Wellness is Evolving, and AI is Reshaping Discovery — Highlights from Naturally Chicago’s Feb. 24 Webinar

Wellness Is Evolving, and AI Is Reshaping Discovery 

Key Insights from Naturally Chicago’s February 24 Webinar on the Future of Wellness, Consumer Trust and AI-Driven Commerce 

The wellness industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Consumers are no longer passive buyers, browsing store shelves or searching for generic health advice online. Instead, they are informed, data-driven participants seeking personalized solutions tailored to their bodies, lifestyles and values. 

At Naturally Chicago’s February 24 webinar — Wellness Is Evolving and AI Is Reshaping Discovery — industry leaders from retail, data analytics, brand building and technology explored how wellness consumers are changing... and how artificial intelligence is redefining how products are discovered, evaluated and purchased. 

Across the discussion, one theme emerged clearly: AI is emerging as the interface between brands and consumers, reshaping trust, discovery and competitive advantage in wellness. 

The following are insights from these panelists: 

Shiv Gupta, Founder, U of Digital  

Tracey Halama, Founder & CEO, Creekside Ventures 

Katie Kloke, Senior Manager, SPINS 

Margie Omastiak, Senior Forager for Local and Emerging Brands, Whole Foods Market 

Katie Rosholt, Managing Director of Society U.S., moderated the discussion.

We believe you will find the following insights informative and valuable. For a deeper dive, click the button below to view the full webinar video recording.

 Wellness Shopping is Now an Enduring Consumer Trend 

According to panelists, wellness is no longer a niche category. It has become mainstream consumer behavior. 

Katie Kloke of SPINS noted that nearly all consumers now purchase some form of wellness product, from supplements and functional beverages to organic foods and better-for-you snacks. 

Key Characteristics of Today’s Wellness Consumer 

1. Wellness is universal 

• Roughly 99% of shoppers purchase wellness products in some form. 

• Products positioned as natural drove nearly half of recent in-store growth. 

• Wellness now spans every category, not just supplements. 

2. Conscious consumption drives decisions 

Consumers increasingly balance: 

• Health goals 

• Budget constraints 

• Personal values 

• Taste and enjoyment 

Purchases are intentional rather than aspirational. 

3. Label literacy is rising 
Younger consumers especially: 

• Scrutinize ingredient lists 

• Research unfamiliar ingredients instantly 

• Use AI tools or search platforms for validation 

4. Functionality matters 
Major drivers include: 

• Protein and fiber optimization (“maxing” trends) 

• Clean labels 

• Functional benefits embedded into everyday foods 

• Active lifestyle support 

5. Omnichannel shopping is the norm 

• 73% of consumers shop across multiple channels. 

• Discovery happens both online and in natural retail environments. 

Takeaway Quote: 
“More than ever, everyone is a wellness consumer.” 

From Education to Transparency: How Wellness Expectations Have Matured 

Tracey Halama — founder and CEO of Creekside Ventures and former CEO of Vital Proteins — offered a decade-long perspective on how wellness branding has evolved. 

Ten years ago, brands needed to educate consumers about entirely new ingredients. Today, consumers arrive informed... and skeptical. 

Then vs. Now in Wellness Marketing 

Then: Ingredient education 

Now: Ingredient verification 

Then: Claims-led marketing 

Now: Transparency-led trust 

Then: Category novelty 

Now: Functional proof 

Then: Brand storytelling 

Now: Authentic problem-solving 

Consumers now expect brands to clearly communicate: 

• Ingredient sourcing 

• Functional outcomes 

• Product purpose 

• Authentic brand mission 

Flavor remains the entry point — but credibility drives loyalty. 

Takeaway Quote: 
“If you don’t have a good-tasting product, you’ll never win the consumer back. But ingredients and functionality come next.” 

The Rise of Credible Recommenders 

Trust increasingly comes from: 

• Functional practitioners 

• Registered dietitians 

• Medical experts 

• Influencers aligned with specific life stages 

Importantly, credibility is audience dependent. Different demographics trust different voices. 

Wellness Expands Beyond Nutrition 

From a retail perspective, Margie Omastiak of Whole Foods Market emphasized that wellness now extends far beyond what consumers eat. 

Today’s wellness evaluation includes: 

• Packaging sustainability 

• Brand mission and ethics 

• Environmental impact 

• Product origin stories 

• Emotional and experiential appeal 

Consumers seek balance — nourishment alongside enjoyment. 

Takeaway Quote: 
“Wellness isn’t just nutrition anymore. It’s how the product shows up in the world.” 

Retailers remain critical trust filters for consumers. While digital platforms offer infinite shelf space, physical retail still signals credibility through curation. 

Discovery Is Shifting: AI Becomes the New Storefront 

Perhaps the most transformative discussion centered on discovery. 

Shiv Gupta of U of Digital explained that AI is fundamentally reshaping how consumers move from curiosity to purchase. 

AI Is Collapsing the Marketing Funnel 

Historically: 

• Awareness 

• Research 

• Comparison 

• Purchase 

Now, all steps can happen within a single AI interaction. 

A consumer might ask an AI assistant: 

• What supplement helps gut health? 

• Which brands are best? 

• Where can I buy it? 

They can then complete a purchase minutes later. 

New AI Discovery Interfaces 

Retail AI assistants 

• Amazon’s Rufus 

• Walmart’s Sparky 

• Conversational shopping tools embedded into retail platforms 

These assistants: 

• Answer product questions 

• Recommend items 

• Improve conversion rates 

• Increase loyalty and engagement 

Large Language Models (LLMs) 
Consumers increasingly consult: 

• Chat-based AI tools 

• Personal AI assistants 

• Conversational search engines 

These systems pull information from across the internet, meaning brands must ensure their data is accessible and accurate. 

Takeaway Quote: 
“AI is collapsing the funnel — discovery to purchase can happen in one session.” 

Generative Engine Optimization: The New SEO 

As AI replaces traditional search behaviors, brands must rethink their discoverability. 

Gupta described the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) — optimizing content for AI recommendations rather than search rankings. 

Content That AI Systems Prefer 

AI models favor: 

• FAQ-rich content 

• Comparison tables 

• Clear product explanations 

• Multi-source credibility 

• Structured data 

Unlike traditional SEO, results are probabilistic. That means brands must continuously test how they appear across platforms. 

Validation Requires Continuous Testing 

Because AI responses vary: 

• Identical prompts produce different answers. 

• Brands must test across models and prompts. 

• Optimization becomes iterative rather than fixed. 

New tools now simulate consumer personas (“synthetic audiences”) to test messaging at scale. 

Personalization at Scale: Wellness Gets Individual 

Personalization emerged as one of the most powerful forces that are shaping wellness. 

Consumers increasingly use: 

• Wearables 

• Health biomarker testing 

• AI health analysis 

• Online communities 

These inputs create deeply individualized wellness journeys. 

Drivers of Personalized Wellness 

• Sleep and recovery tracking 

• Longevity optimization 

• Life-stage health needs 

• Community-driven advice 

• Self-directed research 

Consumers increasingly treat platforms, like TikTok or AI chat tools, as informal health advisors before consulting professionals. 

Takeaway Quote: 
“Wellness has never been this personal before.”  

Yet personalization does not mean infinite SKUs. Katie Kloke emphasized that success comes from understanding consumers deeply — not creating endless product variations. 

Brands must identify: 

• Who their customer is 

• Where they shop 

• What claims resonate 

• Which problems they are solving 

Balancing Personalization and Scale 

Retailers and brands face a paradox: 

• Scale requires broad accessibility. 

• Personalization requires emotional relevance. 

The solution lies in shared empathy. 

Consumers want products that feel personally relevant while still belonging to broader cultural conversations, such as menopause support, gut health or women’s performance nutrition. 

Emerging examples include: 

• Creatine expanding beyond bodybuilding audiences 

• Functional products targeting specific life stages 

• Community-driven wellness adoption 

Takeaway Quote: 
“Personalization looks for empathy and commonality at the same time.” 

AI’s Growing Role in Creative and Marketing Execution 

AI is rapidly embedding itself across marketing workflows. 

Creative Transformation 

AI now assists with: 

• Ideation 

• Copywriting 

• Video production 

• Content scaling 

• Feedback loops 

This democratizes marketing production but increases the need for human oversight to protect brand integrity. 

AI-Powered Media Optimization 

Major platforms now automate campaign execution: 

• Google Performance Max 

• Meta Advantage+ 

• Amazon Performance tools 

Marketers increasingly set goals while AI handles optimization. 

The Rise of AI Agents 

Next-generation AI systems will: 

• Execute workflows automatically 

• Manage marketing tools 

• Reduce manual software interaction 

Takeaway Quote: 
“Agents will change how marketers work — software will work for us instead of the other way around.” 

What Brands Should Do Now 

Across discussions, several actionable strategies emerged. 

Winning Playbook for Wellness Brands 

1. Lead with authenticity 

• Clearly articulate the problem you solve. 

• Build trust through transparency. 

2. Optimize for AI discovery 

• Structure content clearly. 

• Publish FAQs and comparisons. 

• Ensure accurate digital product data. 

3. Invest in credible voices 

• Experts and practitioners matter. 

• Community validation drives adoption. 

4. Understand your consumer deeply 

• Personalization starts with insight, not product proliferation. 

5. Embrace experimentation 

• AI outcomes are probabilistic. 

• Continuous testing is essential. 

6. Maintain human empathy 
Technology scales reach — but trust remains emotional. 

The Future: AI as the Wellness Interface 

The webinar concluded with a shared understanding: AI is not replacing wellness brands or retailers. Instead, it is becoming the connective tissue linking consumers to solutions. 

Consumers increasingly ask AI: 

• What should I take? 

• What works for someone like me? 

• Which brand can I trust? 

Brands that succeed will be those that remain: 

• Findable 

• Credible 

• Chosen 

In a world where algorithms increasingly guide discovery, the competitive edge will belong to companies that combine technological fluency with authentic human understanding. 

Final Takeaway: 
“Wellness shoppers want personalized answers — and AI is becoming the interface that delivers them.”