Brad Avery

Rybelsus. Wegovy. Ozempic. Whatever brand name it may come under, GLP-1s are rapidly changing the game in CPG as food manufacturers have scrambled to better understand how the rising popularity of these weight loss drugs will impact consumer buying habits.

It’s no secret that the plant-based meat category has faced some strong headwinds of late. But Somerville, Mass.-based startup Tender Food believes it has developed a lower-cost, more animal-like product that it says can disrupt the space and help right the ship for meat alternatives – and it’s brought on former Oatly president Mike Messersmith to lead the charge.

BellRing Brands finished its 2024 fiscal year on a high, with strong volume growth for its Premier Protein brand driving net sales to the high end of expectations in its Q4 and full year earnings report.

Private equity firm Encore Consumer Capital has finalized its acquisition of New York pizza dough producer DeIorio Foods this week. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Based in Utica, N.Y., DeIorio’s is a legacy dough supplier, celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding this year.

Founded in 2021, House of Kajaana makes three varieties of frozen Indian meals: Cauliflower Tikka Masala with pea and basmati rice, Roasted Butternut Saag with bright tomato basmati rice, and Coconut Malabar Curry with pumpkin seed basmati rice.

The Jackfruit Company, which sells products under both that name and the Jack & Annie’s brand, has raised $5 million in a Series B extension, adding to the $23 million it previously raised in the funding round, co-founder and CEO Annie Ryu announced this week.

Earlier last week, The J.M. Smucker Company filed a lawsuit against crustless sandwich producer Chubby Snacks, accusing the startup of false advertising, trademark violations and disparagement in “years of advertising designed to tarnish the name and reputation” of Smucker’s competing Uncrustables brand.

Danone SA is making a move to acquire leading kefir manufacturer Lifeway Foods, offering $283 million, or $25 per share, for the publicly traded company, according to a Schedule 13D form filed yesterday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

As he prepares to hand over control of his protein snacks brand to a new licensee, IWON Organics founder and CEO Mark Samuel is taking on a new full time role at food and beverage growth equity firm Siddhi Capital. Samuel announced the move to Siddhi on LinkedIn this week, where he will work to support the growth of the firm’s portfolio brands.

Oats Overnight announced today it has raised $35 million in a Series B funding round intended to help the high-protein oats brand continue to expand its manufacturing capabilities and grow its footprint in retail stores.