I admit that before I attended Natural Products Expo West, I did not fully grasp what it was. I had heard about it at a Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) meeting, but walking into the Anaheim Convention Center was something else entirely. It was massive, and just when you thought you had a handle on it, another building appeared, filled with people, products and ideas.

And that is when it hit me: This is exactly where dairy needs to be.

As a dairy farmer who helps fund the checkoff, I went to Expo West wanting to understand why we invest in events like this. I came home convinced it is not just worthwhile; it is essential to our future.

What stood out right away was how much dairy already was part of the conversation. Many of us might expect a show like this to lean toward dairy alternatives – and there was a time not long ago when that was the case – but that is not what I saw. In fact, I saw the opposite. Booths highlighted real dairy, 100% butter and ingredients like whey.

Everywhere I looked, innovation was driving the food space and dairy was part of it. I saw everything from high-protein snacks and beverages powered by whey to new uses of dairy ingredients. Freeze-dried dairy products for baking caught my attention, as did new formats like milk or cream pods for single-serve coffee machines.

Dairy is not being pushed out of innovation spaces. We are competing and often winning.

Expo West is not just about what is on the shelf today – it is about what is coming next. You have entrepreneurs, investors, product developers, retailers and suppliers all in one place. It is a who’s who of the food industry – and for many, it may be the only time they talk directly with a dairy farmer.

That matters more than I realized.

When fellow farmer Kim Korn (of Idaho) and I spoke with people at the show, there was real appreciation for what we do back home. Some conversations focused on farming basics, but any face-to-face interaction builds trust. It reminds people that dairy comes from farm families who care deeply about what we produce and how we do it.

Clear trends are shaping the space. Health and wellness is a major driver, especially around protein. You saw it everywhere – drinks, powders, snacks – and dairy fits naturally into that demand. I noticed a shift in messaging too. Instead of just sustainability, many companies are talking about regenerative practices. That is an area where dairy farmers have a strong, generations-long story to tell.

Convenience was another theme. Smaller, snackable portions, grab-and-go packaging and products designed for busy lifestyles were everywhere. Again, those are opportunities for dairy to show up in new ways.

This is where the checkoff’s role becomes so important.

DMI was there to show how checkoff tools and expertise support those innovating with dairy. Our booth was constantly busy, and one highlight we sampled was a simple but powerful concept: cottage cheese ice cream. It is a great example of how the checkoff can take two trends – high protein and consumer interest in cottage cheese – and turn them into a new product concept.

Dairy Management Inc.'s booth at Expo West. Image courtesy of Dairy Management Inc.

Attendees saw the power of the checkoff-funded National Dairy Foods Research Center network and tools like Dairy Innovator that help companies move from idea to product faster. For entrepreneurs and brands, that support can make all the difference. For farmers, it means more opportunities to build demand.

DMI also led an education session focused on what consumers really want, especially in the health and wellness space. One point stuck with me: Consumers are highly motivated to be healthier, but many feel current products are not meeting their needs. This gap creates opportunity and dairy is well positioned to help fill it.

When you step back, this is what Expo West is really about. It is a place where unmet consumer needs, new ideas and the right partners come together. If dairy is not in that room, we risk being left out of those opportunities.

As farmers, we often think about demand in terms of what is happening at the grocery store. But the future of dairy demand is also being shaped in places like Expo West, long before products reach consumers.

Being there reinforced that the checkoff is working to keep dairy visible, relevant and competitive. It is helping position dairy not just as an ingredient, but as a driver of the next wave of food and beverage innovation.

From my perspective as a farmer, this is exactly where our investment should be.

This column was written by Nebraska dairy farmer Joyce Racicky, who serves on the DMI board of directors. For information on how the checkoff is driving sales and building trust of dairy, visit our website or reach us directly by email.