Expo West 2025 Tried & Tasted: Our Favourite Future Food Eats

From animal-free egg salad to a milk alternative made from corn, here are the future food products that stood out most to our expert reviewer at Expo West 2025.

It’s that time of year again: when Anaheim, California is packed with out-of-towners, and they’re not all headed to Disneyland. Move over, Mickey Mouse – because it’s March, and the most sought-after attraction in town is New Hope’s Natural Products Expo West.

Expo West is the largest tradeshow for natural, organic, and healthy products in North America, aka the “Superbowl of CPG”, and it seems to be regaining the popularity it had prior to Covid-19.

With a revamped schedule – organisers dropped Saturday in favour of Tuesday through Friday only, with all halls open Wednesday to Friday, new buyers’ hours, and a community breakfast – this year’s show brought together over 64,000 attendees and more than 3,000 exhibitors.

While I walked the halls lined with rows upon rows of vendor booths, what struck me the most was how underrepresented the alternative protein sector seemed to be. There were noticeably fewer alternative meat brands. Apart from Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, stalwarts like NotCo, Hungry Planet, Better Balance, and Quorn were all MIA this year.

It’s disappointing but not surprising, given the state of the industry, the UPF narrative that is dominating the mainstream media, and the current political climate. There was a mix of excitement and concern in the air. Excitement about new consumer health requirements and concern about the impact of tariffs and inflation on the US economy. Still, I enjoyed reconnecting with familiar brands and discovering a few new ones.

The noteworthy trends I spotted this year centred around boosting protein in snacks, beverages and anything else people consume, a CPG focus on cleaner and healthier ingredient lists, ‘alt’ alt-milks like pistachio milk popping up everywhere, shrooms still reigning supreme (even in the form of gummies), and functional snacks and drinks abound – hydration, baby!

So, what caught my eye and tickled my taste buds at Expo West 2025? Here are my top 11 picks (in no particular order).

Beyond Meat’s mycelium steak fillet

Beyond Meat unveiled its brand-new whole-cut mycelium-based steak at a Happy Hour on the second day of the show. As far as I’m concerned, Beyond very much delivered on its promise of a steak that “mirrors the texture, flavour, and experience of a premium USDA steak fillet”. The mouthfeel, texture, and flavour were all spot on.

The steak fillet is the latest effort from Beyond to attract health-conscious consumers, and I’m sure it’s going to do just that when it hits retail shelves this year!

What’s It Made Of? Mycelium, faba beans, and wheat. The full ingredient list is still under wraps. 

Where Can I Buy It? Coming to selected retailers this spring.

Chunk’s Pulled Korean BBQ

Chunk Foods debuted its four new Chunk Pulled varieties in Teriyaki, Texas BBQ, Korean BBQ, and Barbacoa flavours. They each come with chef-crafted simmer sauces, are super versatile, can be cooked or microwaved from frozen, and are ready in minutes.

I really enjoyed the pulled “meat” texture and taste of all four flavours, but my personal favourite was the Korean BBQ. It’s packed with that bold, sweet and savoury traditional Korean BBQ flavour and just the right amount of spiciness.

What’s It Made Of? Cultured soy, wheat protein, and coconut oil fortified with B12 and iron.

Where Can I Buy It? Coming to selected retailers later this year.

Wunder Eggs’s Eggless Salad

For a limited time last year, Veggie Grill Next Level Burger had a Wunderful BLT-E on the menu, and it was made with Crafty Counter’s Wunder Eggs egg salad. I’m a huge egg salad fan, so of course I had it, and it was delicious.

The Wunder Eggs Eggless Salad comes in Classic, Italian Herbs & Garbanzo, and Southwest Peas & Potatoes varieties. After trying all three, I can confidently say they’re all delicious. It turns out I’m more of a classic girl than I thought when it comes to my egg salad, and the original flavour is going to be a must-have-at-all-times in my fridge.

Bonus points for coming in a cup and ready to eat – add a few crackers, and you’ve got yourself a perfect on-the-go snack. The only con for me is that I’m going to need the foodservice tub size to satisfy my egg salad cravings!

What’s It Made Of? Almonds and cashews, Fabalish Foods upcycled aquafaba mayo, and a touch of seasonings. 

Where Can I Buy It? Available in all Safeway and Albertsons stores across Washington and Idaho.

Confetti Snacks’s Black Truffle Mushroom Chips

We have written about Confetti Snacks in the past, and I’ve heard a lot about the brand from my good friend Andre Menezes, who is a board member. Still, when I stopped by its booth, I didn’t expect it’d make this list. Boy, oh boy, was I wrong!

The Black Truffle Mushrooms, whole mushrooms dusted in just the right amount of black truffle, were so addictive I couldn’t put the bag down until it was completely empty. It’s a good thing I got two.

The Singapore-based CPG snack range gets bonus points for being made of upcycled ugly veggies, fruits, and mushrooms. What’s more, Confetti’s mission is to reduce food waste while fighting to end hunger and malnutrition, so it donates a portion of its snacks to some of the least affluent parts of the world. And speaking of reducing waste, its eco-sustainable booth was made up entirely of its snack boxes.

What’s It Made Of? ‘Ugly’ veggies, fruits, and mushrooms infused with Asian spices.

Where Can I Buy It? On its website.

MyForest Foods MyBacon

I may be a little late to the party here, but I had never tried MyForest Foods’s MyBacon before. The company makes its plant-based bacon from mycelium grown in indoor vertical farms, harvested in slabs, and sliced just like pork belly.

I had it plain as well as in a BLT, and it blew my mind. It was as decadent as I remember real bacon being, down to the texture, sizzle, and aroma.

MyBacon was also on Green Queen’s Expo West 2024 list, making it a favourite for two years running.

What’s It Made Of? Five ingredients only: organic oyster mushroom mycelium, organic coconut oil, organic sugar, natural flavour, and salt.

Where Can I Buy It? Available online and in several natural food stores across the US, including Erewhon and Whole Foods.

Konscious Foods’s Sno’ Crab Cakes and Smoked Salm’n

Given that I’m a former seafood lover, I could not pick only one out of the two hottest newest products by Konscious Foods: Sno’ Crab Cakes and Smoked Salm’n.

Any self-respecting crab cake aficionado knows peppers – red or any other colour – have no place in a crab cake, which is why I absolutely loved these pepper-free vegan crab cakes. Just a pure, simple, honest-to-goodness vegan crab filling wrapped in a crispy golden-brown crust. 

The Smoked Salm’n was at Expo West last year, too, but it’s now finally out in the market. The plant-based lox has a hickory applewood cold-smoked salmon taste that makes it indistinguishable from its animal counterpart. Whether you eat it on a bagel with cream cheese or roll it up with crème fraiche, you’ll get that perfect smokiness with a slightly salty kick. 

What’s It Made Of? The star ingredient in both is konjac root.

Where Can I Buy It? The Sno’ Crab Cakes will be available at Whole Foods this June and Sprouts in July, with more retailers planned. The Smoked Salm’n is available at Zucker’s Bagels in New York City and on Goldbelly nationwide. Konscious Foods has partnered with the largest smoked salmon distributor across the US, Acme Smoked Fish Brooklyn, so you can expect to see it in retailers nationwide soon.

Food for Life’s Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Pita Bread

This is in no way just another pita bread. Food for Life’s sprouted pita is tasty and full of nutritious ingredients. It’s not overly thick or dry like most pita breads out there, so it crisps up nicely in the oven, and I loved seeing the tiny pieces of carrot when I took a bite. 

What’s It Made Of? Organic 100% stone ground whole wheat flour, organic fresh carrots, organic barley flour, organic millet flour, organic lentil flour, organic soy flour, organic spelt flour, yeast, and sea salt.

Where Can I Buy It? It’s available in retailers nationwide.

Whoa Dough’s Brownie Batter Ready-to-Bake Cookie Dough

I’m not a chocoholic, but I was really impressed by Whoa Dough’s Brownie Batter Cookie Dough. You get the best of both worlds: cookies that are chewy and packed with that classic fudgy chocolatey flavour that chocolate lovers want from a brownie. The dough is also nut-free, gluten-free and bakes in minutes – you can even eat it right out of the bag!

What’s It Made Of? The star ingredient is chickpea protein.

Where Can I Buy It? It’s available in retailers nationwide and on its website.

Hodo Foods’s Thai Red Curry Tofu

I have tried a few Hodo products before, but none have become a staple in my kitchen so far. I wasn’t expecting to love the Thai Red Curry Tofu, but love it, I did!

It’s not too spicy, which means you don’t have to be a curry enthusiast to enjoy the bold Thai flavours, the saucy creamy texture, and that hint of zingy lemongrass and ginger. 

What’s It Made Of? Tofu and coconut-cream-based Thai red curry.

Where Can I Buy It? It’s available at select Whole Foods Market stores and online.

Mori-Nu’s Plant-Based Imitation Crab

I may be the odd woman out, but I’ve always loved making seafood salad with imitation crab. When I spotted Mori-Nu’s plant-based imitation crab made by Morinaga Foods, I had to try it.

The umami flavour really stood out, and the shreddable texture makes it easy to use in anything from salads to sushi. It also comes fully cooked and ready to eat, with a one-year frozen shelf life. 

What’s It Made Of? The main ingredient is pea protein.

Where Can I Buy It? It’s currently only available for foodservice, but it’s coming to Veganssentials.com this April.

Maïzly Corn Milk

Corn has always been a staple in Brazilian cuisine, and I grew up eating my share of corn everything – from flour to soups, puddings, and ice cream – except corn milk.

We have no shortage of alternative milk options, from pistachio to potato and watermelon seeds, so do we really need one more? I was a bit sceptical and unsure if it was going to taste like milk or, you know, corn. That is, until I tried it.

I definitely got the dairy milk mouthful and creaminess my taste buds require from any milk alternative. This is probably because, in addition to corn, it also contains chickpea and coconut, making it more of a blended corn milk.

The verdict? I’m sold. It comes in original and chocolate flavours, but it also has an infant formula. Bonus points for sustainability since corn is one of the world’s most abundant crops, requiring the least amount of land and water, which means it’s even more sustainable than oat milk.

What’s It Made Of? The main ingredients are non-GMO corn, chickpea protein, and coconut oil with added calcium and vitamins A, D, and E.

Where Can I Buy It? It’s available at select natural food stores in New York, and on its website.

Honourable mentions

Despite not making the top list, here are a few products worth mentioning in this Expo West 2025 review:

GoodPop’s Mickey Mouse Fudge n’ Vanilla Bar: The dairy-free ice cream bar is shaped like the beloved Disney character, made with vanilla oat milk and coated in a chocolate fudge shell. It tastes just as creamy and chocolatey as any conventional ice cream bar, so I’m sure it will be a hit with Disney fans, kids and adults alike.

Táche’s Single-Serve Pistachio Milk Latte: The vegan latte is made with Táche’s Original Pistachio milk and cold brew coffee. I’ve tried quite a few single-serve vegan lattes, but the nuttiness from the pistachio milk really makes this one stand out. Here’s hoping they’ll add a few more flavours, like vanilla and mocha, soon.

Eat Just’s Plant-Based Chicken: Most people are familiar with Just Egg – the vegan egg pioneer – and Good Meat, the first company to sell cultivated chicken anywhere in the world.

What do you get when you combine the two? Hands down the most realistic 100% plant-based chicken I’ve ever tasted. By using Good Meat’s tech platform, Eat Just nailed both the taste and texture of conventional chicken, but with plants. It was grilled and served plain, allowing the ‘chicken’ taste to really shine through.

If you’re thinking: “Do we really need one more plant-based chicken option?”, I say: just wait till you try it.

Hors concours: Mellody’s Plant-Based Honey

Top such list of mine would not be complete without Mellody’s bee-free honey. Ever since I first tried it, I’ve been a huge fan, and I add it to everything – from tea to yoghurt to cakes. Mellody is spot on when it comes to the texture, aroma, and complex taste of honey made by bees. I don’t know how it does this, but blessed bee!