Feature: Top US Trends

For time immemorial the UK has kept one eye on the US – California and New York in particular – for emerging trends which could influence our own direction of travel. Now, with the organizers of BIOFACH about to put down roots in Atlanta, Georgia, it will pay dividends for industry pros on this side of the pond to pay even closer attention to what’s happening on US soil – figuratively and literally. With his finger permanently on the pulse, organic food expert Max Goldberg talks Rosie Greenaway through the four hottest trends shaping the US market today.

Described as an ‘organic sensation’ by The New York Times, Max Goldberg is a leading voice in the US organic industry. Founding editor of digital newsletter Organic Insider, Goldberg has spent 14 years researching, scrutinizing and supporting the organic sector, attracting a following of 42,000 professionals in his LinkedIn Organic Food Industry Group.  

Famous for practicing what he preaches, since 2001 Goldberg has eaten close to 100% organic, even whilst travelling – which he admits requires meticulous planning to hunt down local organic juice bars, restaurants and markets. “I’m very serious about it. It’s not just something I write about, it’s my life. I stay in hotels based on where I can eat. I always travel with food.”

Next year he’ll be packing his organic snacks and heading to the inaugural BIOFACH America (Atlanta, 4-5 June 2025) where organizers have confirmed an all-organic menu from venue caterers. “It just shows their level of seriousness,” he comments. “People who go to these shows want to have an organic option at lunch. It’s a small but very big detail.” 

“People who go to these shows want to have an organic option at lunch. It’s a small but very big detail.”

Max Goldberg, founding editor, Organic Insider

Goldberg believes the move to Atlanta is ‘very positive’, plugging a gap in the US trade show circuit. “We have not had a place where all participants can come together under one roof to talk about the issues and the challenges that we face. Natural Products Expo West – they allow natural, non-GMO and GMO 2.0 products. Organic is part of that show; it’s not the sole focus like BIOFACH America will be. I think it’s the single biggest development … since the USDA took control of the national organic programme in 2002. It’s huge.”

true Transparency

“Without question the number one biggest trend in organic is add-on labels: Regenerative Organic Certified [and] Real Organic Project. These were essentially born out of frustration at the USDA not enforcing the rules,” says Goldberg. With USDA certification as a baseline, these privately-managed labels are soaring in popularity as brands seek to enhance their credentials. Concurrently, there’s a strong movement towards third-party testing for contaminants, particularly in organic baby food. “Because USDA organic does not require all products to be tested for things such as glyphosate … brands are doing their own testing – whether it’s with Glyphosate Residue Free or Clean Label Project.”

Gut health growth

With a number of prebiotic sodas and certified organic probiotics hitting the market, Goldberg is noticing a trend for products which address digestive health and the gut-brain axis, and a more general incline towards ‘functional foods that are not just filling your stomach but are actually formulated with gut or emotional health in mind’. With growing public openness to fermented food and drink – typically kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha – eating habits are moving in a functional direction. “I think mental health awareness is really growing and I think that’s why you’re seeing an awareness of reducing sugar consumption.”

ingredient watch

“Buckwheat is something that we’re starting to see in nut milk [and] granola. People are not that familiar with buckwheat. I think it’s a very interesting ingredient. It’s grown regeneratively in the Midwest, it’s gluten-free, it contains all nine essential amino acids, it’s helping the farmers, it’s very nutritious and it tastes great – it checks a lot of boxes. There’s a company called Lil Bucks doing Regenerative Organic Certified buckwheat [and] a company called BAM (Because Agriculture Matters) doing buckwheat milk; the first organic buckwheat milk I’ve ever seen. It’s a very compelling product. It’s a new approach to nut milk; it’s not almonds and it’s very smart from a business perspective.” Goldberg adds that in the coming years he expects to see a boom in organic millet. “It’s something that can be intercropped with what they’re growing in the Midwest. It’s really good for soil health so it can be a cash crop for farmers. It’s also gluten-free which is a big deal.”

protein popularity

As a by-product of the popularity of weight loss drugs such as ozempic, organic protein powders are enjoying increased demand. “You’re seeing a huge spike in interest from the big CPG companies and investors in protein. It’s booming because with ozempic people have to consume more protein, so protein powders are a real beneficiary. They’re exploding. Ozempic has nothing to do with organic but [because of it] people are increasing their consumption of organic protein powders.” 

By Rosie Greenaway, editor