The Most Innovative Products at IDDBA Show 2023

More than 9,600 attendees and 810 exhibiting companies gathered in Anaheim, Calif., last week for this year's IDDBA Show, and a few of those people might have been interested in keynote session speaker Tom Hanks.

Okay, perhaps more than a few.

In fact, his session was so packed with attendees that exploring the desolate expo floor while Hanks was on stage was a great time to spot new products without fighting through crowds. 

According to the International Dairy Deli and Bakery Association, shoppers are making 52 trips to the deli a year, 62 trips to the bakery, and 64 trips to the dairy aisle. Bakery and dairy are seeing customers make trips more frequently than once a week. This is a great opportunity for innovation, especially when it comes to new products. 

At the show, IDDBA VP of Education Heather Prach said grocers need to stay ahead of new product trends and those that go viral, and merchandise to these.

"In my grocery days, we always needed to be ahead and aware of what Dr. Oz launched on his shows because we would be flooded with requests. But if we could build an end cap and quickly increase our orders, we could grab sales," she said. "This is true now, but with TikTok, with YouTube, with Facebook trends, food is fuel and nutrition as much as social and entertainment. It is now becoming art in the presentation and a fun way to explore flavors. Social has brought food to the top of the conversation, and people want to shock with flavors, but remember, the digital and the social world move fast. You need to stay ahead and take some risks here."

What that in mind, here's 11 product trends I saw walking the show floor that we can expect to see shaking up the grocery industry in 2023 and beyond:

1. Sibz Energy Bites: Looking to capitalize on the energy snack trend, SIBZ energy bites are made from just five ingredients or less and are designed to keep you energized and satisfied throughout your day while staying true to clean eating and simplicity. SIBZ Energy Bites come in flavors such as pistachio, cacao and chia.
2. Bite Bakehouse: BITE Bakehouse products speak to the hottest trend in grocery right now: value. They allow consumers to satisfy a craving for a little something indulgent but at a lower portion size and price. Teacake flavors include birthday cake, double chocolate, and strawberry. They also offer cake bombs.
3. Anthony and Sons Bakery Avocado Bread: Functional breads are hotter than ever, and their Avocado Seven Grains Bread delivers an item that is on trend, healthy, clean label, and vegan. Packed with grains and flavor and offers a ton of functional benefits. A perfect thaw and sell sliced 24-ounce loaf, designed for easy convenience in foodservice or retail usage.
4. Coro Foods: Charcuterie has been a hot trend in grocery for a while, but it's always the same old prosciutto, salami, soppressata, right? Wrong. In Seattle, Coro Foods is making charcuterie that is more flavorful and more delicious. Their uncured, ethically sourced salami comes in flavors such as lemongrass, jalapeno, orange cardamom and mole. Made in Seattle.
5. Chris' Heritage Dips: Shoppers love reusable materials, and Chris' Heritage Dips come in a terracotta pot. Hand-selected, local ingredients set this line of decadent dips above others on the market. Flavors include Smoked Gouda & Jalapeño, Cheddar & Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Truffle, and Blue Cheese with Fig & Pistachio. 
6. Scharffen Berger: The longtime chocolate maker and original farm-to-bar purveyor has new ownership and a new product that is sure to appeal to charcuterie board builders across the land. Chocolate Provisions offers perfectly sized chocolate squares in various delectable flavors designed to complement any board. Each package contains 20 chocolate flats (9 g) perfect for charcuterie boards, dessert spreads or indulgent snacking.
7. Sosi's Armenian Yogurt: There's a new tangy yogurt dip on the market and it's not Greek. Sosi's dips are made with EVOO, probiotics and no added sugars. They come in flavors such as sriracha, spinach jalapeno, garden mint and artichoke dill.
8. Poppies Cream Puffs: Cream puffs are the new macaron/cupcake/cookie, and Poppies offers cream puffs designed for today's mini shopping budgets. Poppies are made with traditional choux pastry shells, filled to the brim with whipped cream. They are a great complement to cappuccino and rich coffees, and are perfect for dinner parties, or whenever consumers want to indulge with a small-portioned dessert.
9. Dosa by Dosa Yogurt Drinks: The cool, creamy, refreshing yogurt drink, Lassi, from the Punjab region of India has been around for literally thousands of years, but Dosa by Dosa put it in a bottle in the U.S. Four delicious flavors — Turmeric Banana, Cardamom Mango, Cayenne Tamarind and Peppercorn Berry — offer something for everyone, and the grab-and-go bottles are perfect for busy days.
10. Chuckanut Bay Vegan Cheesecakes: Plant-based dips, drinks and deli meats were plentiful at IDDBA, but only Chuckanut Bay had a new vegan twist on a classic dessert: cheesecake. Rich, creamy and dairy-free, the vegan cheesecakes are available in Chocolate Truffle, New York, Strawberry, Raspberry and Very Berry. 
11. Del Trio Mashed Avocado: Del Trio wants everyone to have access to perfectly ripe avocado available at home. Packages come in 2-ounce or 7-ounce portions and have nothing added. No preservatives whatsoever. As Americans increase their avocado consumption, this product is destined to not last long on shelves.