Plant Based World North America recently celebrated its milestone of five successful years in a grand event held in New York City. The event, held at the Javits Center, set a new record in terms of buyer attendance, putting on display a wide range of products from leading and upcoming names in the plant-based industry. Brands like KeHe, Fresh Thyme Market, Roots Market, and Country Grocer were on site, taking advantage of the opportunity to explore the latest products and get valuable insight on the market.
Jonathan Morley, Plant Based World Expo Event Director, maintains that their event is vital to promoting cooperation across the plant-based food sector. He expressed his delight at the large number of buyers present at the event and underscored the critical role of the plant-based industry for the food system transformation that is greatly needed from 2024 and beyond. The expo seeks to provide a platform for the larger food and drink market to learn about the opportunities in the plant-based industry and how it can help build a better world.
Plenty of trends and breakthrough brands were at the show, some of which are highlighted below:
Seafood alternatives, such as Konscious Foods, caught the attention of many participants. The brand creates plant-based California and Salmon Avocado Rolls, reframing traditional Japanese and Korean delicacies with a sustainable touch. Focusing on vegetable ingredients, their range also includes fishless caviar, onigiri, and kimbap.
Sustainable beverages were also a big hit. Milkadamia stood out with their “milk leaves”, which are dried versions of their famous oat and almond milk. Rehydrated with water, one leaf yields a glass of milk and reduces packaging waste by a whopping 94%.
On the dairy-free frontier, several companies presented their versions of popular cheese items. Company founder Janessa Steenberg created Panacheeza, a plant-based parmesan cheese topping flavored with garlic powder and made with organic cashews. The product mimics the texture and taste of real grated parmesan surprisingly well. Likewise, Devious Foods and Plant Ahead had their own versions of parmesan-alternative and other plant-based cheeses, meeting lactose-free and kosher dietary needs.
Before the Butcher, a pioneer in the meatless field, showed off a wide range of alternatives, highlighting innovative mockups of jerky sticks made with sunflower protein. Sweet indulgences from Bunnie Cakes, a vegan bakery from Florida, and 7th Heaven Chocolate added to the appeal, with treats like ready-to-bake cupcake batter and oat milk peanut butter cups. For drink lovers, Swish Exquisite Cocktails offered a taste of their alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions free of all 14 allergens, gluten, and dairy.
Looking out for students, several brands presented their healthy food options, aiming to serve schools and colleges. Culinary Director Rob Morasco lauded these innovative approaches, seeing companies substitute the traditional with plant-based versions that closely match the original. Next year’s event is already slated for the same location in NYC on September 24-25, 2025, promising another round of exciting vegan food and drink revelations.
Covering the plant-based industry, our resident foodie Rebecca Viscomi shares her passion for natural food and grocery products when not trying out new recipes, spending time with her dogs, traveling across the country, or delving into reading.
