Marketing: Loopini Founder Trains For Ironman By Eating Pizza For 100 Days; Plus Hot Girl Pickles, GoGo squeeZ

Loopini Founder Trains For Ironman By Eating Pizza For 100 Days

Nearly any five-year-old would probably jump at the idea of eating pizza every day for 100 days. It’s a different story for a grown man training for an Ironman triathlon.

Damiano Messineo, the co-founder of lupini bean frozen pizza brand Loopini, took on the challenge and tracked his journey for an upcoming documentary premiering this weekend at the Tribeca Screening Room.

The decision by Messineo last September to join co-founding partner Alessandro Pignataro in training and competing in an Ironman turned into an inadvertent marketing opportunity when Messineo began eating a Loopini pizza each day, starting in January.

“From there it kept evolving,” he told Nosh. “I decided to treat it like a scientific study and gather as much data as I possibly could, with every test I could find… At one point a doctor told me I was doing the same exams an astronaut and an NFL player would do, combined.”

Launched online in 2024, Loopini makes three varieties of high-protein pizzas using lupin bean flour as its base. Each pie contains between 38 to 54 grams of protein, 560 to 590 calories and 18 to 26 grams of fiber, depending on the variety.

What happened? Messineo’s overall blood test score improved; he lost four pounds of fat and gained six pounds of muscle, which is “basically the opposite of what’s supposed to happen when you’re doing a huge volume of endurance training for a half-Ironman,” he said.

More importantly, Messineo’s fasting insulin dropped 53%. Put simply, his pancreas was doing the exact same job with half the effort, while his blood sugar control got better.

He attributed this to his pizza brand’s use of lupin flour, which contains gamma-conglutin that helps muscles pull sugar in a similar way that insulin interacts with the body.

Since Messineo’s experiment didn’t start as a marketing opportunity, he isn’t judging the ROI on clicks or cost-per-acquisition, but proof of concept that Loopini pizzas or “not bad for you, but doing the real work,” he said.

“Most brands spend heavily to claim their product is healthy. We spent 100 days demonstrating it, and that content keeps paying out long after the spend is done,” he said. “More than ROI, this is a statement of what Loopini is about: we want to test the real, long-term effects of our product and be transparent about whatever we find.”

GoGo squeeZ Goes to Infinity and Beyond

Bel Group’s GoGo squeeZ brand is going to infinity and beyond through a new partnership with the newly released Disney and Pixar film “Toy Story 5.”

The limited-edition pouches – available in Apple Apple, Apple Banana, Apple Cinnamon, Apple Mango, Apple Strawberry, Apple Carrot Mixed Berry and Apple Pear Carrot flavors – feature beloved characters like Buzz, Woody, Jessie and Bullseye. Each pouch contains a half-serving of fruit and is free of added sugar.

The GoGo squeeZ x Toy Story 5 pouches are now available at major retailers like Target, Sam’s Club, Kroger and Walmart.

Linear Protein Bars Now USDA Organic Certified

Linear has achieved USDA Organic certification across its entire protein bar portfolio, including its flagship Chewy Gooey Caramel and newer offerings Sweet Cinnamon Crunch and Sweet Pecan Tortoise. Each bar delivers 20 grams of complete protein and up to 10 grams of fiber, depending on the variety.

A key differentiator for the brand is its use of certified organic whey protein, an ingredient it claims is both difficult and costly to source in organic form, positioning Linear among a relatively small group of protein bar brands using it.

“For Linear, USDA Organic certification isn’t just a label; it reflects the standard we wanted to bring to the protein bar category from day one,” said Mel Scott, founder of Linear, in a statement. “Consumers deserve protein-rich snacks made with integrity that feel decadent and satisfying to eat without any tradeoffs.”

EATABLE Partners with Moana

EATABLE has teamed up with Disney Canada to launch a “Moana” live-action-themed Tropical Tides popcorn flavor ahead of the upcoming film’s release on July 10. The new SKU features premium kettle corn with a Polynesian-inspired seasoning blend of mango, coconut and sea salt.

“I’m beyond proud seeing our small Canadian brand collaborate with some of the world’s most iconic entertainment properties,” said Charlene Li, co-founder of EATABLE, in a LinkedIn post. “EATABLE started as a simple idea around creating memorable snacking experiences, and has now become a cross-functional effort involving product development, packaging, licensing, retail partnerships, marketing and logistics.”

Hot Girl Pickles Teams Up With Jewelry Brand

Good Girl Snacks, the parent company of Hot Girl Pickles, collaborated with boutique jeweler SETTE to create a limited-edition coquette pinky ring. The bauble features a vibrant green, lab-grown diamond and is made to order with yellow gold or white gold at settejewelry.com through June 26. Prices start at $2,000 – but each purchase includes a complimentary jar of Hot Girl Pickles.

“Pickles and pinky rings both sound like a joke until you see how serious the women who love them are,” said Isabel Rooney, founder and designer at SETTE, in a statement. “Good Girl Snacks is the boldest thing in its aisle and we want to be the boldest brand in fine jewelry, and neither of us thinks you need a reason to treat yourself. A green lab diamond in our best-selling ring was the most honest way to say that out loud.”