CPG Week Podcast

In this episode: On this episode of CPG Week, the podcast team talks expensive energy drink-themed accessories, IFT First and the latest legal quandary for Logan Paul’s drink brand, PRIME. Senior reporter Lukas Southard was in Chicago last week for IFT First where he got an inside look at how trends are incubated by suppliers and tells his co-hosts about the innovative new products on display. Later in the show, senior reporter Brad Avery discusses the new lawsuit filed against PRIME and what it might mean for the company. Show Highlights: 0:30 – What makes formal attire functional? According to 5-Hour Energy, its caffeinated cufflinks. Learn what Brad thinks about the energy drink’s most recent marketing campaign. 2:30 – Lukas explains what he learned at the Institute of Food Technologists’ yearly expo and how ingredient suppliers shape many of the food trends we see in the market. He explains how weight loss solutions, sweetener alternatives and plant-based ingredients were on full display. 5:50 – From fortified honey to baobab seed pod powder, Lukas tells the team about new products on display at the show before talking about how tracing, certifications and clinical studies were also highlighted at the show. 8:30 – PRIME is in legal hot water again. Brad talks about how the drink maker has raised the ire of the U.S. Olympic Committee and how it is another legal issue facing the insurgent hydration and energy brand. About the CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: In a jam-packed episode, the CPG Week podcast covers a lot of ground from cannabis to kava with a healthy recap of the Specialty Food Association’s Summer Fancy Food Show from earlier in the week. To start, senior reporter Brad Avery explains the big news out of the cannabis industry as Curaleaf announced it was entering hemp-derived THC with edibles and beverages available in a new DTC store. Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard review some of the innovative products and trends they saw in New York City this week at Summer Fancy Food. The team wraps up talking about kava beverages and why the category’s future seems to be intertwined with the slightly more controversial kratom ingredient. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Curaleaf, marijuana cultivator and dispensary company, is moving into the hemp-derived THC market by launching a new DTC website: thehempcompany.com. Not only could this shake up the regulatory environment but is a statement by a leading cannabis industry stakeholder. 3:30 – Amid the cheese and hot sauce, Monica and Lukas discuss what they saw and tasted while wandering the aisles of the Summer Fancy Food Show. Lukas talks about a brand pairing savory biscuits with adult beverages while Monica snacked on the latest entrant in the freeze-dried trend. 7:10 – The team discusses how texture and experiential snacking are driving innovation by many brands across a multitude of categories including jerky, frozen desserts, sweets and convenience meals. 13:30 – Lukas explains what he learned while reporting on the kava category and why its future as a functional, non-alcoholic alternative is linked to another mood-altering ingredient, kratom. About the CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: What did the CPG Week team think of Netflix’s “Unfrosted” movie? The group dives into Jerry Seinfeld’s Pop-Tarts biopic and why it is a (partially) accurate portrayal of the R&D process of creating a CPG food product. Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous shares some of the latest snack trends as related to the Sweets & Snacks Expo happening this week. Senior reporter Lukas Southard goes on to unpack the unfolding cocoa pricing crisis and what that means for chocolate producers. Finally, senior reporter Brad Avery talks about the latest update from Foxtrot’s sudden dissolution and what happened at the asset auction. Show Highlights: 1:30 – Monica takes the temperature of Brad and Lukas’ opinions of Netflix’s “Unfrosted” movie. They discuss their personal takes on the comedy centered on Pop-Tarts and discuss how the CPG industry is interpreting its representation of the R&D process in packaged food. 7:00 – In light of the Sweets & Snacks Expo happening this week, Monica talks about the latest trends in the categories released by the National Confectioners Association in conjunction with the food show. 8:10 – What’s happening with cocoa pricing, and how that might impact chocolate producer margins as waning supply continues to push pricing up? Lukas explains what has happened in the last six months and how food tech innovation might be a growing solution to the problem. 12:05 – Brad updates the team on the latest from the abrupt closure of Foxtrot including what happened at the asset auction for both Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen & Market. About the CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: This week, the Nosh and BevNET team gear up for Natural Products Expo West, the so-called Super Bowl of the packaged food and beverage industry. With a special appearance for BevNET Editor-In-Chief Jeff Klineman, the group discusses their various strategies for the big show. What’s the best attack plan for hitting all the booths on a show planner? What items should (or should not) make it into an Expo backpack to stay prepared for long days on the floor? Learn how to keep an eye out for good “Expo Etiquette” and why you might spot a BevNET or Nosh team member interviewing this year’s celebrity-du-jour. Show Highlights: 0:35 – Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous asks Editor-In-Chief Jeff Klineman how he prepares for Expo West. Senior reporters Brad Avery and Lukas Southard chime in on how they are planning for efficient trips to the Anaheim Convention Center. 6:30 – Jeff outlines helpful hacks for exhibiting brands seeking to capture a buyer’s attention on the show floor and why building pirate ship crow’s nests for spotting important people is frowned upon. 9:15 – Brad reflects on his celebrity interviews at previous Expos, including a particularly memorable conversation with a pop star about apple cider vinegar. 11:30 – Jeff, Brad, Monica and Lukas each share the trends they are watching at Expo West. About the CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week’s stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode: In a special dispatch from Las Vegas, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and reporter Adrianne DeLuca spoke with Specialty Food Association trendspotters Jenn de la Vega, chef and cookbook author, and Drexel University professor Jonathan Deutsch about the latest food and beverages on display at this year’s Winter Fancy Food Show. Show Highlights: 2:30 – Global flavors have established a foothold in food and beverage. The group discusses innovation they saw with ingredients like yuzu and chilis as well as new formats of familiar products from bobas to sprayable soy sauce. 9:45 – Is the line between sweet and savory in snacking blurring? How might fermentation in food and drink be making its way into the mainstream? The group discusses some of the brands they tasted that were tackling these questions. 15:30 – Monica asks the trendspotters to name some of their favorite sips and bites from the show. About the Nosh Podcast The staff of Nosh.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the Nosh Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s episode of the NOSH Podcast, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and reporters Lukas Southard and Adrianne DeLuca talk about Thanksgiving traditions and what to expect at NOSH Live. Then the trio dives into influencer disclosures on social media (or the lack thereof) after the FTC warned a group of registered dietitians who were paid to post by industry lobbying groups. Show Highlights: 1:00 – Thanksgiving is here so the NOSH team talks about holiday traditions at the table, the hierarchy of dish delegation and how to keep it interesting when menu planning. 8:45 – With NOSH Live around the corner, the group runs down all of the great event speakers coming to Marina Del Rey on November 30 and the on-stage discussions that are in store. 13:30 – The team talks about how the FTC’s crackdown on influencers promoting the safety of aspartame is representative of the larger problem with influencer marketing and social media-derived medical advice. About The NOSH Podcast The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

On this week’s show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and the founder and CEO of Zack’s Mighty, Zack Gazzaniga, dive right into a corny discussion on the origins of the brand, and the special corn variety behind its unique taste and texture. The duo grind through the brand’s supply chain journey and how different audiences respond to the details of that sourcing story. Show Highlights: 02:03: Building a tortilla chip that doesn’t break in guac starts with good corn. For Zack’s Mighty, that pursuit of the perfect corn had its founder venturing to different continents and through the 10,000 year history of the iconic cobs. 14:12: Growing a brand with a complex supply chain sometimes requires compromises. Zack talks through the choices he had to make and why these decisions have ultimately allowed the brand to scale. 15:49: How did consumers respond to the brand’s corn history lesson? Zack explains how the brand narrowed in on its best selling feature and dialed in its marketing messaging. 22:46: Profitability remains key and Zack explains why different steps along the company’s supply chain appealed to investors. “If something is easy to make, then it’s probably not that special. When something is hard, it just means that there’s not an existing supply chain for that and I think that can help you be unique.” -Zack Gazzaniga About The NOSH Podcast The staff of NOSH.com takes listeners inside the business of natural, organic, sustainable and healthy food during the NOSH Podcast. Using interviews and discussion, the team illuminates the news, brands, people, trends, and money affecting the world of packaged food. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts