The Natural List

Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Updated Semiweekly

A New Hope Network podcast covering hot products, emerging trends and expert insights driving the future of CPG! Seaweed burgers and meatless meats. Mushroom elixirs and adaptogenic mocktails. Plastic-free packaging and waterless shampoos. The nearly $300 billion-dollar natural products industry is swimming in innovation. But which products and trends have staying power? During this podcast, co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith share the latest industry news and the most compelling and (sometimes off the wall) innovations that are primed to transform the CPG industry and support a global shift toward healthier, more sustainable living.

  1. 10h ago

    The Natural List: Your Newtopia Now content preview

    Newtopia Now is less than one month away! 🎉 Join host Jessica Rubino and New Hope Network's Conference Specialist, Kenna Garber, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Newtopia Now 2026. Kenna is hands-on in creating the content that allows brands to thrive at this year's event, happening August 18-20 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. Exciting news: 61% of Newtopia Now exhibitors are brand new to the event and likely to the market! This year's conference content focuses on what it means to be a brand that endures and how to get there. Through keynotes, exclusive buyer-side chats with retailers, and community events designed around connection, attendees and exhibitors will start to feel the ROI of this show right away! Jessica and Kenna discuss their favorite parts of Newtopia Now, the three show floor neighborhoods (Glow, Thrive, and Regenerate), can't-miss sessions, and why this year's programming goes beyond trend headlines into practical conversations driving the industry's future. Highlights include: ✨ Intimate buyer-side chats with top retailers ✨ Three highly anticipated keynotes on innovation, resilience, and consumer trust ✨ Ulta Beauty's presence on the Glow stage discussing their new wellness department ✨ New Trend Snapshots ✨ The Beauty and Wellness Pitch (August 20, 10:15-11:30 AM) ✨ Nutrition Capital Network pitch event (August 18) ✨ Women in CPG luncheon 🔗 IMPORTANT LINKS Register for Newtopia Now 🤝 CONNECT WITH OUR SPONSORS GnuSante Zego Foods 👥 CONNECT WITH US Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn 🔗 Connect with our guest, Kenna Garber on LinkedIn 🔗 📩 GET INVOLVED Want to be a guest on The Natural List or interested in becoming a sponsor? Email us at: thenaturallist@newhope.com For more information like this, check out our website: newhope.com 📖 ABOUT THE NATURAL LIST The Natural List is a podcast by New Hope Network exploring what's new and what's next in the natural products and CPG industry. Hosted by Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith, each episode features industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers shaping the future of wellness. Subscribe for more episodes and stay ahead of industry trends!

  2. Jul 22

    Health concerns driving today’s purchases

    Erika Craft joins us again on The Natural List to discuss Nutrition Business Journal’s newest report! NBJ is the expert in tracking trends, consumer behavior and market sizing within the natural and organic products industry. Their 2026 Condition Specific Report focuses on the 22 health conditions and concerns driving supplement purchases. Jessica asks Erika the big question: Do you think that consumers are fundamentally shifting how they define what it means to be healthy and the conditions that they target to achieve that goal of health? Listen now to find out! Thank you to our sponsors, GnuSante and Zego. Enjoy our vodcasts here or on YouTube. Prefer to tune in via podcast? Join us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. In this episode: 0:39 – Thank you to our sponsor Zego. 1:40 – Welcome back to the podcast, Erika Craft! 2:09 – Where is Adrienne? Hint: Futbol de Espana! 2:44 – What is The Condition Specific Report? 3:47 – Erika describes her experience with taking a Function Health test. 6:08 – Register for Newtopia Now, the place to discover new brands before anyone else. 7:57 – The Condition Specific report is one of NBJ’s most anticipated reports of the year. 8:34 – How are consumers shifting how they define what it means to be healthy? 10:14 – The impact of data on consumers’ perception of health and the way they decide to spend on these conditions. 11:21 – Are we at peak ‘longevity’ trend? 11:49 – Healthy aging was the fastest-growing condition in 2025. 13:35 – Weight management, metabolic health growth and how GLP-1s are impacting the industry. 15:37 – Thank you to our sponsor Gnusante. 16:42 – Erika provides data-driven estimations on where the GLP-1 market is going. 18:32 – Brain health, sleep and stress are driving nootropic growth. 21:07 – Subscribe to Natural Foods Merchandiser (NFM) for a trusted daily resource that shapes purchasing decisions and drives industry growth. 22:39 – Erika shares what’s happening in the fast-growing women’s health market. 24:32 – Upcoming NBJ report will look at how supplement ‘optimizers’ are interacting with the industry right now. 25:02 – Erika emphasizes the importance of niche products; consumers seem to be driving toward them.

  3. Jul 15

    Editor's must-see CPG snack trends from Taipei

    What do jelly supplements, chewy textures, and innovative oils have in common? They all make an appearance in this episode of The Natural List and are trends from across the world in Taiwan. On this episode of The Natural List, we’re digging into the trends Meredith saw while attending the Food Taipei Mega Shows trade show in Taiwan. Spoiler alert: much was different, and much was the same! Meredith spotted new supplement delivery formats, noted interesting textural trends, and even found a few key differences between what the CPG industry is doing stateside and in Taiwan. No surprise, tea was everywhere! And of course, Adrienne and Meredith must taste-test a few of the most innovative products brought back from the show. Thank you to our sponsors, GnuSante and Zego! Enjoy our vodcasts here or on YouTube. Prefer to tune in via podcast? Join us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. In this episode: 0:17 – Thank you to our sponsor GnuSante. 1:25 – World Cup catch-up 2:17 - Our guest Meredith is back from Taiwan where she attended the Food Taipei Mega Show. 2:48 – Meredith recaps her time visiting Taiwan 4:50 – Functional Beverage trends in Taiwan vs. U.S. 6:51 – Tea, boba and dual textures in beverages 8:19 – One of the biggest innovations: a boba replacement with no calories and no sugar. 10:28 – Protein, anti-seed oils: Are the biggest U.S. trends happening in Taiwan, too? 10:59 – Thank you to our sponsor ZEGO foods. 13:34 – New oil innovation happening in Asia! 16:00 – No Dubai chocolate in Taiwan, but something even more innovative. 17:14 – New supplement delivery format found at the Food Taipei mega show! 18:45 – Texture was one of the biggest differences Meredith saw on the show floor. 19:22 – Taste testing “floss-free” popcorn. 20:30 – For a deeper dive into all the products Meredith saw at the Food Taipei Mega Show, read her article on newhope.com.

  4. Jul 8

    CPG trends from Summer Fancy Food

    Adrienne Smith has returned from Summer Fancy Food, and Jessica Rubino has returned from maternity leave! There’s a lot to celebrate on this episode of The Natural List Podcast. What did Jessica miss these last four months? A lot has happened in the CPG world, including a successful Expo West, plenty of protein products and so much more. Adrienne catches her up on the big industry events, and Jessica catches us up on the newest fan of the podcast: Gigi! With Adrienne’s timely return from Summer Fancy Food in NYC, she brings us the rundown of the top trends she noticed on the show floor. Innovative packaging (looking at you, Honey Department!), dates galore, probiotics popping up in unexpected ways and bone broth in nearly every format imaginable. We predicted bone broth as one of the biggest trends of this year, and it’s fulfilling to see it coming true in such full force! Listen to the full episode to hear all of Adrienne’s must-see CPG and natural products trends from Summer Fancy Food. Thank you to our sponsors, GnuSante and ZEGO Foods. In this episode: 0:11 – Thank you to our sponsor ZEGO Foods. 1:20 – Welcome back to our co-host, Jessica Rubino! 2:32 – Where has Jessica been? Welcoming the newest fan of The Natural List, baby Gigi! 4:52 – Adrienne enjoyed spotting NEXTY Products out in the wild while at Pop Up Grocer in NYC. 5:39 – Jessica and Adrienne share an obsession with novelty food hats. 7:13 – Thank you to our sponsor GnuSante. 8:00 – Adrienne describes her first experience at the “Fancy Shmancy” Food Show put on by the Specialty Food Association! 8:52 – Adrienne got sucked into the innovative products in the River area, plus all of the new faces in the Naturally Network and Startup CPG areas. 10:59 – Jessica is a blank slate when it comes to trends after her time off. Adrienne fills her in on what she missed! 11:09 – Bone broth, as predicted, is still going strong! Highlighting marrō, a sparkling protein soda, Beck’s Broth bone broth hot chocolate and Reclamation Foods Korean-style bone broth. 14:10 – How are retailers making room for innovation in the bone broth category? 15:02 – Could this be an opportunity to make bone broth more accessible, price-wise? 16:16 – Global flavors are still seeping into new categories! Lots of Matcha and Guava flavors. 16:19 - BARI, Asian-inspired baby food pouches 17:55 - Chenzi, a mochi-meets-dumpling potato ball. 18:19 - Purple Drop, a peruvian purple corn drink. 18:45 – Nadas Empanadas has a new guava and cheese flavor. 18:59 – Dairy innovation is still happening (and delicious!) 19:01 – Bezi Labneh 19:06 – Sour Milk Yogurt 19:08 – Etelka Cottage Cream is the curd-less cousin of cottage cheese. 19:19 – Recre8 protein ice cream 19:34 – Dates are standing the test of time and still popular! Date-sweetened products and a celebration of dates themselves. 20:03 – French Squirrel stuffed dates are an oldie but a goodie. 20:28 – Honey Department’s packaging was so innovative. It is packaged in an aluminum tube! 21:22 – Cupuaçu is a Brazillian cousin of cacao. Figa foods is making a chocolate bar made from this bean. 23:59 – Read more about Adrienne’s favorite trends from Summer Fancy Food in this article.

  5. Jul 1

    Organic produce trends with Brenna Davis

    This episode of The Natural List podcast is chock-full of information about the organic produce market! Host Adrienne Smith is joined by New Hope Network Sponsored Content Director Nancy Coulter-Parker to discuss industry trends in the organic market. Nancy is a longtime organic industry advocate who has also written the OTA’s State of Organic report for many years. The two discuss the exciting upcoming 10th anniversary of the Organic Produce Summit as well as how consumers are interfacing with organic products as the cost of living continues to rise. Then we shift to an interview with Nancy and Brenna Davis, the CEO of the Organically Grown Company. Brenna has deep roots in the world of environmental and social justice, and her passion and knowledge of the organic industry oozes through every word of this conversation. Brenna will be speaking at the Organic Produce Summit, happening July 14-16 in Monterey, CA. She will draw from her years of working in this industry and her new book, Leading Through Fire: Resilient Leadership for People, Planet and the Future, to excite and inspire during her keynote. Tune into this episode for a thoughtful and insightful look at the challenges our industry is facing, as well as what Nancy and Brenna are excited for! Thank you to our sponsors, Gnubees and Zego. ----- Read the State of Organic https://www.organicproducenetwork.com/organic-retail/state-of-organic-produce-2025 Register for the Organic Produce Summit here. https://www.organicproducesummit.com/general-interest/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid-search&utm_campaign=hln26ops-sf-bofbrandedkw-search&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23658548311&gbraid=0AAAAADkQdJWHqwVBcM8OJHqWEsaX2b96j&gclid=CjwKCAjw0o3SBhBVEiwAh28-jSHfwbKG6gJ8bUGOOETLyCXSNDRzsg3gdnaMJkUWG8Ls00nA02t5PBoCJUUQAvD_BwE Organically grown company: https://www.organicgrown.com/ Brenna’s book: https://www.brennadavis.com/leadingthroughfire.html Gnubees link: https://www.gnusante.com/en-us Zego link: https://zegofoods.com/ Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-coulter-parker-ncp123/ Brenna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrennaverse/ Gnubees link: Gnubees In this episode: 0:11 - Welcome to our guest, Nancy Coulter-Parker. 0:24 – Thank you to our sponsor, Gnusante. 1:41 – The 10th anniversary of Organic Produce Summit is happening July 14-16 in Monterey, CA. 3:25 – The organic produce market grew 5 times faster than conventional produce. 4:09 – Nancy describes the trends that are driving organic produce growth. 6:24 – Does organic produce have any barriers or challenges to growth? 7:09 – Consumers are feeling the price tension in their wallets. Has the price difference between organic and conventional narrowed at all? 9:01 – Brenna Davis will be a keynote speaker at the OPS Women’s Networking Brunch. 9:25 – Thank you to our sponsor Zego. 10:27 – Welcome to our guest Brenna Davis, CEO of Organically Grown Company. 12:30– Brenna describes her journey to caring about the environment and how it led her to the Organically Grown Company. 14:40 – Organic food has so many benefits; Brenna shares a few of her favorites. 16:33 – Organic produce is the biggest category in the organic market. 17:21 – GLP-1 use is impacting the amount of produce purchased by households and spells opportunity for organic brands. 18:22– Brenna shares her outlook on some challenges facing the organic industry. 21:34 – Brenna’s new book, Leading Through Fire: Resilient Leadership for People, Planet and the Future, is focused on how to help leaders be resilient in the face of today’s multiple crises. 23:40 – Farmer’s resilience is what keeps the industry strong. 26:02 – Think big: Nancy and Brenna answer the question “What do you want to see from the organic industry in the next 10 years?”

  6. Jun 24

    LGBTQ+ brands to support year-round

    Happy Pride month! On this episode of The Natural List, host Adrienne Smith talks with two guests: The Natural List producer Mattie Sims (they/them), and New Hope Network Community and Conference Content Manager, Josh Person (he/him). Though it was difficult to narrow down just a few to highlight, the trio shares some of their favorite LGBTQIA+ and Queer-owned CPG brands doing amazing work in our industry. Thank you to our sponsors Bimbo Bakeries USA and Om Mushroom Superfood! Enjoy our vodcasts here or on YouTube. Prefer to tune in via podcast? Join us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. In this episode: 0:23 – Thank you to our sponsor Om Mushroom Superfood. 1:15 – Welcome to our guests, Mattie Sims, The Natural List producer, and our Community and Conference Content Manager, Josh Person. 2:30 – How will you be celebrating Pride this year? 3:42 – Highlighting our favorite queer-owned brands to support in June and beyond. 4:46 – Josh shares that knowing the founders of these brands makes it even easier to love their fabulous products! 5:05 – Couplet Coffee 5:51 – Better Blends 6:52 – Josh is enjoying the brands that are putting their identity front and center! Notably Gay Water (not actual water!) 7:52 – Super Gay Spirits just launched a new line, Two Fruits 8:25 – Throwback to a previous recording where Adrienne learned what “Gay Water” is! 10:10 – Check out Foodboro’s post on LinkedIn highlighting more than 60 LGBTQ+ CPG brands! 10:12 – Thank you to our sponsor Bimbo Bakeries USA. 10:57 – Mattie’s first pick is Stacked Hydration. 12:40 – Wonder CBD 13:28 – Diaspora spices 14:49 – Adrienne’s first pick is Lexington Bakes 16:00 – Daybird 17:02 – Explorer Coffee 17:54 – Dr. Bronner’s limited edition Pride SKU: Pride! Joy! Solidarity! Features a special rainbow label honoring LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of expression. The brand supports the ACLU in the fight to protect LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of expression by donating $100,000 for the next three years. 18:34 – Brew Dr. Kombucha’s limited edition Pride SKU, “Love Wins” supports LGBTQ+ Outdoors, creating safe, inclusive spaces for adventure & connection in nature. 19:00 – Thank you to all of the brands out there who are great allies year-round!

  7. Jun 17

    Purity and safety in the CPG industry

    Welcome back to The Natural List! In this episode, we feature an interview from Natural Products Expo West 2026 where Adrienne chatted with ZEGO CEO Colleen Kavanagh to discuss the brand's purity testing. ZEGO is an allergy-friendly food company that produces organic breakfast cereals, protein powders and fruit bars. Known widely for its "Purity Verification" and supply chain transparency, ZEGO ensures its products are free from major allergens and agricultural toxins. The duo discuss why purity testing is so important, and whether consumers even care about transparency. We answer these questions and more in this episode of The Natural List! In this episode: 0:09 – Thank you to our sponsor Bimbo Bakeries USA. 0:45 – Episode preview! 1:31 – Thank you to our sponsor Om Mushroom Superfood. 2:19 – Welcome to our guest Colleen Kavanagh, founder and CEO of Zego. 3:02 – Colleen describes how Zego’s journey to transparency began and has evolved over the years. 5:10 – Zego’s education and test results are a driver for consumer purchasing behavior. 5:50 – Colleen explains Zego’s mission and vision for safety testing for consumers across the industry. 6:36 – What are some smaller steps that brands can take to move toward Zego’s standard of testing? 7:50 – Consumers care about transparency and trust, and are shopping brands that provide it. 8:20 – How does Zego affect change now that the brand is functioning as a supplier, too? 8:50 – Zego’s customers usually start by focusing on one purity aspect, but then they enjoy the additional, higher transparency across other aspects. 9:45 – Colleen shares about Zego’s newest SKU, Regenerative Organic Old-Fashioned Rolled Oatmeal. 10:52 – Adrienne and Colleen discuss how well Zego utilizes packaging to communicate with consumers. 12:26 – What’s your vision for Zego in the future?

  8. Jun 10

    Saltverk

    Salt, fat, acid and heat: There’s a reason salt comes first! On this episode of The Natural List podcast, host Adrienne Smith, a certified salt lover, talks with Gísli Grímsson, Salt Maker at Saltverk, about the brand’s origins and goals. Saltverk is an artisanal Icelandic sea salt company that is best known for reviving an 18th-century Danish method of producing flaky sea salt. This method uses 100% geothermal energy, so while the end product is a food, the company is also a massive geothermal engineering feat. Adrienne and Gísli share a love of good salt and discuss how the brand’s vertically integrated production provides a rare level of control and assurance that the product is microplastic and heavy-metal-free. Listen to the full episode to learn more about how Saltverk began and the passion behind the production. In this episode: 0:18 – Thank you to our sponsor Om Mushroom Superfood. 1:44 – Adrienne introduces our guest interview from the Content Creation Studio at Expo West. 2:20 – Thank you to our sponsor Bimbo Bakeries USA. 3:03 – Welcome to our guest, Gísli Grímsson, Salt Maker at Saltverk. 3:40 – Tell us the story of how Saltverk began. 6:22 – Saltverk is a food product, but it is also a massive geothermal engineering feat. 6:50 – Gísli is celebrating 10 years with Saltverk and the growth of the brand. Though he is a “salt maker,” responsibilities always vary! 9:14 – The water used to make the salt, from deep in the fjords, is microplastic-free. 10:29 – Saltverk’s product is also heavy-metal free. 11:10 – The brand’s vertically integrated system makes it easy to control the inputs and ensure the output meets consumer needs. 11:50 – Gísli shares the brand’s retail strategy in the USA, finding success in both natural and traditional channels.

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About

A New Hope Network podcast covering hot products, emerging trends and expert insights driving the future of CPG! Seaweed burgers and meatless meats. Mushroom elixirs and adaptogenic mocktails. Plastic-free packaging and waterless shampoos. The nearly $300 billion-dollar natural products industry is swimming in innovation. But which products and trends have staying power? During this podcast, co-hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith share the latest industry news and the most compelling and (sometimes off the wall) innovations that are primed to transform the CPG industry and support a global shift toward healthier, more sustainable living.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    142
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith
  • Show Website
    The Natural List