The Natural List

In this episode of The Natural List , host Adrienne Smith interviews Pat Sheridan , CEO and president of the Independent Natural Retailers Association (INFRA). Our episode begins with Pat sharing his experience as a first-time judge at the NEXTY Awards , highlighting the collaborative and insightful discussions among industry experts evaluating innovative natural products, and continues into updat...

In this episode of The Natural List, Nancy Coulter-Parker , director of content marketing at New Hope Network, sits down with Megan Mellquist , vice president of client services at Advantage Solutions , to explore the challenges and opportunities for emerging brands in the "better for you" retail space. The conversation delves into how brands can identify and address white space on shelves, demons...

In this week's episode of The Natural List, host Adrienne Smith is joined by Audarshia Townsend, the content director for Supply Side Food and Beverage Journal, to discuss the exciting process of judging the Natural Products Expo West NEXTY Awards. As a seasoned NEXTY judge, Audarshia shares her insights from her fourth year on the panel, highlighting the innovative products and trends emerging in...

In this episode of The Natural List, Nancy Coulter-Parker , director of content marketing at New Hope Network, sits down with Alex Davila Gallup, sales representative at Daabon USA, hear their how—how they got started, how they're innovating and how they differentiate themselves in the marketplace. In this 10-minute interview, Alex shares the inspiring story of Daabon USA, a family-owned, fourth-g...

In this episode of The Natural List , hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith dive into the latest trends and developments shaping the wellness and natural products industry as 2026 kicks off. Their first big announcement? The podcast is seeking a temporary co-host while Jessica heads out on maternity leave at the end of next month! DM us on Instagram or LinkedIn if you’re interested. The duo then...

Innovation is at the heart of the natural products industry, and in this episode of The Natural List , we explore what it means to truly innovate in the CPG space. Hosts Jessica Rubino and guest Jenna Fitch discuss what innovation means to them, new events at the 45th anniversary of Natural Products Expo West and the keynote speakers for Day 1 of the show. New to Expo West on March 3 is the CPG In...

In this episode of The Natural List , host Adrienne Smith is joined by Meredith Kaufman to explore the most exciting trends and surprises from this year’s NEXTY judging. The “Meat and Dairy” category saw the highest number of submissions ever; the judges were thrilled to see integrity-driven products that are as delicious as they are innovative. One of the biggest surprises? The “Meat alternative”...

From food and beverage innovations to what’s new and noteworthy in supplements and personal care, this week’s episode of The Natural List is revisiting one of our FAVORITE episodes from the last year... where our hosts discuss the New Hope Network 2026 trend predictions! This week's episode is sponsored by Premier Research Labs. Learn more here: https://prlabs.com/ Co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adri...

The beverage category is always.... bubbling... with innovation! This week, we're revisiting one of our most popular episodes of The Natural List Podcast, which covers top healthy beverage trends and products of 2025. This episode was originally published on February 24th, 2025. Co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith take listeners on a flavorful journey through some of the most exciting ready...

In this episode of  The Natural List , hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith welcome Erika Craft to discuss the latest  NBJ Supplement Industry Market Update and Economic Outlook Report . They explore how this new report complements the Supplement Business Report, offering valuable insights for businesses to use either in tandem or independently. A key feature of the report is its inclusion of t...

In the latest episode of The Natural List   podcast, hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith take listeners on a journey through the key trends and developments that shaped the natural products industry in 2025.   From the resilience required to navigate tariffs to the mainstreaming of natural products through initiatives like Make America Healthy Again (MAHA), this episode div...

This week’s episode of The Natural List Podcast offers listeners an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Nutrition Capital Network (NCN) Fall Meeting in San Francisco and dives into one of the most exciting trends shaping the health and wellness industry: Health span.   Co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith are joined by NCN Investment Business Development Man...

Get ready to feel inspired! This episode of The Natural List celebrates mission-driven brands that truly give back. With so many incredible CPG companies making a difference, choosing just a handful to spotlight was no easy feat.  Jessica and Adrienne welcome special guest Meredith Kaufman, editor at New Hope Network, for an engaging conversation about brands that embody gratitude 365 da...

This episode of The Natural List podcast, with co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith, explores what's been happening in the CPG industry lately. The conversation kicks off by discussing the rise in traditional brands embracing cleaner formulations, highlighting how "clean beauty" trends are reaching into conventional retail channels. The duo then shifts focus to Thanksgiving favorites, featur...

The natural products industry is all interconnected. In fact, trends that start in the supplement industry often make their way into other areas of the industry. Stay ahead of the curve and join co-hosts  Jessica Rubino  and  Adrienne Smith  as they welcome guest  Bill Giebler , content and insights director of  Nutrition Business Journal,  for an excit...

This episode of The Natural List provides essential insights for investors, CPG brands and retailers looking to understand the regenerative agriculture movement's impact on dairy investments. Co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith break down why companies focusing on sustainability and farm-to-consumer transparency are capturing both consumer attention and investor dollars. The duo discusses a...

In this week’s episode of The Natural List, hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith talk with Cynthia Barstow, founder of Protect Our Breasts and professor at UMass, to explore how Gen Z is reshaping the natural products landscape.   As the host of the podcast "Shelf Sense, the stories behind our stuff," Cynthia brings unique insights into how today's young consumers approach health, wel...

From food and beverage innovations to what’s new and noteworthy in supplements and personal care, this week’s episode of The Natural List breaks down the New Hope Network 2026 trend predictions! Co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith walk through the 10 trends predicted to make waves in the CPG and natural products industry in the coming year.  Now is the time to start thinking about your...

Welcome back to The Natural List! This week, co-hosts Adrienne Smith and Jessica Rubino are joined by special guest Erika Craft, NBJ market research analyst, to unpack the key findings from NBJ's newest Sports Nutrition and Weight Management Report.   This episode provides listeners with essential market intelligence on one of the industry's m...

This episode provides valuable insights for anyone interested in the future direction of organic agriculture, food policy and changing consumer trust patterns in the natural products industry. Co-host Adrienne Smith welcomes guest Douglas Brown, senior retail reporter at New Hope Network , to discuss his first-time experience at Organic Week 2025 in Washington, DC . The conversation explores the e...

The latest episode of The Natural List tackles the natural products industry's hottest topics with co-hosts Adrienne Smith and Jessica Rubino . As Adrienne prepares to attend One Step Closer's Ripple Fest 2025, the duo dives into who really bears the burden of rising tariffs—brands, consumers, retailers or some combination–a pressing question Jessica will explore further in the upcoming SupplySide...

In this episode of The Natural List, co-host Adrienne Smith joins guests Jenna Fitch and Bill Giebler to dissect the pumpkin spice phenomenon reshaping the CPG landscape. Whether you're a devotee or a skeptic, the numbers speak volumes: according to a 2025 Coherent Marketing Insights report, this $1.1 billion market is projected to reach $2.2 billion by 2032—making it impossible for brands to igno...

In this week’s episode, hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith are joined by guest Meredith Kaufman, editor at New Hope Network, to dish on their most exciting food discoveries from the Newtopia Now show floor.   The trio discussed innovative products that caught their attention, from Loopinin's protein and fiber-packed pizza to an "ice cream renaissance" featuring unique global flavors...

We’re buzzing over the beverage innovations from Newtopia Now! On this week’s episode of The Natural List, our hosts explore the most exciting drink trends spotted at the show. From savory energy drinks to nutrient-dense liquid meals, this episode provides an overview of beverage innovations we didn’t expect from the Newtopia Now show floor.   -        ...

This exclusive episode of  The Natural List  was recorded  live  from the bustling show floor on the final afternoon of Newtopia Now 2025! Our co-host Jessica Rubino grabs New Hope Network insiders Bill Giebler and Grace Burleson for their raw, unfiltered reactions while the energy of the event is still buzzing around them. This isn’t your average post-show recap. Check out thi...