What they're saying: "Consumers have a high level of trust for small brands" in health because they often have mission-based origin stories and "business-for-good" ethos, says Sherry Frey, VP of total wellness at consumer intelligence firm NielsenIQ.

Meanwhile, many Americans distrust public figures on health-related topics, according to a recent Axios-Ipsos poll.

• And they had more trust in friends and family than in government leaders — and journalists, for that matter — when it came to health issues, a 2024 survey shows.
• But Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has positioned himself as a champion of small businesses — particularly in the "crunchy mom" health space.

Zoom in: Small food and drink businesses focused on health and sustainability are specifically seeing increased growth — according to NIQ data from September 2023 to September 2024 shared with Axios.

• The fine print: NIQ defines a small business as having less than $200 million in sales.

What we're watching: AI has the potential to help small businesses grow, but at the moment, the upfront investment is too high for many companies.