Carol Ortenberg

Nine months after joining snack brand CLIF Bar and Company, CEO Sally Grimes is starting to put her mark on the 30 year old brand. The company announced this week that it would lay off roughly 125 employees as part of a larger restructuring plan — news that comes as CLIF debuts two new items that bring the brand into new parts of the store.

When rapper Drake wanted to name-drop a favorite restaurant in his 2017 song “Do Not Disturb,” he turned to New York Italian restaurant Carbone. While you might have previously had to be Drake to get into the famed restaurant, getting a taste of that experience is about to be a lot easier. Today CPG veteran Eric Skae announced his new role as CEO of Carbone Fine Food(CFF), launching a line of pasta sauce under the brand to start.

Yogurt giant Danone has acquired plant-based brand Earth Island, maker of the Follow Your Heart line of condiments, yogurts and breakfast items, the company announced last night. In a press release issued last night, Danone noted that the acquisition would give the company “a unique opportunity to strengthen its plant-based business.”

Having founded and sold one beverage brand, husband and wife Gary Shinner and Jill Portman are setting their sights on a new segment of the tea category: functional drinks. The two co-founders of Mighty Leaf tea this month launched Good Pharma, a line of coffee and teas infused with functional benefits.

In our December edition of Category Close-Up: Product Showcase we spoke with executives from nutrition bar brands about their latest product launches and the category at large. In this special bonus segment, you’ll hear from several emerging bar brands about the market dynamics that are currently shaping the category and what their companies have been up to over the last several months.

Trying to continue safely supporting the natural products community, media and events company New Hope announced today that it would cancel the in-person aspect of its annual Natural Products Expo West conference, moving the event to a virtual format.

Yesterday Post Holdings company announced the formation of a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) entitled Post Holdings Partnering Corporation (PHPC). The blank check company plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange with the intent of raising $400 million.

It was one of the first companies to offer food and beverage brands an online wholesaling platform, but pioneering e-marketplace Hubba announced last week it would cease operations, cutting brands off from a popular way to introduce and supply their products to small, independent retailers.

Yesterday ecommerce platform Good Eggs announced the close of a $100 million round of capital, an infusion that will help the company expand into a new geographic region, build out assortment and bring on more support for the growing business.

Base Culture is ready to accelerate the growth of its business, cleaning up classic favorites. The brand, which produces paleo-certified baked goods, breads and nut butters, announced last month the close of a round of funding led by previous investor Emil Capital Partners (ECP) and that the company would see a shift in executives, with a new CEO heading the company.