"According to Roy Morgan Research, more than one in 10 Kiwis say that they are always or often vegetarian.
"We have increased our vegetarian range within the chiller section and have experienced double-digit growth in the sales from last year. We think the move towards vegan and vegetarian diets, even if it's just for a day a week, will continue to influence and create even more new product development."
One company bucking the health trend was Cadbury's, who were giving out samples of their new chocolate flavours, peppermint and pineapple milk chocolate bars.
The two flavours will be on Countdown shelves for a limited time within the next few weeks, a brand representative said.
Cleaning product company Earthwise announced its launch of a new brand of natural skincare products at supermarket prices at the expo.
The 10-piece Glow Lab skincare range was dermatologically tested and aimed at the "free from" demographic - customers who wanted products free from ingredients like parabens, sulphates and silicones, said company staffer Alannah Kelly-Curtin.
"We did market research and saw there was a gap in the market," she said.
People indicated they wanted skincare products which were free from certain chemical ingredients but which still worked.
Glow Lab was the combination of natural and cosmeceutical ingredients to fill that market gap, Kelly-Curtin said.
Most of the line sat at the $25 mark, starting from $15. The most expensive item, a facial serum, was $30.
The range will be available from the first week of October.
Tea sales were also rising and JDE, the company which makes Jed's coffee and bell tea, has recently launched a range of herbal teas called Ti Ora.
Paul Muollo said the rise in herbal tea's popularity was about younger customers' interest in health and well-being.
"They're moving away from supplements to tea," he said.
"It's a trend and people want to try out new flavours."
Countdown data showed a decline in traditional black tea sales as people showed greater interest in herbal flavours.
