Sunnie

Brett Perotta, co-founder of recently shuttered frozen sandwich brand Chubby Snacks, is beginning his next act as director of supply chain at better-for-you snack maker Sunnie.

The Natural Products Expo West show floor was buzzing on day one with new products, refreshed brand identities and stories about shifting category focuses. Here’s a look at the Nosh team’s thoughts, observations and analysis from the first day of the natural products Super Bowl.

Amid a significant period of growth, Sunnie is working to recover from supply chain shifts that resulted in lower product standards, a production model reversal and a plethora of learnings on how to scale the business for its co-founders.

In this capital-constrained environment, startups are tapping conventional options as well as celebrities, consumers and distributors to rake in extra cash.

This latest news roundup from Expo West 2024 highlights Mauna Loa and Kokada’s unique ways of bringing back nostalgic products, Yo Egg and Crafty Counter’s plant-based spins on eggs, and ChiChi’s efforts to turn the oatmeal category on its head.

Sunnie Snacks is two-thirds the way to closing its first institutional investment round as it builds off its new distribution partnerships and seeks to capture consumers in others parts of the store.

What’s in store for 2024? Several industry experts provided insights on trends across packaged food and beverage launches, plus advice for entrepreneurs.

In this week’s distribution news, sauce maker NotJustCo and dipper snack brand Sunnie go into Target locations and Humble Seed continues to expand in the Southeast.