At this point everyone knows what to expect from the tornado that is Expo West. It feels like some brands are increasingly opting out of the show, wandering the floor to see what their competitors are up to and taking meetings. Meanwhile, unofficial events like Andrea Hernandez’s “Next Big Wave In Snax” and goodCPG’s ANTI-EXPO are gaining increasing popularity with emerging brands looking to get in front of the right connectors while conserving cash. While last week’s show felt like a lot more of the same of what I saw last year, I managed to find just over a dozen brands worth mentioning across trends like: new convenient form factors/ingredients, spice kits, upgraded supply chains, and alternative ingredients. Below is a roundup of these trends and the examples I found within each, and maybe even a proclaimed winner (if you read on to the end).