Meagan McGinnes

As 2018 nears, some of industry’s biggest thought leaders are gazing into their data-driven crystal balls to envision the future of food. Among the predictors is Innova Market Insights, which last month declared its top 10 trends for the new year.

From celebrity chef-made condiments to protein-packed “spirit animal” crackers, here is your latest in natural product distribution news.asa

Some turn to coffee for an afternoon pick me up, but NOSH Live attendees re-energized with inspiring insights and advice during last week’s event. Here are a few highlights from the afternoon sessions at NOSH Live Summer 2017.

NOSH Live Winter 2017 attendees were hungry for industry insights on Thursday morning, but they definitely got their fill before the day was through — arguably, even before lunch.

Mexico-based Arca Continental, the parent company of Wise Snacks and the second largest Coca-Cola bottler in Latin America, announced on Monday that it is acquiring mission-driven chip producer Deep River Snacks.

Today, global confectionery and snack leader Mars Inc. announced it was acquiring a minority stake in healthy snack brand KIND. According to The New York Times, the deal values KIND at more than $4 billion and could potentially lead to KIND’s future acquisition by the global company.

Health-centric nut and seed butter maker NuttZo officially announced this month that it’s launching a refrigerated bar line, Bold BiteZ, nationwide in ShopRite this January. And while NuttZo may be the most recent entrant to the category, it certainly is not the only newcomer.

The new healthy snack company, is the brain-child of two executives who are no strangers to big CPG. CEO Mike Senackerib previously served as CMO, Senior VP of Global Brands and Chief Strategy Officer at Campbell’s Soup Company while Chief Growth Officer Kay Allison advised large food companies as CEO and founder of market research firm The Energy Infuser.

Last week, the FDA issued a guidance to food manufacturers on the best practices for using third-party certification. The goal is to avoid claims of bias or accusations of a conflict of interest against the hired experts.

The Salem, Mass.-based company announced last week that it acquired five-year-old Cocoa Santé, an all-natural line of organic hot cocoa mixes with a budding presence in grocery. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.