What happens after you achieve the goal you’ve spent years chasing? In 2017 Peter Rahal sold his protein bar brand RXBAR. In 2019 he stepped down as CEO to be an advisor to the company and focus on his own projects. Now he’s busy investing in brands under his firm Litani and figuring out what his next play should be.

2019 saw brands take a step beyond better-for-you, seeking to infuse healthy products with additional (functional) benefits. The year also featured acquisitions, investments and product launches as brands both large and small try to better align themselves with an increasingly engaged consumer base.

At the 2019 NACS show in Atlanta, Larry Levin, EVP of market and shopper intelligence at research firm IRI, outlined convenience store trends from the past year and how better-for-you brands can further fuel consumers’ on-the-go snacking needs.

It may only be August, but the latest offering from RXBAR will have you dreaming of fall. RXBAR has announced the launch of new RX Nut Butter Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter, a good-for-you seasonal snack that pairs perfectly with plaid shirts, changing leaves and hot apple cider.

Sprouts, Beyond Meat and more brands report Q2 earnings in this week’s Checkout.

For the first time small companies with revenues under $1 billion make up more than half of IRI’s New Product Pacesetters report, which was released yesterday. The research firm’s 23rd annual Pacesetters report lists 2018’s most successful new food and beverage product launches in both major retail and convenience stores, as well as non-food by multi-outlet dollar sales.

During its recent 2019 annual shareowners’ meeting and its 2019 first quarter earnings call, Kellogg, the largest cereal company in the U.S., shared details of its financial performance following a challenging year for the category.

Despite the already wide array of choices in the set, the bar category continues to see new entrants thanks to growing sales. To learn more about some of the bar launches, redesigns and new flavors seen on the Expo West show floor, view the gallery below.

Chicago Bar Company, makers of RXBAR, announced today it will rebrand as Insurgent Brands, expand its product mix under the RX brand and launch a new “contrarian” sub brand. All of which will move forward under new leadership. Co-founder Peter Rahal told NOSH that the new product follows the RX strategy. “I’ve always taken a contrarian point of view to everyone else. RX was very contrarian. It didn’t fit with anyone else.”

2018 was filled protein, plant-based innovation and, perhaps not surprisingly, lots of deals. But perhaps what readers paid most attention to was how those deals are paying off — namely RXBAR, which was acquired in 2017 for $600 million. Want a quick reminder of the whirlwind that was 2018? Here are the most read stories on NOSH over the past year.