Beth Kaiserman

As consumers cook at home more, the shift is powering B&G Foods — and fueling its pipeline of plant-based innovations. In its first quarter earnings call this week, B&G reported strong net sales growth and further plans for frozen food brand Farmwise, which it acquired in February.

While production issues currently plague the meat industry, plant-based meat companies are growing. In their respective quarterly earnings calls this week, executives from meat company Tyson and plant-based brand Beyond Meat discussed powering through a pandemic — and trying to develop future strategies despite looming uncertainty.

Nature’s Fynd thinks the plant-based market is ripe for disruption — and that the answer lies inside a volcano. Previously known as Sustainable Bioproducts, the company recently rebranded as Nature’s Fynd to turn its fermented protein — found in Yellowstone National Park’s ancient ‘supervolcano’ — into everyday plant-based food and drink products.

Investors are banking on a plant-based ingredient that behaves like egg whites — with potential use across a broad range of food and beverage categories. B2B food tech startup Plantible announced this week the close of a $4.6M seed round.

Kellogg’s and The Kraft Heinz Company today both reported spikes in sales during the first quarter from consumers pantry loading during the second half of March. After retail shopping slowed in April, the companies each revealed predictions — coupled with great uncertainty — for upcoming consumer behavior during an economic recession.

With bleeding burgers grabbing the headlines, what’s the future of tofu amidst the plant-based surge? One place seems to be beyond the block — with innovation focused on creating healthy, convenient meals.

Where does a floating grocery store land during a pandemic? What about a curated snack service for office workers? As most daily activities move online, businesses whose plans rely on disrupting the everyday grind with exciting new products need to move forward — including snack services and experientially-focused popup retailers.

Although impulse buys are taking a hit during COVID-19, IRI expects on-the-go snacks to regain steam, especially with younger generations and Hispanic shoppers, once normal schedules return. In a recent report, IRI discussed the organization’s findings on snacking trends during 2019 and COVID-19 — and how both might influence the future of snacking.

Hershey’s announced plans to sell off once high-flying jerky brand KRAVE, along with artisan chocolate brands Scharffen Berger and Dagoba, during a quarterly earnings call that reflected a few months of dramatically-shifting consumer habits toward the confection company’s chocolate products.

COVID-19 is changing the landscape for innovation as accelerators find digital ways to help new brands grow and trade shows stall for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, two large manufacturers see COVID-19 cases in plants. Here’s the latest COVID-19 news from around the industry this week.