Simply

Caffeine is perhaps the original functional ingredient, with coffee and tea battling sleep-derived mornings and afternoon slumps for generations. Over recent years, demand has continued to surge, with the rise of RTD coffee and highly caffeinated energy drinks and shots making it even easier for consumers to get their caffeine fix. Food brands are trying to get in on this energy action, taking cues from beverage companies and stepping up their use of caffeine as an ingredient.

Plastic-free gum maker Simply Gum has gained new shelf space at Walmart, debuting with a new product, Sugar-Free Peppermint Gum, in 500 of the retailer’s stores across the country. The first sugar-free offering for Simply Gum, the gum will be sold in three-packs for $6.46.

With a sudden pandemic-driven shift in consumer shopping habits leading to declining category sales, natural gum and mint maker Simply Gum saw last year as the perfect time to begin testing the extensibility of its brand through expansion into new categories and use occasions. With Smoothie Bites, a candy offering, the brand hopes to begin to establish itself as a confection platform.

It’s raining distribution deals this spring. From natural gum exclusives to protein muffin expansions, here’s your latest in natural food distribution news.