Made-with-Honey Products Signal a Sweet Return for Natural Products Expo West

One of the largest natural foods shows in the world, Natural Products Expo West returned to Anaheim, Calif. after a two-year pandemic-forced break, and, wow, the event did not disappoint. From packed show floors to innovative new products, this year’s show offered a glimpse of hope for the full return of product development in the food industry.

The National Honey Board was on the scene, stalking the show floor for new made-with-honey products. We had our hands full as honey’s versatility and positive perception has spurred product developers to use the ingredient in everything from meat sticks to salad dressings to cereal.

Although we spied countless new products with honey, we narrowed our “favorites” list down to five.

Honey Lemon Cookie Ice Cream, Alden’s Organic

We “screamed” for this ice cream that featured a honey variegate to provide texture and a complement to the creamy lemon ice cream and pieces of lemon creme cookies. We chatted with the brains behind Honey Lemon Cookie Ice Cream at the show and were thrilled to learn they love honey bees as much as we do, and participated in the Save the Bee campaign.

Naked Pizza Crust, Capello’s

Stumbling on this product was a bit of an accident. After noshing on sweet treats for most of the morning, we were in dire need of something savory to cleanse the palate. We spied a tempting slice of pizza across the aisle and made a “bee” line to grab it. It was delicious, and there was something very familiar about the hint of sweetness it delivered. We inquired, and yes, that subtle sweetness came from honey. Capello’s Naked Pizza Crust is positioned as a paleo product with an interesting gluten-free flour bill that includes almond flour, arrowroot flour and cassava flour.

A-GAME Beverages Inc.

With show floors open for 9 hours a day, it’s essential to hydrate as you make your way up and down the countless aisles of exhibitors. We found hydration plus a hint of honey at the A-GAME booth, which was pouring samples of its sports drink with eight essential vitamins, electrolytes, minerals, and nutrients. The innovative formula behind the drink uses honey for energy and flavor, fruit and vegetable juice for coloring, and sea salt minerals as a natural means of replenishing electrolyte levels.

Honey Vanilla Bean Gelato, Noosa Yoghurt

Can you blame us for having two ice creams on our favorites list of products? This new Honey Vanilla Bean Gelato from Noosa relies on a heavy dose of honey and vanilla beans to pack a powerful flavor punch and exceptional mouthfeel.

Honey Almonds Glazed Mix, Sahale Snacks

Natural Products Expo West was chock full of meat alternative products, but we preferred to satisfy our protein fix with the various nut and seed mixes introduced at the show. We loved Sahale Snacks Honey Almonds Glazed Mix as they provided the perfect combination of almonds, dried cranberries and sesame seeds, all held together with a sweet honey glaze.

What were your favorite made-with-honey products introduced at Natural Products Expo West? Email them to [email protected] and we may feature them in an upcoming blog post.

Made-with-Honey Products Signal a Sweet Return for Natural Products Expo West

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