Martín Caballero

Laird Superfood has secured a $10 million investment from Danone Manifesto Ventures, the company announced today. The Sisters, Ore.-based brand, founded in 2015, markets a variety of “superfood” products, including creamers, coconut water, nutrition powders, drink mixes and plant-based sugars.

No matter what side of the negotiating table you’re sitting on, the coronavirus has brought a host of critical new challenges and choices for both entrepreneurs and investors. In this interview with BevNET managing editor Martin Caballero, Jeremy Halpern, partner at Boston-based firm Nutter, offers his insights into the changing capital and lending environment.

Having expanded from juice into shots, SoFresco’s new line of spoonable “smoothie cups” is intended to continue extending the brand into new use occasions while retaining focus on its core competency of fresh fruits. The line will be available individually and in 4-packs in three flavors: Mango, Avocado Spinach and Acai. A 2.2 lbs. bag format with tap is also available for food service.

BevNET managing editor Martin Caballero sat down with Greg Steltenpohl, co-founder and CEO of Califia Farms, on a video call to discuss his thoughts on how both investors and brands may be considering the current and post-COVID market landscape.

BevNET’s Martin Caballero sat down with Max Baumann, CEO and founder of Basemakers, for insight on how brands can best support retail partners during the crisis, how to manage crucial out-of-stock challenges, long-term implications on grocery merchandising and more.

Typically, food and beverage represents only around 3.2% of total U.S. online sales. But through a combination of factors, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has accelerated the shift to web-based shopping.

In a conversation with BevNET managing editor Martin Caballero, veteran natural CPG consultant Bob Burke, principal at Natural Products Consulting LLC, offered his insights and perspectives on how brands can manage their teams, relationships and finances to both survive this trying period and to thrive at its conclusion.

Even as the coronavirus has ground most of the U.S. economy to a near stop, food and beverage suppliers and retailers — deemed an essential business by state and federal governments — are running at full speed, and looking to expand.

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.

Having established a solid foundation for the brand with its core ready-to-drink shake line, ICONIC Protein is preparing to unveil a range of long-gestated innovations this year that highlight a shift towards caffeine-added, zero-sugar products.