Vegan Finds at Natural Products Expo West 2016

Follow Your Heart was sampling their amazing VeganEgg product.  The egg-like texture is uncanny.

Years ago, when we first started coming to Natural Products Expo West, if you asked someone if their product was vegan, often you’d get a blank stare, or sometimes:  “ummm… well… it’s gluten-free!”  Veganism just wasn’t something that was on everyone’s radar.  Now, fast forward to 2016.  Nearly everyone you ask knows what’s vegan and what’s not.  And even if their product isn’t vegan, most likely they know why not – “these three are vegan, but this one isn’t because it has honey”, or whatever the case may be.  Veganism is officially a thing!  Sure, it's been a thing for a while, but for me it really stood out at this year's Expo.

The show is, of course, huge.  I feel like I saw 5% of it, and I was there all weekend…! But here are some of the great vegan products I saw this year:

New seasonal Peppermint Dandies!

Upton's was there, with before and after Jackfruit props...!

Lots of great vegan ice cream options on the market  -- I especially liked the coconut-milk-based NadaMoo.

Daiya had a bunch of new products to show at a huge booth.  Along with the pictured Ranch, they were also sampling their new Blue Cheese and Ceasar's dressings.

Congrats to Miyoko's Creamery on winning a Nexty for their new Cultured Vegan Butter.

Love Cocomels! -- also met a woman working their booth who was a 20-year vegan!!  And her husband was a 40-year vegan!

Victoria Fine Foods isn't a vegan company, but they have an extensive line of vegan sauces.  I dug the vodka sauce.

4SOME was sampling their Vegan Superseed Smoothie line -- great taste and lots of protein, from seeds!  They're based in the U.K., and coming to the U.S. this year.

My personal favorite of the show -- Divino Gelato-Filled Fruit from Sorrento, Italy!  Vegan gelato stuffed in halved, whole fruit.  Eat the gelato, then eat the half-frozen fruit that surrounds it!  Super-fun, yet elegant; coupled with refreshing, natural fruit flavors.

Close-up of the kiwi Divino.  Their rep told me that all their gelato used to have cow's milk in it, but they took it out last year, and no one noticed the lack of dairy. So now they're in the process of changing their package to specify Vegan!!  Can't wait to see this in wide distribution here in the U.S.  Heard they're already big in Japan.