This past weekend I got to attend the Healthy Beverage Expo / World Tea Expo as part of the media. I just had a few hours there, due to a change in baby care. (I planned to attend on Friday all day, but found out the baby’s school was closed and I didn’t have childcare anymore!) So I went on Saturday for about 4 hours while the baby hung out with her dad.
Some of the trends that seemed to be big in the Healthy Beverage side of the show that I noticed were:
- Coconut water, coconut water, coconut water! There were a few different varieties as well as several drinks that had coconut water added to them.
- Sweeteners, lots of variety in the sweeteners used. From more stevia prevalence, to proprietary blends, there was a lot of focus on what was being used to sweeten the drinks.
- Sleep & relaxation, there were quite a few different drinks that are to help you chill out, relax or fall asleep.
- Healthier options for kids. As a mother, I am thinking about what my daughter will drink as she gets older. I don’t want her wandering around with caffeinated sugary drinks as a little girl. (Judging by the energy she has now, she does not need that!) I liked that there are products that would hopefully be able to compete with the big sugary names out on the market.
To help illustrate what I saw at the expo, I made a Storify story. I will have another post tomorrow that features the actual stuff I came home with! Sadly, I didn’t get to spend much time on the tea side of things. Next year I plan to attend for more hours, and possibly over multiple days! But for sure, I want to go back next year.
Jill Will Run 