What’s in and out in food and beverage for 2026

15:35Melissa Daniels:Oh, man, like things that have like cropped up in Maha, but haven't really gone mainstream yet. Yeah, that's a really good question. I don't know if I thought about it that way. Man, the raw milk. It's got to be the raw milk, right? Yeah, that's an easy target. I don't think that's going to catch on. I think there's too much known about potential risks. I mean, if people want to do it, you know, whatever. I'm not a scientist. I'm not here to tell people how to live their lives. But what I will say is I just don't think the vast majority of Americans are ready to source their dairy that way. And I also sort of see this in meat a little bit too.

16:18Melissa Daniels:I think, you know, meat is having such a moment because of the protein craze and people wanting to be healthier about where their meat is sourced from. But to the extent that people are, you know, buying half a cow and putting it in their garage freezer for, you know, a year to eat off of. I just don't know if that's going to become mass behavior the way it has in some segments of the culture.

16:43Gabriela Barkho:Yeah, I think I do agree. And then, you know, to go back to the sort of oils of it all, one thing that has caught traction or I think is sort of getting a little bit more mainstream by the minute is beef tallow. So even compared to last year, I anecdotally felt like I saw more beef tallow, you know, infused products, if you will, or ones that are using it. So like, I feel like chips and snacking was a big one just because it makes sense for the frying aspect. And then, you know, to talk a little bit more about the seed oil debate is one thing I noticed that was a recurring trend as I walked to the floors at Expo was brands will like show me, their line of, let's say, cauliflower puffs or kid snacks.

17:32Gabriela Barkho:And then they'll bring out a bag on the side and be like, oh, and this is our avocado oil version of our Hero product, let's say. So there's a lot of almost redundancies or duplications of creating a skew that is going to cater to this set of anti-seed oil customers, but without having to necessarily overhaul your entire line.

17:55Melissa Daniels:Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And they're not, you know, killing their hero product in the process in the name of something. That is still a bit of a trend, even though it's becoming mainstream to move away from the seed oils. The beef tallow thing I want to return to and get a little more of your perspective on because I almost see this more in the wellness and like personal care. Like I see a lot of beef tallow cropping up in some of that, at least in my neck of the woods. So when folks are putting this into food products, is it like the hero ingredient that's at the front of the pack? Or is it just like a way that they're cooking in it so they can say no seed oils?

18:40Melissa Daniels:Or is it like beef tallow is a marketing point for them? Yeah.

18:46Gabriela Barkho:I mean, I'm sure some of the founders of at least the newer brands, it's definitely like a passion ingredient for them. You know, they feel very strongly that they want to lead with the beef tallow thing. Yeah. So for example, there's this hip new chips brand called Masa chips. They're kind of like, you know, one of those trendy like Erewhon-esque new brands where it's, I think I believe it's like a$10 bag of chips, but their founders just bought, if I'm reading this right, like over$3 million worth of beef tallow to like kind of beef up their supply chain, no pun intended. So yeah, I need some of them.

19:31Gabriela Barkho:Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. So that to me, I like actually replied to them and was like, are you sure? Like that was not a typo. Was it really$3 million? But they did. I think that just underscores to them, you know, their commitment to like the scale of how much they want to invest in the product and, you know, moving forward. So kind of like stockpiling. But yeah, whereas, you know, some of them are maybe dabbling in it or maybe testing it out. And that I find really interesting. Another, I have a little show and tell, but this one ended up kind of in my pile somehow out of Expo. But I'm also seeing beef tallow making its way into beauty and grooming.

20:17Gabriela Barkho:I've not tried this yet, but it's a Manuka honey tallow balm from a company called Stoked Beekeeping. And I will show you.

20:27Melissa Daniels:Oh, my gosh. That's fantastic.

20:29Gabriela Barkho:So this is, I imagine, kind of like a skin lip balm situation. Can you try it right now? Should I?

20:36Melissa Daniels:Yeah. Even you know where I like it is cuticles. I don't think we've ever done this on the show. No. So I have a beef tallow cream that I love, and it's really great for cuticles. Oh. Yeah. Yeah, it's a game changer. Or anything that gets really dry. Does it smell like honey? It's funny you said Manuka honey. That's like a teaser to...

20:57Gabriela Barkho:This is like all the buzzwords. Yeah, yeah, yeah. In a bomb. It's actually kind of neutral. It's got just like a butter, like almost like a shea butter.

21:06Melissa Daniels:But the texture is thick. Yeah, the texture is thick like a cream or shea butter. Or is it more like a balm? It is a balm. It's more of a balm. Like it's clear as I put it on. Yeah. I love this. So, yeah.

21:20Gabriela Barkho:Wow, we really got deep in the beef talad. It's incredibly hydrating.

21:23Melissa Daniels:I mean, it really is.

21:26Gabriela Barkho:Okay, I did not know I was talking to a beef talad. I live in Joshua Tree. That's true. Sorry.

21:33Melissa Daniels:Sorry for not stereotyping. No, it's fine. It's fine. But literally, I bought it at one of the salons that I go to, and I'm like, this is a game changer. And I've used it for over the winter, any dry spots. And I really love it. But because of that, because I found it through the skincare and beauty vein, I really don't know how I feel about eating beef tallow.

21:56Gabriela Barkho:It's hard for me to cross ingredients in

21:59Melissa Daniels:my brain but it's weird because like honey i think i'm cool with like i have honey and beeswax lip bombs and i also put honey and tea i don't know yeah it's funny because i do think most americans

22:10Gabriela Barkho:probably got introduced by the sort like the whole like rfk jr mcdonald's right yeah yeah analogy where it's like oh it used to be fried in beef tallow whereas yeah this has been sort of you know a hero ingredient it's been like a niche natural skincare thing for a minute yeah Yeah. And then, you know, I think we should talk about supplements more specifically, even though we did mention it earlier when we talked about the overall wellness trends. trends. Yeah. But, you know, with everything, protein, fiber, creatine, all of these buzzwords really coming into their own and to the mainstream, I would love to hear a little bit about maybe some supplements that we don't hear about and that we think 2026 will really have them come into the, you know, the mainstream or the forefront of the space.

23:04Melissa Daniels:Yeah. Yeah. I love this question. For me, it's kind of already happened, and I just think it's going to keep happening, and that's magnesium. We've seen magnesium just have such a moment, thanks to the quote-unquote sleepy girl mocktail a couple years ago, but it's really maintained its prominence in the supplement aisle itself and as an additive into other beverages. And I dare say we'll start to see it in foods as different formulations become more possible. Just as an example, there's a company I talked to, Solarae. They're based out of Utah, and they recently undertook a huge capital investment solely to double their magnesium production.

23:49Melissa Daniels:Because, I mean, this is a vitamin and supplement company that's been in business for like over 50 years, but their magnesium has become such a hero skew for them that they're like we could double this because that's how much of in demand it is. So I thought that was really interesting. And then you're also seeing magnesium kind of crop up as like a replacement for melatonin, which is like maybe the out in this category where people are more averse to the risks of melatonin and things like that. And so you're seeing things even say melatonin-free when they contain magnesium in products that are meant for sleep.

24:29Melissa Daniels:You know, AG1, when they released their sleep formulation last year, AGZ did this. It's got a magnesium formulation in it, and they specifically say melatonin-free. I see that in another company called Moonbrew that I've been watching that's in the magnesium space. So for me, that's going to just keep happening. You see it in beverages now. There's recess. There's trip. And then Oli, the vitamin company that got into personal care last year, they have magnesium in some of their body washes. So I really think that's going to be an ingredient that we start to see just go across even more categories.

25:08Gabriela Barkho:Yeah, and one thing I noticed in the magnesium category specifically is, and maybe this is just me projecting, but I feel like Americans are learning more that there are different types of magnesiums. I know I learned this when I went to find the sleepy version. So yeah, do you want to just tell us a little bit more about all the different types because they all impact or have different benefits?

25:33Melissa Daniels:Well, right, because the reason that magnesium has typically been thought of as a supplement is to help with digestive health, right? And there's been forms of magnesium that have been used for that. But what's more kind of popular in the relaxation slash sleep category that we're seeing is a different form that's called magnesium glycinate. And this is just really absorbable and that's what aids in relaxation. So that's why we're seeing it in more of these sleep formulations. Yeah.

26:05Gabriela Barkho:So speaking of beverages and functional drinks, I want to talk a little bit about this space in particular, because to me, it's one of the more trendy ones. It kind of feels like there's always a new adaptogen, there's always an out, you know, ingredient or something that's at least fading in popularity. So yeah, I would love to hear, Mos, I'll start with you and hear about what you think is in for 2026, at least in the beverage space.

26:35Melissa Daniels:Well, it's hearkening a little bit back to the bulletproof conversation, but I see it in some other companies too. And I think that's better for you coffee. I just think this is an area no one's really been able to crack yet in the way that Better For You Soda has really come through the fore. But I think of a company like Throne Sport Coffee and what they're doing. And I think that sort of like ready to drink iced coffee, but it has X, Y, and Z benefits for you is an area that could really take on what we've already seen in ready to drink coffee, because that's such a huge category inconvenience and supermarket, but I don't think it's fully been overtaken from the better for you angle yet.

27:19Gabriela Barkho:Yeah, exactly. This kind of calls back what we were talking about earlier, which is like that one-stop shop in the morning. And one brand I did see at Expo is a newly launched brand called Goodvice. And essentially what they're doing is kind of similar, which is like, you know, adding fiber, but like gut gentle prebiotics with the coffee in like kind of a milkshake, like frothy format. So it's almost like you're getting all of the things in the morning while you're also having your caffeine. And yeah, similar to the Bulletproof, it's kind of like making this better for you coffee space, more robust, which is kind of interesting because I was like, oh, I'm surprised that didn't happen earlier.

28:10Gabriela Barkho:But I guess it's always, all of these products are always riffing on previous iterations.

28:16Melissa Daniels:Yeah, totally. And then there's something that comes out in one category and then another copies it for that. And that's how you sort of get these ideas building on each other. But I think we're just scratching the surface with what can be done with coffee, especially since you note that Gen Z is kind of obsessed with iced coffee and cold beverages. So what does that look like, you know, in a convenient ready to drink space?

28:40Gabriela Barkho:Yeah, I think one place where I'm seeing a bigger push. So what is my in is protein sodas and sparkling drinks, really more broadly, like these clear beverages that are protein filled now. You know, this is coming off of Bear Bell. They recently launched their protein energy drinks in late 2025. And at Expo, I saw this new product called Protein Pop Plus. It has 30 grams of protein a can. It's rolling out in Costco right now. And then I also did try Beyond Meat's new line called Beyond Immerse, which is the company's first drink line. And it pretty much is a protein sparkling beverage. It's interesting that we headed in this direction because the Better For You soda brand for a while was focused on, you know, the prebiotic or the gut health.

29:43Gabriela Barkho:But now we're seeing that it's almost like the inverse because we were just talking about these better for you coffees that have like the fiber maxing halo effect going on. But in soda, I think protein is making a huge leap here because to me, it's like, it's almost like, okay, instead of having your protein shake again, you're having your afternoon soda that also has protein in it. So it's just more synergy or more combining. Oh, yeah.

30:15Melissa Daniels:I like that you mentioned the use case there of being like an afternoon beverage or something, because I think with some of these more innovative companies that are trying to do different things in the better for you space, like the key is, can you tack on to someone's existing routine? And for a lot of people, you know, having a soda or a fun drink in the afternoon is a typical part of their routine. And so if you can glom onto that routine, but with the added benefit of you're getting a whopping 30 grams of protein, it kind of sounds like a lot. But I don't really count these things. I have no idea.

30:53Melissa Daniels:But like, I mean, it sounds like it would be good for you, right? That's healthy. That's beneficial. You're getting that added benefit on top of something that you're already doing, which is your sweet treat.

31:06Gabriela Barkho:And then I guess with my out, I would say something that I didn't see too much of compared to, you know, maybe even a few years ago was like fermented products. I was surprised that one investor I spoke to pointed it out and then it kind of clicked for me that, you know, coming off of the gut health or prebiotic soda craze where a lot of these brands, you know, your poppies, your olipops, they were first, you know, maybe leading with the gut health or the fiber benefits, but now, you know, they kind of have rebranded or repositioned themselves as like fun soda, right? Just like a fun drink and then the benefits are added on.

31:52Gabriela Barkho:And so I wonder if that's impacting things like fermented drinks or food and people just aren't really, you know, leading with that anymore.

32:03Melissa Daniels:That's really interesting. I hadn't thought about it that way, But I imagine it's just getting more crowded in the cooler shelves too. And it might be harder for those companies to kind of compete. Yeah, that's interesting. Were there any other things that stood out to you in the beverage world when you were walking around Expo West? Like anything else where you're like, oh yeah, that's definitely on the horizon, even if it's not quite in yet?

32:34Gabriela Barkho:But yeah, outside of the macros, I guess, you know, I think a lot of like more interesting flavor profiles. So a lot of like Asian inspired flavors. I saw a lot of also like dates, like Majel dates and honey flavored. This is not necessarily restricted to beverage, but I just saw that as a sweetener across the board, especially as we're kind of really moving away from the artificial sweeteners. So I'm curious, because I know you're really into the sweetener space. I'm curious to hear whether you feel or at least you have strong opinions on it. Yeah, maybe we can wrap up by talking a little bit about, you know, sugar is always going to be the villain in food and beverage, I feel like.

33:26Gabriela Barkho:And so, you know, there's always more and more innovation happening, which is like, how do we sweeten our products with, I guess, the least harmful and also a sweetener that's not polarizing or doesn't have that, you know, a lot of people, for example, don't love stevia, that kind of thing.

33:43Melissa Daniels:Yeah, well, I think a great example of this is, you know, what you mentioned earlier with the balm product you were trying out that has manuka honey with beef tallow, right? Manuka honey comes from New Zealand. And I was actually just looking at some of the import data for that. And it's like almost doubled over the last couple of years after being relatively steady. There's just so much more coming in and being exported from New Zealand because this product is in such high demand and people are seeing a lot of benefits from honey. I think this dovetails with a lot of the things we've already talked about today as far as people wanting more wholeness in their ingredients.

34:23Melissa Daniels:people looking for real food. And honey and dates are a great way to do that. One of my favorite examples of a company that's thinking about sweeteners in a different way is Mojave Mallows. They're founded here in Joshua Tree, actually. And they were just named best emerging organic brand out of Expo West. And they make these really fun flavored marshmallows, and they use locally sourced organic agave and date syrup, right? So they're not using typical sugar to make their their mallows so you don't feel as guilty when you're eating it but it's just as fun because it's like s'mores flavored sorry i had to look up mojave mallows it's legit

35:05Gabriela Barkho:just please hold oh yeah oh my god wait these look really good they're like um they're almost like the turkish delight shape totally right versus just like the cookies they're they're

35:19Melissa Daniels:I think the founder was a former chocolatier and, you know, she was looking at how chocolate was sort of getting like a better for you makeover and then like did it to marshmallows.

35:28Gabriela Barkho:Yeah. Okay. And last but not least, we are going to be talking about packaging and packaging trends that we're seeing. This is not necessarily tied to ExpoS, but it is something that was really underlined while I was there. But pretty much portable and to-go is here to stay, question mark. I just feel like it's, you know, it feels like table stakes at this point. I mean, think about something like Chobani, which is really pushing into like drinkable yogurt, especially in their high protein line, because people want to go or people want on the go and they want ease. And so that's my in. It's kind of a cheat code because that's obviously been happening for the last few years.

36:19Gabriela Barkho:But yeah, I don't foresee that going away. Same with things like jerky sticks, right? These are becoming, I mean, they're obviously huge. A brand like Chomps has shown why they've really just taken off as an alternative to something like a protein bar. But the big emphasis is that this is something you can just take on the go, which, you know, jerky sticks have always been that, you know, especially for somebody like a hiker. But now they're being positioned more as like a breakfast food, let's say, for your kids in the car. And yeah, I think to go.

37:00Melissa Daniels:So that dovetails really well with my packaging in, which is bulk and club-sized. Because, yeah, you mentioned some of these newer companies that are coming up are kind of heading straight into Costco as a proving ground, right? You know, there's more and more companies where their first wholesale launches Costco instead of a Walmart or a Target or a Kroger. Because buying big convenient things in bulk is really easy. and I think it also elicits routine, right? I bought 30 of these protein bars, so it's not just gonna be a one-off thing that I do. It's something I do every day or after every gym session, right?

37:43Melissa Daniels:So this idea of buying things in bulk and having that, I think, really just kind of like backs up the way that people wanna make wellness part of their daily lives.

37:54Gabriela Barkho:Yeah, I think that definitely makes sense, especially in the day and age of everything value-driven. So if you are going to get, you know, something like frozen novelty or even, you know, yogurt, you can get a 30-pack as opposed to a four-pack because not only is it cheaper, but it is a big part of, let's say, your entire family's routine, not just one person. So yeah, I think as we see a lot of the food and beverage trends kind of transcending generations, right because better for you is now um you know a cross-generational interest we are probably going to continue to see bulk um just coming into play for a lot of brands totally totally were there

38:38Melissa Daniels:any obvious outs here for you other than the ones that we've sort of already mentioned today

38:46Gabriela Barkho:Yeah, I think definitely single serve is in versus the giant tubs, let's say, of powders and mixers that we were talking about earlier being more on the out. of course, there's always going to be a customer for those. But I definitely feel like brands are being very intentional with the way they're packaging their products. And I think these sort of, you know, portable throw in your bag, single serves are the future.

39:17Melissa Daniels:Well, there's been so many great examples that we've been able to talk about today. I feel like there's probably so many more, you know, when it comes to flavor profiles and what's in and out for taste and sense and that kind of thing. But I really enjoyed this conversation. It's so great to get your perspective on what's new and happening.

39:38Gabriela Barkho:Yeah, you too. This was great. So we will be back next year and see if our ins and outs... No, I'm joking. No, I think we're pretty on the ball here. I feel pretty confident.

39:49Melissa Daniels:We probably could have talked more about creatine and fiber, but I would also gather that most folks have heard enough about creatine and fiber.

39:57Gabriela Barkho:Yeah, I did want to give us a little bit of a break, but don't worry, there will be plenty of fiber maxing coverage on modern retail for the rest of the year.

40:12Melissa Daniels:Thank you for listening to this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, a show by Digiday Media. If you haven't already, please subscribe and head to Apple Podcasts to leave us a review and a rating. If you want more from Modern Retail, you can find us at modernretail.co. You can find me, senior reporter Melissa Daniels, on LinkedIn and Blue Sky. And you can also subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter at the Modern Retail profile. We'll see you next week.

40:53Amen.