Natural Products Expo West, the annual trade show that hosts the natural and organic products industry, attracted over 60,000 people to the Anaheim Convention Center in March.
The four-day event sees more than 3,000 exhibitors every year.
Expo West is attended by many food and beverage startups looking to meet with top distributors and buyers on the trade show floor. Several Orange County businesses credit the show for major distribution deals that have spread their products—from beef jerky to hydration powders—to grocers and retailers all over the U.S.
The Business Journal stopped at several booths to check out the latest trends. What follows are product updates from a range of OC companies—from a tofu factory to a spice maker.
DryWater debuted a new flavor at Expo West this year—green apple. This is the wellness startup’s second year at the annual trade show.
Founder Bryan Appio said last year was about meeting and landing retailers to get the hydration powder product into stores in every state. Since then, Walgreens has added DryWater’s packets to about 6,000 locations, the remaining slate of companies the firm met with will add 41,000 more stores in 2026, according to Appio. Now, the Irvine-based startup is focused on gaining more customers (see story, page 3).
The family-owned business Harris Spice, headquartered in Anaheim, attended the 2026 trade show for the first time as its own entity after three years of appearing under its licensed brands with Newman’s Own.
The spice manufacturer and supplier was founded in 1981 by Jayantilal Shah who immigrated from India and believed products from his home country would fare well in the U.S.
The company began importing tea and coffee and added spices to the business a few years later. Harris eventually evolved into a manufacturer and built a 125,000-square-foot facility in Anaheim. It has since added packaging capabilities, a restaurants distribution partnership and a research and development center to create private label seasonings.
ECOS, which develops environmentally friendly cleaning products with plant-powered formulas, manufactures over 200 items including dish soap, laundry detergent and room sprays. Chief Executive Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks told the Business Journal that the Cypress-based company had its latest innovations on display.
ECOS launched a new multi-purpose cleaner produced as both a concentrate and spray, laundry scent boosters, a multi-purpose stain remover and a stain and odor remover spray that initially started as a sample handed out at last year’s trade show, according to Vlahakis-Hanks.
The manufacturer is also doubling the square footage of two of its four production facilities in the U.S. in 2026.
Vaquero Snacks, a local maker of beef jerky, credits its most recent entry into Walmart stores to last year’s appearance at the convention. Founders Chip Cruea and Ruben Reyes first met with company buyers at the 2025 trade show, which eventually led to an invitation to Walmart’s annual open call event for small businesses.
Cruea and Reyes attended and won an on-the-spot distribution deal at the event last October. Vaquero was founded in late 2024, and with the recent expansion into Walmart and 7-Eleven, the founders see the snack company reaching between $20 million to $40 million in sales in 2026.
At the show, Cruea and Reyes told the Business Journal they were also launching into Ralphs in the OC and San Diego regions and soon into Sprouts nationwide as well.
At this year’s show, Fullerton-based tofu maker Pulmuone showed off its new line of plant-based foods while also teaching convention-goers the different ways to eat their products such as its new gluten-free soymilk noodles and garlic & herb wraps.
Some of the samples whipped up were served with a kimchi hot sauce, available in September. Senior Product Manager Timothy Choi was handing out fried garlic chips with kimchi aioli. The company also hosted chef Edward Lee, a culinary partner who has developed recipes at Pulmuone. Lee was signing his book, “Buttermilk Graffiti,” at the trade show.
Many food and beverage companies use the trade show to showcase products that have yet to hit stores. Irvine-based Orgain revealed a new line of fruit-flavored protein powder called Clean Protein that breaks away from its classic powders and shakes.
The product is a result of Orgain’s expansion into whey powder and was designed for those who are lactose intolerant. Clean Protein will launch online on Amazon and the Orgain website in summer 2026.
