Adrianne DeLuca

Plant-based bar brand Zing announced that co-founder and CEO David Ingalls will transition into the newly created role of Chief Innovation Officer while former CMO Grace Erickson will take the helm.

Allergy-friendly and superfood-infused ice cream brand Sunscoop announced today it has raised $2 million in seed funding led by Vibrant Ventures, an investment firm focused exclusively on plant-based CPG, with additional participation from H/L Ventures and Torch Capital, among other early angel investors. The company said it will use the new capital to continue expanding its team, distribution and product portfolio.

The FDA announced last week that it will not enact specific provisions from the 2021 Yogurt Standard Of Identity (SOI) regulations after the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and Chobani filed six objections to specific articles regarding ingredients and processes used for yogurt production.

In this week’s Checkout: Eat Your Coffee sells to a Chicago-based private equity firm; A Louisiana court sides with Tofurky on labeling legislation; Lenny & Larry’s teams up with the San Diego Zoo; and Upfield voluntarily discloses methane emissions.

A new plant-based meat brand is trying to disprove the old adage: never trust a skinny butcher. Launched in March, new brand Skinny Butcher’s line of breaded, Crazy Crispy Chick’n tenders, breasts, nuggets and patties are designed to not only catch the eye of mainstream consumers with its “futuristic yet retro” packaging design and mascot, but also drive conventional shoppers to the crowded category as flexitarianism continue to rise.

In the case of Zero Grocery, sustainable grocery delivery does not make for a sustainable business model, according to retail analysts. This month, Zero Grocery abruptly announced on its social media platforms that it had closed up shop.

Maruha Nichiro announced last week it has invested an undisclosed sum into Happi Foodi’s business with the stated aim of bringing the better-for-you, keto-focused frozen food brand into new “foreign markets.” The move represents an opportunity for the company, one of Japan’s leading frozen food distributors, to easily integrate a new brand with established tenants into its core business, said a spokesperson from its execution team.

In this distribution roundup: Starday rolls out its Gooey Snacks brand to Kroger nationwide; Beckon doubles its conventional channel store count through Walmart and Kroger partnerships; Future Farm named the official plant-based meat brand of The Golden State Warriors; No Evil launches new product at Sprouts; Laoban expands retail presence and more.

In this week’s Checkout: OneRare introduces a Foodverse of celebrity chefs, food brands and virtual restaurants, Conscious Foods creates gene-edited salad greens, Blue Apron adds breakfast, Instacart launches a new platform for grocery retailers and The EVERY Co. makes animal-free macrons.

Food makers are reimagining the classic cereal bowl to bring higher protein and lower sugar levels to an aisle that has often overlooked its resident products’ nutritional value. This year’s Expo West saw two brands – Love Grown and Magic Spoon – aiming to capitalize on consumer interests while taking an omnichannel approach to draw in new consumers. Here is how one established and one emerging brand are each approaching the category.