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
Where’s the Beef? Tallow Is Trending At Expo West
The growing backlash against processed seed oils has fueled a resurgence in traditional cooking fats. Fatworks, a family-owned operation in Colorado and longtime defender of rendered fat, has been waiting for this for well over a decade.
David Protein Teases Ice Cream Launch at Expo West
Attendees at Natural Products Expo West spotted white box trucks encircling the Anaheim Convention Center on Tuesday featuring the protein bar purveyor’s branding and a cartoonishly muscular cow alongside an image of an ice cream pint and its nutritional highlights: 30 grams of protein, 260 calories and 2 grams of sugar. (Unclear if that’s for the pint or one serving.)
Xochitl Switches to Avocado Oil, Debuts New Packaging and Flavors
Xochitl is transitioning its full portfolio of thin and crispy tortilla chips to be made with avocado oil amid rising demand for seed oil-free foods. The brand, owned by private equity firm Forward Consumer Partners, is marking the reformulation with redesigned packaging that features new color blocking to better stand out on shelf.
Harken Sweets Scores Major Kroger Expansion Backed by Selva Ventures
Harken Sweets, armed with new capital from Selva Ventures, is readying a major retail expansion with Kroger, adding roughly 2,000 doors and bringing its total retail footprint to around 7,500 stores.
Mezcla Raises $9.5M Series B To Fuel Brand Building, Distribution Expansion
Protein bar maker Mezcla has closed a $9.5 million Series B funding round led by Bluestein Ventures, with participation from Santatera Capital, Grupo DMI, Lever VC, Habitat Partners, Tonic Ventures and Steve Platt, former chief executive of BrightFarms and Icelandic Provisions.
Actual Veggies Roars Into Kids’ Aisle With Dinosaur Nuggets
Actual Veggies is stomping into the kids’ aisle with a new line of vegetable-packed Dinosaur Nuggets launching nationwide this summer. The three offerings – Cauliflower & Potato, Sweet Potato & Carrot and Broccoli & Potato – will hit shelves at several existing retail partners in one of the brand’s largest coordinated launches to date.
Target Removing Artificial Dyes From Cereal Assortment
Target announced today that it will only sell cereals made without certified synthetic colors beginning in May. The retailer said it has worked closely with both national brand and its owned brand partners to reformulate products.
Fancypants Goes Big With Smaller Pack Sizes
The Boston-based premium cookie maker is expanding into new foodservice channels with 1 oz. and 0.67 oz. trial packs designed for corporate cafes, hotels, universities and airlines.
What’s Big Food Cooking? A Peek Inside The Pipeline
Packaged food conglomerates detailed innovation plans for the coming year during the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference last week, and many of the new products previewed tap into today’s leading trends.
Glen Powell’s Smash Kitchen Ventures Into Snacks
Smash Kitchen, the celebrity-backed pantry staple startup, is venturing into the snack aisle with a line of kettle-cooked potato chips in Walmart stores nationwide.