Each year, all our favorite natural products brands head over to Anaheim for Expo West for a great week of discovery, community, and delicious + emerging flavors. We had a great time there this year and have a lot of thoughts about the trends from the show and what they mean for the future shelves of our go-to grocery stores.

Here are our thoughts on CPG branding from Expo West 2024:

Your brand is all about how you make people feel. Duh.

It's the simplest advice, but always timeless. Your brand exists to serve your audience, and your audience wants to feel seen, heard and understood at every touchpoint.

It's not just about your brand's visual identity but how your team shows up as well. The most successful brands will always be the ones that create a positive environment for their customers. And to prove it, the brands that had great vibes, great energy, and a welcoming team were the ones drawing in the most people at the show.

With everything going on in the world this year, it's no surprise that people are drawn less to the trendy brands, and more to the places where they feel the most authentic connection.

2. Wholesome and clear will always win.

We say it all the time: clear is kind. This year, we saw that the brands with wholesome offerings and a clear value proposition were the most appealing. People get tired of seeing grandiose claims at every turn, and in many spaces big, bold statements have been so overdone they've lost all meaning. People are less and less interested in word salad and more and more interested in the actual healthy salad they need (or whatever your product is...).

Keep it simple and make it about answering people's problems in the way that is easiest for them.

3. Fully commit to the bit.

Brand consistency is so important. And this year, one of the tactics that stood out the most was branded clothing items for everyone working at the booths. People got so creative with their team uniforms, and it was a blast seeing people walking around even outside their booths, dressed to the nines in creative branded swag.

Take our friends at Date Better, for example. Not only were they the friendliest bunch around, but they also had these adorable custom denim jumpsuits made for the occasion. (We also highly recommend their date-based treats!). There were plenty of other great uniforms throughout the show, too – just check out this disco ball-themed team and full body jumpsuit with a CTA!

All in all, the key takeaway from our time there this year is to make sure you're building something you can stand behind and fully bring to life. If you believe in your product, your team, and your brand, and offer something that speaks to your customer while solving their problems, your company will shine in any circumstance. And if you need any help figuring out how to make your brand work, we're here for you.

Don't hesitate to reach out to get your branding ready for Expo West next year. We'll help with everything from packaging to booth design and more. In fact, check out our CPG packaging offer to get a leg up for 2025.