Vegan superstar chef Leslie Durso has constructed a storied profession bridging luxurious, wellness, and plant-based delicacies. Within the final 15 years, she’s helped numerous manufacturers curate eating experiences which are each indulgent and inclusive of all diners, no matter dietary wants. The 4 Seasons Punta Mita in Mexico, for instance, has remodeled into probably the most vegan-friendly resorts on the planet below Durso’s course.
Durso not too long ago headed to Anaheim, CA for Pure Merchandise Expo West, the world’s largest pure meals commerce present. Right here, the vegan chef shares her ideas on rising tendencies, sizzling merchandise, and the fads she’d wish to see disappear.
I spent days strolling the complete present of Pure Merchandise Expo West 2026, and one factor grew to become clear virtually instantly: the pure meals trade is in the course of an identification disaster. In every single place I turned there have been protein sodas, protein sweet, and snacks fried in beef tallow, every promising to be the following well being breakthrough. However as a vegan chef who has spent years serving to folks fall in love with actual, plant-based meals, I couldn’t assist questioning if we’re fixing the improper downside.
Leslie Durso
Individuals don’t even have a protein deficiency. We’ve a fiber deficiency and a rising dependence on processed meals sporting wellness labels. After a couple of days at Expo West, I left each involved and hopeful about the place meals is heading subsequent.
The highest 5 meals tendencies of 2026, in response to superstar vegan chef Leslie Durso
- Protein in Every part
From drinks to desserts, protein has grow to be the common purposeful ingredient. - The “Ancestral Fats” Narrative
Sadly, tallow and conventional fat are being reframed as wellness substances. - Cleaner Ingredient Lists
Extra manufacturers are simplifying formulation and decreasing components. Past Meat and Simply Egg, for instance, are simply two which are simplifying their substances. - Legacy Pure Manufacturers Reimagined
Among the most fun updates got here from firms which have been within the pure meals house for many years. - Actual Meals is Quietly Profitable
The merchandise that impressed me most weren’t essentially the most engineered however as an alternative essentially the most considerate.
Vegan manufacturers and merchandise to recollect
Amongst hundreds of merchandise, a number of manufacturers actually impressed me.
Edward & Sons
A considerate rebrand of one of many pioneers of pure meals, Edward & Sons is honoring its legacy whereas bringing a contemporary look to the model. Search for the brand new branding to hit retailer cabinets within the fall.
My favourite merchandise embody the brand new pad see ew noodles produced from brown and black rice, miso soup, gluten-free ice cream cones, coconut milk, and jackfruit. Actually, there may be not a product they make that I don’t use.
That’s It
That’s It
That’s It makes fruit-based snacks with superbly easy substances, proving that typically the perfect innovation is doing much less. At Expo West, the model launched Fruitola, a clear cereal with numerous taste.
Seven Sundays
This family-run firm prides itself on making better-for-you cereals and granola mindfully crafted with out dyes, synthetic flavors, or refined sugars. Seven Sundays is launching new oatcakes, persevering with their concentrate on thoughtfully sourced complete grains.
Zico
Zico launched natural coconut water, a transfer that brings one of many unique coconut water manufacturers again into the pure highlight.
Cocojune
Cocojune
Cocojune was, fingers down, among the greatest plant-based yogurt on the present. It’s wealthy, creamy, and extremely scrumptious.
Fabalish
Fabalish continues increasing past its chef-crafted, allergen-friendly dips and spreads with new French toast bites which are surprisingly addictive. Look out for my Basil Aioli collab with them—it’s again this summer season!
PlantFusion
Greatest recognized for its plant-based protein powders and nutritional vitamins, PlantFusion is launching a vegan collagen magnificence complement to additional the rising beauty-from-within motion.
Malk
Malk
Malk continues to be main the way in which in ultra-clean plant milks with ingredient lists you’ll be able to really acknowledge.
Redmond
Redmond continues its easy ingredient philosophy with mineral-rich salts, seasonings, and electrolytes.
Kokora
One other standout model centered on diet and considerate substances with out pointless complexity, Kokora sources substances from its natural, regenerative farm in Costa Rica—yet one more means the model prioritizes each human and planetary wellness.
Good Athlete
For my athletic mates on the market who’re uninterested in customary vitality gels and goos, the founding father of Good Athlete is a medical physician and cherry farmer who mixed his love of sports activities, medication, and the cherry orchards to convey an distinctive product to market.
King Arthur Baking Firm
King Arthur Baking Firm
King Arthur Baking Firm created a self-feeding sourdough machine referred to as the Sourdough Sidekick. It feeds your starter so that you don’t must! Pre-orders start March 23 on the King Arthur web site.
Addressing the (protein) elephant within the room
Protein dominated the present ground. Protein water, protein sodas, protein espresso, protein desserts, protein snacks, protein sweet—the listing goes on.
The push is clearly being pushed by GLP-1 conversations, health tradition, and social media weight loss plan tendencies. Manufacturers are responding by including protein to almost every little thing, even meals that by no means wanted it.
Past
Protein is crucial, however extra isn’t all the time higher. Constantly consuming very excessive protein ranges, particularly by way of ultra-processed merchandise, can include some downsides together with kidney pressure from elevated nitrogen waste; digestive points when excessive protein consumption displaces fiber; nutrient imbalance when fruits, greens, and legumes get pushed apart; and over consumption of ultra-processed substances like isolates, gums, and sweeteners used to ship protein.
From a plant-forward perspective, the irony is that complete meals like lentils, beans, tofu, nuts, seeds, and complete grains already present loads of protein with the added dietary advantages of fiber, minerals, and phytonutrients.
We don’t essentially want extra protein merchandise—we may want extra actual meals.
Are we actually permitting beef tallow to make a comeback?
One other development that shocked me: beef tallow merchandise in every single place. Tallow is being framed as a return to “conventional fat,” however as a vegan chef, it’s arduous to not see this as a part of a broader nostalgia narrative round animal merchandise.
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Beef tallow is extraordinarily excessive in saturated fats and diets excessive in saturated fats have lengthy been related to elevated LDL ldl cholesterol and elevated heart problems threat. It’s additionally very calorie-dense and, like many animal fat, can accumulate environmental contaminants relying on sourcing.
Tallow is sort of pure fats, offering about 120 energy and 14 grams of fats per tablespoon, which may add up shortly in fried meals.
Utilizing animal fat to rebrand extremely processed snack meals as “ancestral wellness meals” deserves greater than a bit skepticism.
The nutrient we’re ignoring: fiber
Whereas protein dominated advertising claims, one nutrient was noticeably absent: fiber. Though the common American consumes lower than half of the really helpful every day consumption of fiber, this important nutrient isn’t given the eye it deserves.
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As a chef working solely with crops, fiber is among the strongest—and neglected—instruments for well being. Fiber helps intestine microbiome variety, blood sugar stability, coronary heart well being, and long-term metabolic steadiness.
And the perfect fiber sources aren’t powders or isolates, however moderately beans, greens, fruits, complete grains, and seeds. Mockingly, the meals that naturally include fiber are the identical meals that usually get pushed apart when protein advertising takes heart stage.
The state of “pure” processed meals
One sincere takeaway from Expo West: even inside the pure meals trade, ultra-processed merchandise are multiplying. Cleaner labels are changing synthetic components, however we’re nonetheless seeing many meals constructed round isolates, concentrates, stabilizers, and taste programs.
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The trade continues chasing the identical objective standard meals firms have all the time chased: most comfort and shelf life. As a chef, I perceive why comfort issues, however I really feel the way forward for meals shouldn’t come on the expense of ingredient integrity.
Why I’m nonetheless optimistic
Regardless of some tendencies that raised eyebrows, I left Expo West feeling hopeful. There’s a brand new era of founders asking higher questions: how will we assist regenerative agriculture? How will we make plant-forward consuming thrilling? Can packaged meals nonetheless encourage whole-food cooking?
Probably the most thrilling future for meals isn’t protein soda or nostalgia-driven tallow tendencies, it’s a return to one thing a lot easier: actual substances, grown nicely, and ready with care. And perhaps the following massive development we’ll see at Expo West received’t be extra protein. Perhaps it is going to be extra crops, extra fiber, and fewer substances total.
As a vegan chef, that’s a future I’m extremely excited to be part of.
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