Expo West: Stryve Drops ‘Biltong’ from Packaging, Mindright Reformulates

Stryve to Drop Biltong Descriptor in Favor of ‘Sliced Steak’

Stryve Foods may have been built around biltong, but the company is rethinking how it speaks to consumers about the meat snack by dropping the term from its flagship line of products.

At Expo West 2023 the brand showed off new packaging for its Stryve line of meat snacks that, in addition to a design makeover, has now swapped out “beef biltong” for “sliced steak” in its on-pack copy. Accompanying the description is a large realistic illustration of the meat snack.

Despite growth in the category, co-founder Gabe Carimi told NOSH, consumers by and large were not familiar with the term biltong. The line has also been rebranded to “Stryve Protein Snacks” in an effort to better convey its functional benefits, Carimi added.

Stryve’s Kalahari brand, which the company acquired in 2020, will continue to use biltong on its packaging, targeting shoppers looking for a more authentic South African meat snack. Its newest brand, Vacadillos, will also use the term “carne asada,” with Carimi stating the term continues to perform well for that brand.

Founded in 2013, Stryve went public in 2021, merging with Andina Acquisition Corp III, a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The company claims to own the country’s largest USDA approved biltong production facility.

Mindright Reformulates

Mindright is changing its functional ingredient deck, dropping the nootropics combo of ashwagandha and cordyceps in favor of more commonly known ingredients such as magnesium.

“We want to fill the gaps in nutritional health,” founder and CEO Chris Bernard told NOSH at the show.

The new Mindright formulation used in its bars, popped chips and brain boost powder will instead contain: Aquamin’s marine magnesium, MctSMART’s MCT Oil and CognatiQ’s whole fruit coffee extract. The choice to go with branded ingredients, Bernard said, allowed the company to ensure all functional claims were backed by scientific evidence and studies.

The brand’s caffeinated water enhancer was not on display at Expo, nor is currently sold online, with Bernard telling NOSH a new version of the product is currently being developed.

Bernard added that the company is also building out a new line of supplements called Magnetic Mind that focuses on mental longevity. The ingredient deck of that product is designed to help co-founder Rob Dyrdek achieve his goal of living for “114 years and 54 days,” the equivalent of 1 million hours.

Fabalish Adjusts Portfolio Strategy, Launches New Products & Branding

Mediterranean plant-based food company Fabalish used Expo West to showcase new products, new branding and a new pricing strategy as it attempts to expand distribution.

At the show the company announced the relaunch of its brownie bites, which contain a base of chickpeas, kale and spinach. Executives said the company was able to quickly get the products from proof of concept to their final iteration because it self manufacturers, and the bites are similarly shaped to their falafel bites. The goal, executives said, is to have products that can stretch across day parts and, in particular, cater towards parents looking for nutritious snacks for their children. Brownies will launch on Thrive Market this Spring.

The company also introduced three of its signature aquafaba-based vegan condiments – mayo, ranch and tzatziki – in single-serve sachets in response to a direct request from retailers. They have already been picked up by plant-based meal kit company Purple Carrot, which will include them in assorted boxes starting this Spring.

Fabalish is also adjusting its product mix in retail. Its 8 oz jars of plant-based Queso, Tzatziki, Ranch and Fab-a-Dip will mainly be sold online, while in retail the brand will focus on selling in its new line of Chipotle and Classic vegan mayonnaises, aimed at appealing to a wider audience. The mayos, which are soy-free and organic, are sold in 11 fluid ounce jars and will launch shortly in Sprouts.

Across the entire portfolio the brand launched a new colorful, retro-inspired branding and rolled out line pricing with all products sporting an MSRP of $9.99

Winners of The Greg Steltenpohl Pragmatic Visionary Award Announced

SIMPLi co-founders Sarela Herrada and Matt Cohen were announced as the first recipients of the The Greg Steltenpohl Pragmatic Visionary Award. The creation of the award, which honors Califia Farms and Odwalla founder Greg Steltenpohl, was announced at last year’s Expo West.

Given to an early-stage venture, the annual award includes a $100,000 grant to be used “to enable or expand the accomplishments, reach and impact of the recipient’s work.” Founded in 2020, SIMPLi produces a line of Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) pantry staples such as beans, salts, quinoa, chocolate and olive oils. The company’s focuses on transparency, working directly with small farmers.

Recipients of the award are “innovators, entrepreneurs, and change makers building a more positive, plant-centric food system.”