Adrianne DeLuca

After two years of virtual events and pandemic-induced supply chain disruptions, an in-person return to the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Foods show brought an eagerness to boast about the people and processes behind each product.

In this week’s Checkout: The Texas Beef Council sues former NFL player for partnering with plant-based protein brand, Laird Superfood names new CEO with an update on the business and Zero Acre Farms closes $37 million Series A funding round.

In this People Moves: Christina Pearson leaves Whole Foods for Veyl Ventures, HumanCo’s Against the Grain brings in Mike Watts as President, KIND hires new Global CMO Kelly Solomon, Andrew Ford joins PeaTos as VP of Sales and Marketing and more.

Snack maker Whisps has reshuffled its executive management team, announcing yesterday that CEO Illana Fischer will become an advisor to the company’s board and executive team, with former Applegate Farms president John Ghingo succeeding her at the helm.

The race to increase variety with more complex formats within the animal-free and plant-based protein space appears to be heating up, following a busy week of M&A activity and new product announcements. Here’s a recap of the news.

In this week’s Checkout: ChickP closes $8 million funding round and brings in a new CEO, Bush’s Beans activate its ‘Can’ Film Festival competition and indoor farm Plenty partners with Walmart and closes $400 million funding round.

The Planting Hope Company acquired legume-based rice alternative brand RightRice from Betterer Foods for $7 million in an all-cash acquisition earlier this week. The deal places all of Betterer’s assets under the publicly traded company.

In this distribution roundup: Spudsy reaches Whole Foods with latest product launch, nib mor launches at BJ’s wholesale club stores, Brewpub Jerky enters Publix across the Southeast, Pan’s Mushroom Jerky signs on with Kroger and more.

Plant-based nutrition platform kencko announced today the closing of a $10 million funding round that will help fuel the launch of a new line of hot meals. The round was led by existing investor Siddhi Capital with participation from new backers including Next View Ventures, Riverside Ventures, Silas Capital and Cheyenne Ventures, among others.

Blommer Chocolate Company and food tech platform DouxMatok are promising consumers a chocolate-flavored chip with 50% less sugar, higher fiber, half the calories and the taste of real cane sugar through a new collaboration, the companies announced last week. The partnership marks Israel-based DouxMatok’s first major expansion into the U.S. market.