It’s that time of year again, the Super Bowl of food. Expo West takes over Anaheim, and every aisle is packed with what’s next. From functional beverages to reimagined pantry staples, this year’s show made one thing clear: brands aren’t just launching products, they’re rethinking entire categories through ingredients.

Instead of focusing on broad trends, we broke things down by what kept showing up again and again, starting with one ingredient that quietly stole the show: dates.

Dates Everywhere

Datefix Fresh Fruit Nutrition Cinnamon, Daddl Strawberry Milkshake Date Candy, Smood Sweets Sweet Berry Fish Candy Dates, Joolies Cherry Cola Date Sours

Dates are having a moment and not just as a sweetener. Brands are pushing them far beyond their expected role, turning them into the base for candy, coffee, and pantry staples.

Datefix leans into indulgence with its dessert-inspired date creations, while Daddl transforms dates into a strawberry milkshake-inspired “natural candy.” Smood Sweets and Joolies take it even further, with playful, soda-adjacent flavors like cherry cola, proof that dates can mimic nostalgic treats without the additives.

Beyond snacking, dates are moving into everyday formats. Tamar is rethinking coffee by using dates as a base, while Just Date is expanding the pantry with organic dark chocolate chips, syrups, and even date sugar. It’s less about replacing sugar, and more about redefining how sweetness shows up across categories.

Matcha Moves Beyond the Café

Aiya Ceremonial Grade Matcha Powder, Matcha Love Unsweetened Japanese Matcha and Green Tea, Pop & Bottle Strawberry Matcha Almond Milk Latte, Oatly Matcha Strawberry Flavor

Matcha is no longer just a ritual, it’s becoming a ready-to-drink staple.

Aiya keeps it classic with a pure, unsweetened powder, grounding the category in tradition, while Matcha Love brings that same simplicity into a ready-to-drink can. But newer entries are pushing into flavor and format. Pop & Bottle’s strawberry matcha almond milk latte and Oatly’s strawberry matcha drink feel like something you’d grab at a café, but made for home, a little sweet, really easy to drink, and just more approachable overall.

The shift is subtle but important: matcha is moving from niche to everyday, meeting consumers where they already are.

Protein Coffee Gets an Upgrade

Chike Coffee Protein Iced Coffee, Koia Cold Brew Coffee, Everyday Dose Protein Coffee Vanilla, Remedy Organics Berry Immunity Protein Drink

Protein coffee isn’t new, but it’s getting more refined.

Chike and Koia continue to anchor the space with familiar formats like iced coffee and cold brew, blending function with convenience. Everyday Dose introduces a vanilla-forward option that feels closer to a café drink, while brands like Remedy Organics expand the idea of “functional coffee” into broader wellness territory with blends like Berry Immunity.

It’s less about packing in protein and more about balance, flavor, function, and routine all in one.

Protein Snacks Reworked

Biena Chickpea Sea Salt Snack, Once Upon a Farm Oatmeal Chocolate Protein Bar, The Only Bean Crunchy Roasted Edamame Beans, Simply Protein Tortilla Protein Chips Sea Salt

Protein is still everywhere, but the formats are getting better.
Biena’s chickpea snacks and The Only Bean’s ranch edamame lean into crunch, while SimplyProtein delivers a tortilla chip that feels closer to the real thing. Once Upon a Farm brings protein into a softer, more approachable format, expanding beyond the typical “crunchy snack” expectation.
The common thread: protein snacks are starting to feel like actual snacks again — not just functional substitutes.

The Avocado Oil Shift

Pip’s Cheese Balls with Real Cheddar, Boulder Canyon Avocado Oil Classic Sea Salt, Frankies Organic Puff Corn with Avocado Oil & Himalayan Salt, Good Health Kettle Style Sea Salt Chips with Avocado Oil

For years, avocado oil was the upgrade. Now, some brands are moving away from it entirely, or at least calling attention to alternatives.

Pip’s Snacks cheese balls, Boulder Canyon’s classic sea salt chips, Frankie’s organic puff corn, and Good Health kettle chips all highlight their oil choices as part of the product story. Whether it’s about taste, sourcing, or consumer perception, oil is no longer an afterthought, it’s part of the headline.

Beef Tallow Is Back

Steak N Shake 100% Grass Fed Beef Tallow, Vaca Beef Tallow Tortilla Chips, Teddy’s Jalapeño Heaven Tallow Chips, Aux Délices des Bois Rendered Wagyu Beef Tallow

One of the most surprising returns? Beef tallow.

Steak ’n Shake is bringing it into the spotlight with 100% grass-fed beef tallow, while brands like Vaca, Teddy’s Tallow Chips, and even Wagyu Aux Délices des Bois are using it across chips and cooking fats. It’s a clear nod to traditional cooking methods, reframed for a modern audience.

Call it nostalgia or a push for simplicity, either way, it’s gaining traction.

Ultimately, Expo West 2026 isn’t about one single trend, it’s about ingredients taking center stage. Dates become candy and coffee. Matcha turning into an everyday drink. Protein blending seamlessly into routines. Even fats, from avocado oil to beef tallow, become part of the people’s everyday rotation.

It’s proof that innovation right now isn’t just about creating something new. It’s about rethinking what’s already there and making it better.