Carol Ortenberg

It’s the summer of special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). Also known as blank check companies, SPACs have increasingly become appealing for the ability to quickly create category leaders and getting capital infusions into brands that need them. The past week has seen two such investment vehicles from industry experts.

While keto and low-sugar products may dominate the food industry discussion right now, Chef Christina Tosi wants to answer the question of ‘what happened to dessert?’ The award-winning chef and bakery owner announced today the launch of a new line of Truffle Crumb Cakes in Whole Foods Markets nationwide.

As it prepares to enter its next phase of growth, snack brand Spudsy announced last month the close of a $2 million round of funding. It’s necessary capital, founder and CEO Ashley Boeckle said, to get the brand to profitability and support increased distribution.

Kirsty Lewis officially has two tweens on her hands — both her son and the snack company named after him, Quinn turn ten this week. With one decade in business under its belt, the company announced today the close of $3 million in funding, in part to help further launch its newest releases, grain-free and gluten-free pretzels.

Today ghee brand 4th and Heart announced the appointment of Max Dichter as president following the departure of founder and former CEO Raquel Tavares. Dichter, who has been with the company for two years, is taking over after Tavares left the company in July.

Refrigerated bar brand Clio Snacks announced the close of an $8 million funding round yesterday, which was led by long-term investor Alliance Consumer Growth (ACG).

As the assets of dairy conglomerate Dean Foods continued to be divided up following the company’s bankruptcy filing, plant-based dairy brand Good Karma announced today that it has repurchased the majority of the company once owned by Dean and also closed a “significant” amount of capital through new strategic partners.

While it’s been a tumultuous path for Thrive Oil, it seems the road goes no further — Its current owner, ingredient company Corbion, announced the algae-based product line has been discontinued.

Beloved New York City chain Levain Bakery wants to bring a little glitz to the frozen dessert category, announcing last week it would launch a line of its lauded cookies into grocery stores, the company’s first move into CPG.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) announced yesterday that it had collected a $575,000 fine from stevia producer Pure Circle USA for importing sweetener that was made by prison labor in China. The action against the company comes after an investigation that began in 2016, when CBP received an “allegation” from a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) as to the origins of some of the company’s stevia.