When it comes to staying up to date on the latest trends both on and offline, we at LMS pride ourselves on our deep commitment to predicting trends before they happen, so we can stay in the driver’s seat, rather than jumping on the proverbial bandwagon and catching the latest trend as it passes by.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a crystal ball, so to stay ahead of the trends, we’re constantly doing research, reading articles, analyzing data, and having all kinds of FOMO from scrolling through seriously amazing social content. But our favorite type of industry research lets us, get out from behind the keyboard and connect with influencers, brands, and other digital marketing experts IRL
Our most recent destination? Anaheim, CA. In case you missed all the delicious stories, posts, and updates from your favorite food bloggers, we’re talking all things Natural Products Expo West, and giving you a sneak peek into what’s up next on the hot trend horizon.
TRAVEL TIME… TO GRIND TIME.
Snacks packed, bags in tow, and off to the west coast from our chilly east coast home! Once the whole team arrived in sunny Cali, it was time to hit the ground running.
We were party prepping, house primping, and longingly eyeing all of the delicious natural products around the expo floor. It was all cylinders go for the LMS fam – stuffing bags, arranging decor, looking over our to-do lists more than Santa checks his naughty or nice list!
Exhausting? Yes. Worth it? Hell yes.
DAY ONE
Best way to start the day? Breakfast prepared by a chef, in your kitchen (no cooking, no cleaning, and you can stay in your PJ’s!) With the help of Cali’flour foods and The New Primal, we did just that for our influencers.
The chef prepared decadent protein packed egg cups with The New Primal meat sticks, spinach, and tomato in italian traditional and Italian plant-based Cali’flour crusts. For the vegans in the bunch, a vegan flatbread was prepared on Cali’flour’s Italian plant-based crust made with avocado, spinach, and tomato! (I’m getting hungry just thinking about food…)
To really start the day right, a few team members from both The New Primal and Cali’flour came over to the house to chat with the influencers and share a delicious, intimate breakfast. When all of the food was gone, and everyone was sufficiently caffeinated, it was off to the convention center to grab passes, and wander the expo floor!
Once inside the convention center, we were finally set free on the floor to say hi to some friendly faces and explore any particularly eye-catching products.
So.. What did we see?
PROPS TO THE PROP DEPT
Favorite booth this year came straight out of the wild: Kodiak Cakes – how can you go wrong with bringing the outside in, complete with a bear, berries, and some baked goodies?
After snapping the obligatory selfie with the bear (aka our new #bestie), we joined the line to get our little paws on some delicious Kodiak treats… Sweet enough for our bear friend, but packed with protein so we could get our #gains and avoid some guilt 😉
SPILL YOUR GUTS!
Gut health is the name of the game. You heard it here first – there was a strong focus on anti inflammatory ingredients to increase gut health and promote internal (and external) balance… Mark our words – gut health is the way of the (much healthier) future.
Don’t know where to start? Check out Detox Water, a GF, non-GMO, vegan, prebiotic, pulp-free aloe-infused, vitamin and electrolyte enhanced water with delicious flavors and amazing benefits.
If you’re looking for a shot to the heart… or… gut… try Ethan’s functional shots with Apple Cider Vinegar or MCT – they have 10 different flavors, each with different health benefits.
CBD/HEMP PRODUCTS
With the rise in cannabinoid advocacy and the national conversation surrounding our friendly green plant, now is the time to educate yourself. Learn as much as you can, understand the difference in quality, the varying benefits, and try different products – it’s not a one size fits all, which is why there is room on the floor for so many different products and brands to explore and innovate in the same space!
If you’re looking for quality product made with the perfect balance of head and heart, look into Charlotte’s Web – you can try tinctures, capsules, balms, and creams.
For that pre-presentation stress, those pre-flight nerves, or just your everyday anxieties, check out our friends at Sunday Scaries.
If you’re stressing with a sweet tooth, grab one of Beekeeper’s Naturals b.chill honey and hemp sticks – yum!
KETO/PALEO/WHOLE30
Gains, gains, gains! It’s all about packing in the protein, and keeping out the carbs! The more we learn about our internal bacterial landscape, and what our bodies need to run at peak efficiency without crashing and burning, the more we realize that protein is the name of the game. Whether you’re #Whole30, living the #paleolifestyle, or working for that #ketotransformation, you’re going to need protein. You can go plant-based, like Biena’s addicting chickpea puffs, or animal-based, like Wilde’s chicken chips (made from high-quality chicken breast not skin, and not fried!) And if you’re going to jump on the chicken chip bandwagon, might we suggest Wilde’s newest flavor: chicken and waffles – let us know if you don’t eat the whole bag in one sitting!
FEMALE FOUNDERS!
In honor of International Women’s Day (the Friday of Expo!) we have to shine a spotlight on all of the brilliant women we know reshaping the CPG industry. While this is no new phenomena to those of us in the know, there is no way we’re skipping a chance to shout it from the rooftops: the future is female, and there’s a whole new world of change and innovation headed our way!
FROM CONVENTION FLOOR… TO DANCE FLOOR
After hours of snacking, and miles of walking, it was time to turn around and get into party mode. LMS hosted a happy hour, featuring Cali’flour, The New Primal, Sunday Scaries, Wilde, and Oki – complete with drinks, decadent food, and photo opps galore!
Our invite-only happy hour was packed with foodies, fashionistas, bloggers, and brands – all there to relax, unwind, and have a good time! #HellYesLMS!
DAY 2 – FRIYAY!
Our fabulous influencers had settled in to their swag-filled pad, and we were there to greet them Friday morning with more than just our smiling faces. Thanks to Charlotte’s Web, yoga was first on agenda for our lovely guests.
Picture this: stretching your stress away in an energizing yoga class in the warm California sun,framed by the soft shade from aromatic orange and avocado trees. We’d like to think that’s the only way anyone should start a day that will be filled with miles walked around an expo floor… or any day, really!
Refreshed by the yoga practice, warmed by the rays of the sun, and relaxed by some CBD products provided by Charlotte’s Web, everyone was ready to take on the day. While sipping coffee and taking time to become present for the day ahead, our influencers were met by Amanda from Charlotte’s Web to discuss the brand’s history, CBD’s uses, its many benefits, common misnomers, and the importance of knowing your body and finding your own natural balance.
TOUR THE FLOOR
As the caffeine set in, and the adrenaline came rushing back from previous night’s festivities, we were ready to get hyped for another day on the floor, and for a presentation being given by one of our CEO’s! While some of the crew packed up and snacked up (umm… seriously though… so many great brands to try… and we couldn’t help it if we needed to try a third sample for quality control… ;)), Tim got ready to drop some knowledge on the expo floor about driving sales and engagement on Instagram, and we were able to take the influencers on a booth tour.
On the tour, each brand discussed the mission, history, and some fun facts about their products. Best part? The samples and the swag! Each influencer got the chance to snag a floor sample, and grab a little gift for later, courtesy of some fabulous founders (several of whom were at the booths for questions and convos.)
We toured the serene setting of Charlotte’s Web, then sampled some sweet treats from Snow Monkey, filled up on the already addicting Cali’flour, got a caffeine kick from the Wandering Bear crew, and sampled some new products: crazy flavorful keto broth from Bonafide, the seriously drool-worthy Awesome Burger from Sweet Earth, and the cravable keto plant-protein drinks from Koia.
DATA BREAK:
Next on the docket? Cheering on Tim, one of our co-CEOs, as he dropped some knowledge on the people of Expo West. Here are just a few striking stats from his presentation:
- 92% of marketers believe that most or all of the content they create resonates as authentic but only 58% of consumers globally agree that user-generated content is the most authentic form of content
- Influencer marketing content delivers 11X higher ROI than traditional forms of digital marketing.
- 56% of consumers are more likely to buy a product after seeing it featured in a positive or relatable user-generated image from an influencer.
If you’re left wanting more, contact us, or check out our Expo Highlights on Instagram!
MIC DROP
All good things must come to an end…
We are back to the East Coast, bringing some California sun along with us 😉 It was another amazing trip for the books, filled with the best balance of working hard, playing hard, and being inspired. We return home reinvigorated by the intense buzz of being surrounded by so much innovation and so many industry leaders, and filled with so much joy for being able to do the work we do. It’s a truly humbling experience to be surrounded by so many brilliantly passionate people – brands with heart, influencers with perspective, and all the friends that have become family. Expo may be over… but we’re just getting started… are you in?
At LMS, we always know what’s trending and are experts on helping brands — and the people who put their heart and soul into creating them — grow. For more info, check us out on Instagram or email us at imgame@wearelms.com.