How Food Trends Go Viral and Who Really Profits

Is your favorite superfood actually a marketing success story? Ethan sits down with Natalie Alibrandi, a nutrition and food science expert who helps take products from concept to commercialization, to unpack how food trends are born. They explore the rise of kale, goji berries, cottage cheese hacks, and the powerful role marketing plays in shaping what we believe is healthy. Natalie breaks down formulation, regulation, and the realities of the food industry, while Ethan digs into how consumer psychology drives demand. HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 Introduction and Natalie’s Background 05:42 How Food Trends Are Born 12:18 The Rise of Superfoods 18:47 Marketing vs Nutritional Reality 26:15 Product Formulation and Food Science 34:02 Consumer Psychology and Health Claims 42:30 The Business of Health Foods 50:11 Regulation, Labels, and Transparency 58:27 Social Media and Trend Acceleration 01:05:44 Final Thoughts and Takeaways Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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How Food Trends Go Viral and Who Really Profits is an episode from American Glutton by American Glutton.

This episode is 43:43 long.

This episode was published on Feb 9, 2026.

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