Beth Kaiserman

When it comes to snacks, consumers want meats, sweets and salt — preferably with a better-for-you label. In a presentation last week at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago, SPINS and UNFI reviewed trends driving natural and specialty candy and snacks, segments that comprise a 19% share of dollar volume and 42.8% share of dollar gains in the overall snacking industry.

Digital convenience retailer GoPuff is fusing convenience store merchandise and rapid, mobile device-driven fulfillment, aiming to reach customers in under 30 minutes and provide a little fun along the way.

The founders of popular frozen poultry brand Hip Chick Farms, who sold the company last year, have left the frozen section and entered the booming CBD snack market, recently launching their new brand, A Boring Life, into retail.

B&G acquires Clabber Girl, Nuun’s #WeStandByHer initiative, Angie’s Boomchickapop co-founders invest in KYLA Kombucha and more in this week’s Checkout.

Utz Quality Foods announced a $1.25 million settlement of a class action labeling lawsuit; Whole Foods is moving its Northeast headquarters; Nestle will move its ice cream and frozen pizza businesses from a DSD network to a warehouse model.

For the first time small companies with revenues under $1 billion make up more than half of IRI’s New Product Pacesetters report, which was released yesterday. The research firm’s 23rd annual Pacesetters report lists 2018’s most successful new food and beverage product launches in both major retail and convenience stores, as well as non-food by multi-outlet dollar sales.

During its recent 2019 annual shareowners’ meeting and its 2019 first quarter earnings call, Kellogg, the largest cereal company in the U.S., shared details of its financial performance following a challenging year for the category.

Governmental agencies made several new announcements this week that could impact how brands and suppliers approach food safety.

The FDA issued new draft guidance last week for allulose, stating it intends to allow manufacturers to exclude the low-calorie sweetener from total and added sugars on Nutrition Facts labels, marking the first time a sweetener will be exempt from the total or added sugars list.

In picking up petite popcorn brand Pipsnacks last month, Factory, an innovation center for food, drink and pet brands, has now fueled itself with five brand investments.