2025 rewind—This year’s top CPG trends and industry drivers

In the latest episode of The Natural List podcast, hosts Jessica Rubino and Adrienne Smith take listeners on a journey through the key trends and developments that shaped the natural products industry in 2025.  From the resilience required to navigate tariffs to the mainstreaming of natural products through initiatives like Make America Healthy Again (MAHA), this episode dives deep into the forces driving growth and innovation. Jessica and Adrienne explore the top categories driving growth, which products saw investment this year and the categories that are projected to keep growing in 2026 and beyond.  Tune in for insights into how innovative distribution and retail models are empowering early-stage companies, the impact of GLP-1s our industry and the transformative role of AI in marketing, branding and compliance. While AI continues to make waves, a key focus of the conversation is around how brands and retailers can use it to deepen the in-person connections that make our industry so great. And of course, we can’t forget, protein and fiber were huge this year. What will the “big” macro be in 2026? Whether you're an industry insider or a curious consumer, this episode offers a compelling look at the trends that shaped the past year of health and wellness and how they’ll influence the future.