Adrianne DeLuca

In this week’s roundup: JBS fights BBB National Ad Division over net zero claims; Flower Foods completes acquisition of co-manufacturer Papa Pita; USDA appeals to WIC for updated guidelines and Red Lobster looks to CPG to salvage sales.

Glancing at the ingredient deck for plant-based proteins, you’re likely to find some familiar names, but there’s another ingredient that might soon be universal: konjac. The ancient root veggie found its way into alt-seafood despite not offering any protein content itself.

As Pop Up Grocer’s (PUG) business has evolved, its goal to merge spontaneous new product discovery and grocery shopping has remained at the forefront. On March 3, PUG will open the doors to its first, permanent home.

In this week’s roundup: Little Spoon expands with new Biteables lines; American Spice Trade Association believes spices and herbs earned healthy status; Kraft Heinz puts price increases on hold and Project Potluck doubles in size.

Vegan dairy brand Miyoko’s Creamery has seen its namesake, founder and CEO Miyoko Schinner, formally depart the company, according to an announcement from the brand today.

While hummus is an inherent part of the brand’s identity, Ithaca Hummus founder and CEO Chris Kirby doesn’t believe its first line extension – Fire Roasted Salsa – will be the source of too much consumer confusion.

Sports nutrition company Skratch Labs opened a new cafe in its hometown of Boulder, Colorado last month with the aim of extending its brand identity beyond the CPG industry.

In this week’s roundup: PE firm Kainos Capital closes $1B fund; Nestle, Wholesome Crave and UMass Dining launch plant-based meal program; ADM faces labor union charges and Motif Foodworks expands by offering out bioprocessing capabilities.

Egg & dairy company Vital Farms today announced the hiring of Thilo Wrede as CFO. Wrede will succeed the company’s current CFO, Bo Meissener, in March who has held the position since December 2020.

Mondelez is gearing up for continued double-digit inflationary headwinds in 2023, aiming to hedge against what it believes are misguided projections that input and operating costs will begin to decline this year.