Adrianne DeLuca

In this distribution roundup: GummiShot enters brick-and-mortar retail with new partnerships; ZEGO rolls out specialty oat line nationwide; Chia Smash expands to Sprouts; Harmless Harvest reaches Canada and Rowdy Bar launches two flavors at Meijer.

In this week’s Checkout: Vital Proteins founder steps out of CEO role as former CRO takes the lead, IRI finds snack sales spike leading up to the Super Bowl, Sunbasket adds Fresh & Ready bowls to menu offerings and PepsiCo reports Q4 earnings.

Since introducing its Heat & Eat line in September and closing a $78 million capital raise in November, the company’s President and CEO, Linda Findley, said Blue Apron is now positioned to accelerate through the third prong of its growth plan: scaling marketing infrastructure.

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.