CPG Week Podcast

  In this episode: This week, the Nosh and BevNET team discusses recent food and beverage funding news. In this capital-constrained environment, startups are tapping conventional options like investment firms as well as celebrities, consumers and distributors to rake in extra cash. Show Highlights: 0:35 – Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous shares the latest twist in the Kellogg cereal drama. HumanCo founder and CEO Jason Karp filed an activist letter urging the company to follow through with its previously stated commitment to remove artificial dyes from such brands as Froot Loops sold in the U.S. 4:15 – Senior reporter Lukas Southard discusses snack pack maker Sunnie’s unique approach to securing funding, inviting some of its consumers to participate in its recent round. 7:25 – Senior reporter Brad Avery unpacks Liquid Death’s $67 million funding round that involved some of its distributors, as well as celebrities and investment firms. 9:15 – Monica dishes details of organic baby and toddler food company Serenity Kids’ $52 million Series B funding. Brad offers perspective on how an already profitable company can benefit from such a significant cash injection. 11:10 – Monica, Brad and Lukas highlight additional brands that have recently raised money. 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: This week the BevNET and Nosh team discusses Poppi acquisition rumors, the investment landscape, and consumer adoption of functional mushrooms. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Monica starts the episode challenging Jeff and Brad to a hypothetical pistachio cracking competition that devolves into a semantical discussion about “nut meat.” 3:25 – Brad highlights prebiotic soda brand Poppi’s big week, which included a highly-watched Super Bowl ad and a Bloomberg article speculating about a Coca-Cola takeover. 7:00 – Why haven’t any of the biggest soft drink companies created their own version of Olipop or Poppi? Jeff draws comparisons to Coke’s short-lived, stevia-sweetened cola, and points out why large players are wary of snapping up small brands today. 9:00 – Monica notes probiotic soda brand Culture Pop’s recent $21 million funding and points to other beverage brands raising capital recently. Jeff shares what investors are looking for in potential targets. 11:15 – The team considers whether consumers understand functional mushrooms and shares examples of brands entering the space. Brad asks whether psychedelic imagery on packaging confuses shoppers. 15:05 – Jeff poses the question that should be on every product developer’s mind: What’s the next big health grail consumers are seeking, a la the antioxidant? “Is it prebiotic, psychedelic or adaptogenic?” 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 BevNET and Nosh team talk about Subway speed dating, cell-cultured meat’s many challenges, why unrealistic investment might be dragging down food tech companies, and why the alternative meat and dairy industry is a good comparison point for realistic market demand. Show Highlights: 0:30 – Monica starts the episode asking Brad and Lukas how they feel about Subway’s recent Valentine’s Day speed dating stunt. 2:00 – After a series of stories in recent weeks explaining the struggles of the cell-cultured (or lab-grown) meat industry, Lukas kicks off the conversation highlighting his recent newsletter column exploring why the industry is falling short of its claims of creating a more sustainable food system. 5:05 – It all comes back to the money. Monica brings up some of the recent companies that have shuttered or had to restructure as a result of investment in the category drying up. 7:35 – Why has the industry fallen short of getting products to market? Brad makes comparisons to the failures of the plant-based food industry as a good example of how food tech struggles to gain market share. 9:45 – Does food tech’s challenge come from financing or from consumer adoption? The team debates how brand messaging plays a role but maybe less expensive food alternatives have an easier path to 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: In the first episode of CPG Week, Nosh Managing Editor Monica Watrous and reporters Brad Avery and Lukas Southard sit down to discuss the various M&A deals seen so far in the first month of the year. Show Highlights: 0:30 – The team discusses their various Super Bowl meal plans with Monica explaining what a “ham sandwich” translates to at her local bar. 3:15 – The first month of the year is in the books, and there have already been a lot of mergers and acquisitions. Lukas starts by explaining broadly what some industry watchers are expecting this year. 5:00 – Brad talks about how one publicly traded company is looking to become the “General Mills for Asian food.” Then, Monica talks about what Moosehead Brands has been cooking up with Beanfields and Caveman Foods. 7:00 – Finally the team dives into why a newly formed Texas-based investment vehicle with roots in the oil and gas industry decided to buy Alter Eco, Tessemae’s rebirth post bankruptcy and Our Home’s big manufacturing buy. 10:00 – Finishing up the discussion, Monica shares a couple insights from BevNET and Nosh Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman about what he is looking out for in M&A markets this year. 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

This week on the NOSH Podcast, editor Carol Ortenberg and reporters Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard talk about top trends and new tastes they are on the lookout for at the last Natural Products Expo East. The team also discusses the approaches of two new CPG-industry backed investment funds that debuted this past week. While the team travels to Philadelphia, this week we revisited a conversation from NOSH Live Winter 2022 featuring Thrive Market head of merchandising James Ren and Misfits Market senior director of grocery Brandie Miller who breaks down the unique operations of running an online grocery retail platform, merchandising tips and the role of a company mission plays in retail relationships. In this episode: 1:30 – What is The NOSH Podcast team on the lookout for at Expo East? Adrianne is looking for more ancient grain use while Lukas is still focused on the plant-based category, particularly since some brands have closed their doors or reduced workforces in recent weeks. 7:15 – How are two new venture funds approaching CPG investing? Carol dives into the details on Unfold Ventures and Humble Growth’s respective theses and one of the firm’s founding partners has retooled his strategy for food industry investing. 10:55 – Ren and Miller share their opinions about working in ecommerce grocery and the unique value propositions for the respective business models. 17:10 – The ecom retail leaders explain how their respective companies pursue their mission’s for a more sustainable grocery industry and balance that with a unique consumer shopping experience – all the while helping brands succeed on their platforms. 23:50 – How does merchandising work in a digital store? What do ecommerce grocery buyers prioritize more so than brick-and-mortar buyers f? Miller and Ren discuss how the approach often differs online than in conventional and even natural channels. “Something that makes us (Thrive Market) unique is we have a set of values that members can shop by whether thats dietary to sourcing.” -James Ren, Thrive Market head of merchandising “We’re here for when it’s not perfect and we call that a way to access lost revenue that you otherwise wouldn’t see.” -Brandie Miller, Misfits Market senior director of grocery 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

This week on the NOSH Podcast, NOSH editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman, editor Carol Ortenberg and reporters Adrianne DeLuca and Lukas Southard give their hot takes on club store purchases and how better-for-you brands are strategically “dipping” into conventional to reach more consumers. In this week’s interview, Red’s Natural Foods CEO and founder Michael Adair shares the lessons he has gathered while operating the frozen snack and breakfast food brand for 14 years and how the clean label brand has found success sitting next to conventional products in the freezer case. In this episode: 1:10 – The NOSH Podcast team discusses their opinions of club store shopping and some of their favorite products to grab in bulk. 7:55 – Are natural food brands seeing results from positioning themselves among conventional competitors? The NOSHers explore some brands that have tried the strategy. Jeff cautions that the strategy might not be as “conventional” as it seems. 15:45 – Red’s founder Mike Adair joins the NOSH podcast to talk about his journey in frozen and how he found that patience was his best weapon in building the clean label brand. 20:30 – Self-manufacturing might help a brand control its production and supply chain more efficiently but it comes with a number of other issues that co-packed brands don’t have to worry about. Adair discusses how Red’s move into self-manufacturing opened up new doors (and investment) but was not always the easiest road. 28:05 – It might not always be up to a brand but where on the shelf but which products a brand is placed next to can make a big difference in sales. Adair talks about what Red’s has learned about placement in the frozen category. “One of the things that we’re not afraid of is failing. The minute that you become too conservative in your innovation and the lanes in which you play, you can become stale pretty fast.” -Mike Adair, Red’s Natural Foods CEO and founder 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