Carol Ortenberg

Gabriella’s Kitchen, a Canadian line of better-for-you fresh pasta and frozen entrees, is expanding across the U.S., adding over a thousand doors this month.

If Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods Market was a marriage, as executives have referred to it in the past, then the two retailers are still in the honeymoon phase. Even so, post-nuptial changes are already evident: some are the product of Amazon’s guiding hands, others are the result of previously announced changes at the natural grocer.

Just like the high-end frocks of this past month’s New York Fashion Week, across the country new packaging is strutting down their own catwalks: grocery store shelves. It may be hummus instead of Hermes, but the new designs are just as riveting to those in the industry. After time spent listening to consumers and retailers, brands including Ithaca Cold Crafted, One Degree and Hippeas all have launched refreshed designs to help them stand out in crowded categories. Here are a few examples that caught our attention.

Job titles are changing as fast as the leaves as a variety of CPG leaders advance to new food and beverage companies. Here are some of the top moves we’ll be watching.

This week gluten-free, paleo baked good brand Mikey’s announced a $5 million investment from Factory LLC, an investment group that the brand’s founder, Mike Tierney, met in March while at Expo West.

The baby food world is about to experience a huge growth spurt. Today former Annie’s Homegrown CEO John Foraker and actress Jennifer Garner announced they are joining baby food brand Once Upon a Farm as co-founders and investors. Foraker will also assume the role of CEO and Garner will act as Chief Brand Officer.

In recent studies, research firm Nielsen looked at lunchtime and snacking trends to find what shoppers are purchasing for their family’s lunchboxes and why. Nielsen found that along with healthier options, products with natural and organic claims are posting double digit growth.

Hot off of a $25 million investment from Smithfield Foods, this week meal kit marketplace Chef’d announced a partnership with West Coast retailer Gelson’s to bring 12 of the company’s ready to cook meals into stores.

To help their brands navigate retail’s changing landscape, several food companies are looking to new team members to the lead the way. Here’s some of the newest additions to several food and retail teams.

Yesterday, Fenwick Brands, a CPG investor and operator, announced the closing of a round of investment in HannahMax Cookie Chips. Previous investor Alliance Consumer Growth also took part in the round; the dollar amount of the round was not disclosed.