Nosh Staff

Collaborations have become an essential growth lever for emerging brands this year, but planning and execution make or break whether they have a tangible impact.

At Nosh Live 2025, Brian Bernstein of Rich Products Ventures and Axel Malbrain of FF2032 – both backed by large, established food companies – outlined how their funds operate with a financial-return-first mindset, despite common assumptions about corporate venture capital.

At Nosh Live, incoming Justin’s CEO Peter Burns discussed the brand’s future growth plans, which include rebuilding the entrepreneurial culture, bringing back key team members and focusing on product innovation

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Brad Avery discuss a spate of funding news for a hot sauce brand, a hummus startup and a functional beverage company. The hosts also chat about what an executive order to reschedule cannabis could mean for the hemp drink market.

“Hot Ones” wouldn’t be where it is today without Heatonist, the boutique, Brooklyn-based hot sauce retailer responsible for stocking the now-hit YouTube show’s lineup since nearly its inception.

Fiber and protein may be familiar nutrients, but their role in food and beverage is undergoing a quiet transformation. Spate reveals how these “always-on” macros are not only growing at massive scale, but evolving in meaning.

Brightfield Group uncovers how everyday categories – bars, chips, and grab-and-go snacks – have become ground zero for rising consumer anxiety around ultra-processing, “forever chemicals,” and hidden health tradeoffs.

In this week’s notable new products roundup, Byte’m Brownies Bites unveils a fresh new look, Milk Bar teams up with Skippy peanut butter to reveal a secret, and Clio and Wildwood release seasonal offerings just in time for the holidays.

With over 20 years in CPG, Jeni Britton spoke about the lessons she learned and how they have shaped her newest venture in nutritional bars.

Selling without regret means owning what you don’t know, protecting company culture and core values, and keeping your employees engaged and bought in for the long haul.