Following a trade event held in Vancouver, the Canadian Health Food Association — the country's largest trade association dedicated to natural, organic and wellness products — released its Spring 2023 trend report, allowing consumers to get a glimpse into what might be stocking their grocery store aisles very soon.
The trade show held in Vancouver from March 30 to April 2 saw over 7,600 industry leaders, investors and retailers, and nearly a thousand brands spanning better-for-you snacks and beverages, natural health products, clean beauty and healthy home and pet.
The following are the four top trends discovered at CHFA NOW:
Trend One: Sober-Curious Drinks Get Canned: The new wellness trend overtaking social media, #sobercurious, encourages consumers to explore the benefits of sobriety on their physical, mental, and spiritual health. The non-alcoholic category is expanding with an explosion of brands launching canned zero-proof RTDs (ready-to-drink) for more convenient options, matching the growth of canned RTDs in the alcoholic category.
Trend Two: Break The Taboo - Women’s Health Goes Mainstream: Brands continue to commit to better-representing women’s health issues in product development, covering period care, perimenopausal and menopausal women. Brands across Canada are using this moment to not only provide natural options but also raise awareness and education for an often overlooked category.
Trend Three: A Good Night’s Sleep: The sleep-aid market is anticipated to cross 103 billion USD by 2028 as stress levels rise and busy lifestyles grow. Growing awareness of the role sleep plays in recovery is helping to drive this trend. Brands are offering a more holistic approach to getting a better night’s sleep with natural aids, tinctures and pre-bedtime routines and rituals to better support the sleep cycle.
Trend Four: Throwback Snacks: In addition to fashion and advertising, there has been a rise in the number of food brands incorporating nostalgic 90s trends into their flavours. From cool ranch to classic soda flavours, brands are tapping into consumers' nostalgia to create a strong, emotional connection, stand out in a crowded marketplace, and often offer a healthier alternative.
By identifying such upcoming trends, industry people and consumers get a better sense of things to come, making purchasing and selling a more educated process. Better-for-you brands are on a steady rise with no plateau in sight. We're in the era of putting ourselves and our bodies first, and that "trend" doesn't look like slowing down anytime soon.
“The momentum in the Canadian market for better-for-you brands continues to grow year over year," Aaron Skelton, president and CEO of CHFA, said. "We had nearly 1,000 brands exhibit, shaping what investors and buyers will bring to shopping aisles in the near future.”
