The CPG hype cycle is broken. Here’s how to fix it.

In the fast-paced world of consumer packaged goods (CPG), innovation has become one of the most overused—and misunderstood—terms in our vocabulary. Walking the halls of Expo West this year, the sheer scale of innovation on display is staggering. Every aisle promises a new solution to our food system’s woes—higher protein, added fiber, or the latest superfood infusion. Yet a troubling question persists: How much of this is actual food innovation, and how much is marketing dressed up as engineering? The modern CPG landscape excels at generating hype but often fails to create lasting value. Brands appear overnight, fueled by venture capital and massive marketing spends, only to disappear a few years later. In fact, research suggests that 70% to 85% of new food and beverage CPG products fail within their first few years. From my perspective, this volatility frequently stems from a lack of true technological and operational know-how. Many emerging brands rely almost entirely on co-manufacturing. While this approach lowers the barrier to entry, it also means these brands don’t own the underlying technology or research and development (R&D). Innovation in this context becomes cosmetic—tweaking formulas to chase trends—rather than structural: advancing the way we produce, consume, and think about food. Walking Expo West, I saw dozens of brands promising incremental health benefits, yet most relied on the same co-manufactured base formula with minor modifications. In contrast, a handful of purpose-driven brands stood out by demonstrating real control over their ingredients and supply chains, producing minimally processed foods with measurable environmental benefits. When marketing drives the engine more than science, brands remain trapped in a cycle of hype that prioritizes what’s viral over what’s vital. 3 PRINCIPLES TO MOVE THE INDUSTRY FORWARD If the food industry wants to move toward real, sustainable innovation, it must embrace three core principles: 1. Put