Monica Watrous
For more than a decade, Monica Watrous has covered the latest trends, innovations and developments in the food and beverage industry and has organized and hosted multiple events featuring emerging brands and cutting-edge concepts. She is a lifelong foodie and a champion of startups and disruptors in the consumer packaged goods landscape.
Posts by Monica Watrous
The Fame Game: How Celebrity Food Brands Are Evolving in 2026
Celebrity-backed food brands aren’t new. But in 2026, the playbook is changing. Founders, executives and investors consistently emphasize operational discipline, retail execution, product innovation and repeat purchase over star power alone.
David Brings High-Protein Frozen Dessert Pints to Target Following Sellout Debut
David Protein is introducing its frozen dessert pints at Target stores nationwide. The rollout marks the product line’s retail debut after launching online in June, when it sold out in less than a half-hour.
People Moves: Conagra Flattens Leadership Structure; Hormel Names New CEO
Conagra Brands is reshaping its executive leadership team as new CEO John Brase moves to simplify the organization’s structure and accelerate decision-making.
Albertsons Restructures Into Four Regions, Centralizes Center-Store Merchandising
Albertsons Companies is overhauling its operating structure as the grocery giant looks to speed decision-making, improve in-stock performance and better leverage its scale following the collapse of its proposed merger with Kroger.
Peppertux Raises $2.35M to Fuel Retail Expansion
Can America’s appetite for pistachios extend beyond the viral Dubai chocolate trend? The founders of Southern California startup Peppertux – along with their new investors and retail partners – are betting on it.
Utz to Go Private in $2.9B Deal as European Snack Giant Intersnack Bets on U.S. Growth
Utz Brands has agreed to be acquired by Germany-based Intersnack Group in a transaction valued at approximately $2.9 billion, marking one of the largest cross-border snack deals in recent years and underscoring the continued appeal of U.S. packaged food brands to global buyers.
Lioness Founder Believes Women Deserve More Than Another Protein Bar
Lioness debuted in June in more than 1,900 Target stores nationwide with a line of functional gummy snacks formulated around different moments in a woman’s day, from morning energy to afternoon cravings and evening relaxation.
New CEO Promises ‘Radical Simplicity’ as Conagra Brands Resets Strategy
In his first earnings call since taking the helm, John Brase outlined a sweeping turnaround strategy centered on restoring margins, investing more heavily in brands, simplifying the company’s portfolio and organization, and resetting capital allocation.
Big Food’s Big Bets: Welch’s Takes on Uncrustables, Campbell’s Pushes Protein in Soup
Established food companies are reshaping familiar staples around the growing demand for protein and fiber.
IFT FIRST: Protein, AI and the Reformulation Race Dominate Food Innovation’s Biggest Stage
Many of the technologies debuting at IFT FIRST this week in Chicago aren’t chasing the next superfood or trendy ingredient.