Erin Cabrey

Six food brands were selected from a field of 12 for Thursday’s final round of NOSH’s Pitch Slam 8 presented by 301 Inc., the first edition of the pitch competition to be conducted virtually.

Since its launch in 2018, Massachusetts-based brand One Mighty Mill has aimed to “revitalize local food systems” with products made using locally sourced, fresh-milled wheat, starting with bagels and tortillas. Now, the brand is focused on sustainably scaling its wheat supply chain and expanding distribution beyond New England as it goes deeper on its snack offerings, launching two new pretzel flavors and a hummus and pretzel snack pack at Whole Foods.

KIND Snacks has launched the Frontline Impact Project, a centralized platform where healthcare workers and other organizations on the frontlines can request and receive necessary food, lodging and transportation assistance.

Two years after its launch, keto snack brand HighKey has made a name for itself on Amazon, going toe-to-toe with beloved brands like Chips Ahoy — and winning: it’s currently the massive consumer platform’s best-selling chocolate chip cookie.

One month after announcing the cancellation of Summer Fancy Food Show 2020, originally slated to take place June 28 through 30 in New York City, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) has followed up by enacting several cost-saving measures.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many high-profile sustainability initiatives have taken a back seat to single-use packaging, with many grocery stores banning reusable bags and Starbucks no longer accepting refillable mugs. Despite this, Loop is going all in on reusable packaging, launching its waste-free CPG delivery platform nationwide through retailers Walgreens and Kroger with heavyweight brand partners including PepsiCo, Nestlé and Unilever.

In a webinar hosted by Rabobank yesterday, analysts at the multinational banking and financial services company offered an overview of the macro impacts of COVID-19 on the food and beverage industry.

On the manufacturing lines and in the office, the CPG industry is being forced to make adjustments. Over the past week, BevNET and NOSH edit staff reached out to brands and distributors across the food and beverage to hear about how they are grappling with the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic as it ripples across the country.

In the latest distribution news, four new products from Pitaya and cereal from Catalina Crunch hit shelves at Whole Foods Market, ParmCrisps goes club-sized at Costco and BFree’s wraps launch at Walmart.

According to Emily Schildt, “We’re living in an age of too much stuff.” With the goal of cutting through this clutter, Schildt, a CPG marketing consultant, founded Pop Up Grocer, a traveling food and beverage brand activation spotlighting a curated selection of emerging natural brands, offering them exposure to consumers, influencers and industry professionals in a candy-colored Instagram-friendly setting.