SAN ANTONIO, TX - The second annual Viva Fresh was one for the books, breaking its premier record of 800+ attendees by almost double and offering an easy-to-navigate setting to browse—perfect for noticing what’s new around the industry.

While there was so much to take in and a lot of fun moments that stood out, here are some of the items that made their mark on my first Viva Fresh experience.

Hollandia’s Living Baby Romaine

Just launched last month, this new addition to the live gourmet pipeline comes with roots attached to keep it as fresh as possible when it reaches its final destination - the hands of the consumer. The key focus, which you can see by the clear packaging’s note of “more taste, less waste,” was to ensure that there is as much leaf and little stock for better eating.

Mucci Top Seal Packaging

The recognized Top Seal from Mucci instantly caught my eye and my aesthetic appeal on the floor. The necessary messaging looks clear, crisp, and fun, while still leaving plenty of room to actually see the product and let the tomatoes speak for themselves.

Apio’s New Asian Sesame and Southwest Vegetable Salads

After having just heard Dr. Drew Ramsey speak about the importance of the superfoods, this is a new launch that drew the eye. Not only does it keep a well-rounded diet of plants by incorporating several greens dubbed with the power of “superfood,” but the number on the package even conveys how many different superfoods are in each item. By the numbers displayed on these latest additions to the Eat Smart line, both the Asian Sesame and the Southwest pack quite a punch.

Love Beets’ New Smoky-BBQ Shredded Beets

Now I know we were in Texas, where barbecue is the way of almost all preparation, but this was not an item that had occurred to me before trying it at Love Beets’ booth. Not only was it memorable, it was also unique to me as far as both flavor and texture, making the list of things that stood out on the floor.

U Gottabee Nutz

Was it the name? Was it the tiki-decorated packaging? Or perhaps the on-trend flavors? Whichever you choose, this struck me as a fun way to shake up the nut category. The colorful scheme and the promise of more flavors to come made it easy to believe this could stand out to consumers in a store for snacking or as an addition to their salads.

 Thank you to all who helped make this such a memorable show, and I can’t wait to see you again (and meet those who missed out) in Austin, Texas next year for the third annual Viva Fresh Expo.

Check in with AndNowUKnow for more coverage from the show floor, including another round of first-hand picks to come.

Viva Fresh