Nosh Staff

Once Upon a Farm co-founders Jennifer Garner and John Foraker spoke about the evolution of the company’s strategy for winning over retail buyers, merchandising and communicating brand attributes over recent years and why they believe that “everything starts with the consumer.” They also discussed the company’s relationship with Save The Children and its response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

In a year that has seen massive upheaval in retail, technology and production systems, coupled with a renewed focus on societal issues, the brands that have found success in 2020 are those that were able to be nimble and creative, yet also stayed focused on the goal of creating and selling and increasing the amount of better food products. The finalists for NOSH’s “Best of 2020” Awards reflect the varied skills required to be a successful food company in 2020, including tenacity, creativity, care, vision, planning and execution.

November’s new product launches offered consumers a variety of better-for-you sweet treats, from a new edible cookie dough variety from Hungryroot to GoodSam’s line of sustainably sourced sugar-free chocolate. Check out the gallery for November’s notable new releases, including Om Mushroom’s single-serve functional coffee blend and immunity-boosting snacks from Nature’s Garden.

Every year, the fall season brings with it shorter days, crisper weather and grocery shelves packed with pumpkin spice products. This fall was no exception, ushering in a wave of new seasonal launches from brands across categories. From popcorn to pudding and soup to snack bites, brands found innovative ways to deliver the classic fall flavors to consumers this year.

NOSH Live Winter 2020 will feature Retailer Speed Dating on Wednesday, December 16. For this round, brands have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with top retailers. Speed Dating provides a virtual platform for brands to receive feedback and create partnerships to do business.

Six food brands were selected from a field of 12 for Thursday’s final round of NOSH’s Pitch Slam 9 presented by 301 Inc. Of the semifinalists, Everipe, Smooth Pops, Elite Sweets, AMG Snacks, AYO Foods and Kindroot will move on to Thursday’s final round, with AMG Snacks selected as the audience favorite.

NOSH Live Winter 2020 will feature Designer Speed Dating on Tuesday, December 15. For this round, brands have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with CPG designers. Speed Dating provides a virtual platform for brands to receive feedback on their packaging and create partnerships to do business.

Next week NOSH’s Pitch Slam 9 will feature the founders of the hottest new food brands competing virtually for the title. The semifinalists have been chosen, as well as the expert judges, who will be providing feedback and ultimately choosing the winner. So let’s meet the players.

Check out the gallery for October’s notable releases, including Veggie Made Great’s partnership with Beyond Meat, Swiss Rosti’s rebrand and a limited edition flavor from SkinnyPop to celebrate the brand’s 10th anniversary.

Jing Gao, founder & CEO of Sichuan-inspired sauce and seasoning brand Fly By Jing, discussed the origins of her passion for Chinese food culture and why she set out to create a brand that could elevate consumers’ expectations for the cuisine’s flavors