Organic Marketplace, booth F37, under the Big White Tent.

Khan concludes, “Shifting consumer preferences for holistic health goals are driving the popularity of gut-friendly foods and drinks, which present ample growth opportunities and help attract a larger audience. As holistic health goals gain traction among consumers, manufacturers need to invest more in reformulating products to achieve the desired outcomes and appeal to consumers.” 

See you in Anaheim! 

The Tool for Innovation that all Dairy Processors Need

 

More than 20 years ago, I worked closely with Dairy Management Inc., a U.S. nonprofit organization that promotes and markets dairy products and is funded primarily by dairy farmers through the checkoff program, to develop a series of print publications called “Tools for Dairy Innovation.” I am honored to be collaborating again with DMI to share with you in this blog highlights from DMI’s Health & Wellness Playbook. Additional resources are available at Dairyinnovator.com, which you can reach by clicking on DMI’s banner ad. 

If you will be attending Natural Products Expo West in less than two weeks, please stop by DMI’s The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy at booth N2211. This is on the second floor of the North Hall in the Hot New Products section. They are also hosting an educational session on March 5, 12:30 to 1:30 pm, at the Marriott in Ballroom Platinum 5.

DMI provided Dairy Forum 2026 attendees with a sneak peek of what they have been up to in terms of innovation. After all, now that we have whole milk back in schools and dairy is at the top of the inverted food pyramid, we still need to make sure products remain relevant to what consumers want from food and beverage. DMI’s Health & Wellness Playbook is one of the tools to assist you with your formulating and marketing efforts. (The Daily Dose of Dairy, of course, is another.)

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy’s vision is to create a future where dairy unlocks transformative good for people and the planet. A significant part of the plan is to advance the well-being of the people it serves. This includes delivering dairy nutrition that meets emerging needs in personalized health, while also enhancing nutrition security all around the world. 

We have long known that “milk does the body good.” And today we know more about the how behind this and have even discovered greater benefits with consuming whole dairy foods. Emerging evidence suggests there’s a strong relationship between consumption of dairy foods and reduction in inflammation, improved digestive health and even calming of the nervous system. (I’m currently reading “Let Them” by Mel Robbins. Think of milk and dairy and the edible approach to Let Them.)

During my 30 years-plus in writing for the dairy trade, I have seen the nutrition landscape evolve, first sort of slowly, and in recent years, quite rapidly thanks to advancements in science. Consumers are embracing the “food as medicine” approach to health and wellness, and dairy has a prominent role in it. 

This landscape presents an opportunity to re-establish dairy nutrition leadership. By modernizing dairy’s health and wellness benefits and advancing new innovations that meet personalized needs, we—together--can increase dairy’s relevance and consumption across life stages. 

DMI’s Health & Wellness playbook can assist. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy conducted research that identified 37 health conditions that consumers are actively managing. These were clustered together to create eight demand moments. These demand moments were then evaluated and scored based on level of science, dollar sales opportunities, openness to dairy and existing consumer dissatisfaction. 

The playbook dives deeper into four of the demand moments, providing finished product concepts and approaches to marketing the product to different demographics. I cannot give it all away in this space but can share that the top-four demand moments represent more than a $150 billion market opportunity. 

They are, in order of valuation:

• Growth and Performance (conditions addressed include bone health, energy, hydration and physical/athletic performance)
• Healthy Heart and Weight (conditions addressed include heart health, metabolic health and weight management)
• System Supercharge (conditions addressed include digestive health, general health and joint health/mobility)
• Mental and Emotional Health and Wellness (conditions addressed include cognition, fast-acting energy and mindfulness)

At Dairy Forum 2026, DMI sampled the Daylee prototype, an on-the-go nutrition shake line that starts with a whey protein base that delivers 24 grams of complete protein per serving. Daylee can come in four varieties, each specially formulated to address a specific need. 

• Clarity & Focus contains L-Theanine.
• Digestive Health contains Fiber and Probiotics.
• Energy contains B12 Vitamins. 
• Inflammation & Joint Health contains Cinnamon and Turmeric. 

Another prototype was Elevate, a refrigerated dairy creamer-style product that can whiten coffee, but it can also be used to make dirty soda, overnight oats and more. Each serving is crafted with a targeted nutrition blend including 10 grams of protein. Elevate can come in four varieties, each specially formulated to address a specific need.

• Balance contains Collagen and Vitamins A and K to promote skin health.
• Calm contains Magnesium and L-Theanine to support restful sleep.
• Revive contains Vitamin C and Miracle Berry to support the immune system. 
• Soothe contains Antioxidants and Probiotics to support overall health and gut health. 

Check out this product from Australia, which highlight milk’s inherent electrolytes on the front of package. Milk naturally contains key electrolytes, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. This is something every dairy marketer can be doing right now, especially in flavored milk drink boxes for hydration before, during and after playing sports. 

Dairy Forum 2026: Loving the Path to Continued Growth for Dairy

 

It’s Valentine’s weekend so I am going to get sappy and just put it out there. I LOVE my dairy family. It was wonderful to visit with so many Daily Dose of Dairy subscribers at Dairy Forum. It’s been a rough few years for me since becoming a widow and an empty nester within 45 days on June 23, 2023, but thanks to my dairy family, I can now say that and not feel hollow, or as hollow as I once did. This is another testament to the fact that “we are all better when we work together.” Love one another as you want to be loved!

I hope you love the path to continued growth for dairy as much as I do. 

“Dairy is entering a new era in 2026, blending indulgence, wellness and creativity to meet evolving consumer expectations,” according to Synergy, today’s blog sponsor. “From affordable luxury and functional formulations to seasonal surprises and organic authenticity, the category is redefining what it means to deliver comfort and nutrition.”

Synergy is on target. Read the company’s “Five Trends to Watch” by linking HERE or on one the banners in today’s blog.

These trends align with my recent interview on The Dairy Download, which was taped during Dairy Forum. You can view the entire “Adapting to the New Consumer” episode HERE or a brief one-minute clip HERE.

Here are some of my favorite remarks from Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association at Dairy Forum 2026. 

“Record crowd again this year, we broke 1,200 people. So, you've got 1,199 of your best friends here.” (It sure felt like that to me!)

“Everyone in this room is a partner in the most powerful story in the nation today. The story of the dairy industry. So, thank you for being here. You are stewards of a powerhouse industry.”

“Before I move forward with 2026, let’s take a look back at 2025. I would characterize 2025 as one of our greatest years for American dairy:

• We’ve had four years of record consumption. 
• We’re consuming about 651 pounds of dairy. We’re eating a lot more of our dairy, 651 pounds of dairy per person. Quite phenomenal. 
• Because of our efforts, because of our focus on health and wellness and the superior quality of protein we have in our dairy products, dairy has topped all categories at retail at $80 billion.
• Our processing industry has invested $11 billion in new processing facilities, 50 plus projects in about 20 different states.” 

“Our theme for this year’s Dairy Forum is not simply a tagline, but a fundamental belief in our future and the importance of being united to grow, to thrive, to secure our freedom to operate and to make sure that this is a thriving industry for future generations. We know that when we unite, we are stronger.”

“We’re in a new era for dairy. Dairy was made for this opportunity. We’ve got a nutritional profile on protein. We’ve got the healthy fat. Finally, the science on fat is coming forward.” 

“We’re innovating our product offerings. Amazing the things we’re doing with the quality milk coming from today’s farms, the various ingredients, the bioactives, all the enzymes, all the proteins. Absolutely amazing.” 

“We are reclaiming relevance for some of our dairy staples, milk, cheese, yogurt. How about cottage cheese? 20% growth in the last five years.”

“We know dairy delivers complete, natural, affordable nutrition. We were the original functional food. That is a competitive advantage for us in dairy, and we need to make sure that we’re leading with that effort.”

“The nutritional value of food should be based on sound science and the nutritional density of the product. We know that dairy is pasteurized, fortified and packaged to be accessible to consumers around the world and that we are part of a of the solution to a healthy lifestyle.”

Keep on LOVING dairy!