Brad Avery
Posts by Brad Avery
ForceBrands Names New CEO Ganjon, Three Other Execs Appointed
CPG talent recruitment business unveiled a new slate of leadership of its own today, naming Rob Ganjon to succeed founder Josh Wand as CEO after 17 years in the role.
UNFI Shuts Down ‘Certain Systems’, Service Disrupted After Cyberattack
Leading wholesale distributor UNFI has shut down some of its computer systems, leading to service and fulfillment disruptions, following a cyberattack last week. UNFI discovered “unauthorized activity” in its network on Thursday and proactively took several systems offline.
Conagra Divests Van de Kamp’s, Mrs. Paul’s Seafood Brands
Conagra is selling off more brands, this time moving its Van de Kamp’s and Mrs. Paul’s frozen seafood brands to their co-manufacturer, High Liner Foods, in a $55 million cash deal. According to an announcement today, the deal only divests the intellectual property rights and inventory for the two brands, but does not include employees or manufacturing facilities.
Fed Policies That Drag On Retail Could Be eGrocery’s Gain, Report Suggests
New government policies liable to drag down retail growth could be to the benefit of online grocers, with U.S. online grocery sales expected to outpace brick-and-mortar by 5.2x through 2029, according to a new report from ecommerce data and consulting firm Brick Meets Click.
Instacart Names Chris Rogers as Next CEO
Instacart has named Chris Rogers as CEO, effective August 15, assuming the position from outgoing chief executive Fidji Simo. Rogers joined Instacart in 2019 and has served as its chief business officer since 2022.
B&G Sells Off Italian Brands as Net Sales Keep Dropping Double-Digits
In a push to help pay off long-term debt, B&G Foods is selling two of its tomato products brands – Don Pepino and Sclafani – to Violet Foods LLC, a newly formed portfolio company.
Retailer Confidence Drops 15 Points Since 2024; 73% See Private Label as Priority
Uncertainty and pessimism are rising major among U.S. retailers as labor challenges and inflation have dampened future outlook, according to a report by Progressive Grocer last week.
FreshDirect Goes Directly to Main Street with First Physical Store
FreshDirect is going IRL. The Tristate-focused online grocer is opening its first brick-and-mortar store in Southampton, N.Y., this weekend, called FreshDirect on Main.
Flowers Foods Down in Q1 Amid Bread Category Pressures
After its $795 million purchase of Simple Mills in January, Flowers Foods, Inc. reported a net sales dip in its Q1 2025 earnings report today as poor price/mix and negative volume sales offset the gains from the acquisition. Net sales were down 1.4% to $1.5 billion – of which $24.3 million came from Simple Mills – and net income fell 27.4% in the quarter to $53 million.
CPG Goes MAHA: Weiland, Moses, Fabricant Chew the Fat in D.C.
CPG industry leaders, including KeVita co-founder Bill Moses and Presence Marketing founder Bill Weiland, called for the food and beverage industry to embrace a healthier American diet at a roundtable conference hosted today by The MAHA Institute.