Nosh Staff

This week’s new food launches saw brands collaborating with everyone’s favorite baby tree, Groot, launching better-for-you iterations of classic breakfast treats and spicing up the rice category with jalapeño rice cups.

Venture capital firm PowerPlant Partners today announced an investment in and partnership with holding company SYSTM Brands to launch SYSTM Foods, a new platform focused on acquiring sustainable and socially conscious food and beverage brands. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

From spicy cocktail sauce to functional muesli to Minions-themed chickpea puffs, this week’s new food innovations cover a wide range of categories. Check out this gallery for notable new items, including a collaboration between Grillo’s Pickles and Ithaca Hummus and new frozen pizza options from Newman’s Own.

Frozen entree brand Afia announced it will add 250 points of distribution for its frozen falafel products after landing partnerships with Harris Teeter and Giant Landover in May. The launch, which includes the falafel line’s 9 oz. Traditional and Garlic & Herb varieties, will bring the brand’s footprint to more than 2,000 stores nationwide, doubling its store count.

This week’s new food launches saw brands creating new flavors of protein-packed ice cream, launching vibrant new plant-based pasta varieties and spicing up the popcorn category. Check out this gallery for new items from Beyond the Equator and ALOHA as well as the latest innovation in the Sprout Organics x Cocomelon line.

A look at some of the new products announced at the 2022 Sweets and Snacks Expo, the three-day event in Chicago hosted by the National Confectioners Association. A number of companies launched products that satisfy the craving for a better-for-the-family salty or sweet treat with less added sugar.

This week’s new products saw brands releasing better-for-you versions of cozy weekend treats, jumping on the sheet pan meal trend and spicing things up with chili-infused honey. Check out this gallery for new items from Ben & Jerry’s and Vital Proteins as well as Jurassic Park-themed packaging from LesserEvil.

NotCo, Grillo’s and Nudge recently announced new partnerships with well-known QSR chains and sports stadiums to boost marketing and brand awareness regarding their respective products. NotCo partnered with Shake Shack to create dairy-free iterations of two popular frozen treats while Grillo’s Pickles and Nudge collaborated with MLB sports teams to bring their products to the stadium.

In this distribution roundup: Dress It Up dressing expands nationwide with a range of new retail partners, Nguyen Coffee goes national with Whole Foods, Moon Cheese lands with Kroger, RightRice rolls out to Kroger, and more.

Zoe Feldman, the GM of consumer for acclaimed and influential restaurant group Momofuku, spoke about the vision for the company’s brand of restaurant-grade pantry essentials, the impact of founder David Chang’s media presence on awareness and product trial, why she can’t hit the brakes on growth, and the reason she only hires “Swiss Army knives.” She also discussed the brand’s role in the evolution of the ethnic aisle and why she is focused on the fundamentals of building a good business.