Distribution Roundup: Blue Stripes Urban Cacao Launches At Whole Foods; Vermont Tortilla Company Expands To Sprouts

Blue Stripes Urban Cacao Launches At Whole Foods

Upcycled food and beverage brand Blue Stripes Urban Cacao is rolling out its full product lineup to Whole Foods Market this month including new items exclusively for the partnership. The announcement marks the first on-premise retail rollout for the two year old brand, which has been sold D2C since September 2020.

“We are thrilled to have a partner like Whole Foods that supports our meaningful mission to change the cacao and chocolate industry for generations to come and bring consumers,” said founder Oded Brenner in a press release.

The rollout features 15 SKUs including Whole Cacao Granola in three flavors ($6.99 per 8 oz.), Whole Cacao Trail Mix ($7.99 per 8 oz.), Cacao Water in five flavors, Cacao Fruit Smoothies ($1.99 per pouch) and Dried Cacao Fruit ($6.99 per 4 oz. bag). The products are certified by the Upcycled Food Association, non-GMO and vegan.

According to the brand, 70% of the cacao bean is wasted during the chocolate production process. Blue Stripes’ mission is to use the whole bean and has created various product lines to help reduce food waste.

“Upcycling ingredients is not just a way of bringing delicious products to consumers but is also our duty to Mother Nature,” Brenner said in a press release.

Alongside the retail rollout, Blue Stripes also announced it will introduce additional products online this summer and at select natural retailers. Blue Stripes already produces chocolate bars, chocolate covered cacao beans and a range of other cacao-forward products.

Moonshot Snacks Launches At Target

Climate friendly cracker brand Moonshot Snacks is pushing deeper into retail since launching in brick and mortar stores last year. The brand is rolling out its three SKU line of crackers to Target stores nationwide, bringing its total door count to over 2,500 in just over a year.

“Our vision for Moonshot is not just to build one product or one brand but rather to build a climate-friendly food movement where it’s easy for all people to eat for the planet,” said Julia Collins, founder and CEO of Moonshot, in a press release. “We believe that every single person has the right to live on a healthy planet and eat in alignment with their values. Standing up for Mother Earth isn’t just good for people, it’s also good for business. We’re delighted to partner with Target to expand this vision and welcome more people into the movement.”

The crackers are available in Sourdough Sea Salt, Margarita Pizza and Rosemary Garlic flavors for $6 per 4.4 oz box. The announcement comes on the heels of a $10 million capital raise for the brand’s sister company, Planet FWD, a climate impact reduction initiative, as the organization looks to expand its sustainability focused certification program.

“Now is the time for brands that are both better-for-you and better-for-the-planet to succeed,” said Jen Berliner, general manager of Moonshot, in a press release. “We’re seeing that retailers and shoppers alike are hungry for brands that offer great taste and share their values. It’s an honor to bring our crackers into the homes and hearts of more Americans through such an iconic retailer as Target, and to expand access to Moonshot for Climatarians across the country.”

Vermont Tortilla Company Rolls Out Beyond The Green Mountain State

Organic food company Vermont Tortilla Company announced its gluten-free, dairy-free Original tortillas will enter over 375 Sprouts Farmers Market stores nationwide. Additionally, select stores will also begin carrying the brand’s six-inch turmeric flavored tortillas.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Sprouts, a leader in the grocery space of supplying organic and natural foods,” said April Moulaert, co-founder of Vermont Tortilla Company, in a press release. “We pride ourselves on using 100% certified organic locally-sourced corn with no additives or preservatives in any of our products, along with a sustainable production process. With this partnership, Sprouts is helping us further our mission of bringing our authentic, clean and delicious stone ground tortillas to the masses.”

The tortillas are made with only three base ingredients – corn, lime, and water – all of which are locally sourced in the Vermont area. Its products are available for $5 per 10-pack and are available at retailers including Fairway Markets, Foxtrots and Key Foods, as well as online.

Graza Continues Push Into Retail With Whole Foods Partnership

Following its retail debut in April, single-origin extra virgin olive oil brand Graza announced a new partnership with Whole Foods bringing its two flagship oils – Sizzle and Drizzle – to 116 locations throughout the Northeast and Southern Pacific this month.

“After selling out on our online store numerous times, the first within 24 hours of launching, we are thrilled to offer Whole Foods shoppers another opportunity to get their hands on Graza,” said Andrew Benin, CEO and co-founder of Graza, in a press release. “Whole Foods is a valued and integral piece of our retail expansion plan, and we cannot wait until Graza is available in more brick and mortar retailers throughout the country.”

The company made its retail debut at Foxtrot earlier this year and said it will be activating additional retailer partnerships throughout the year. Graza’s oils are made from Picual olives sourced exclusively from Andalusia, Spain and are packaged in proprietary squeeze bottles. Drizzle, which is intended to be used as a finishing oil, is available in a 16.9 oz. bottle for $20 and Sizzle, the more versatile of the two according to Graza, is available in a 25.3 oz. bottle for $15.

Mary’s Gone Crackers Expands The Reach Kookies

Gluten-free cracker maker Mary’s Gone Crackers announced that its latest innovation, Kookies, are rolling out to a variety of retailers across the country after only four months on the market. The line is available in Cinnamon, Honey and Chocolate flavors and will be available at retailers including Sprouts, Woodmans, Caputos, Jimbos and Lassens, among others, beginning this month.

“Consumers are always on the lookout for healthy dessert replacement options and our Kookies line has been able to offer just that along with an incredible flavor profile,” said Jason Galante, VP of sales at Mary’s Gone Crackers, in a press release. “We are excited for the opportunity to grow our footprint and make Kookies snacks more available to the masses.”

The low sugar, low calorie cookies are made with a blend of tapioca starch, oat flour and brown rice flour and sweetened with cane sugar and available for $3.99 per 5 oz. box. The new distribution also helps support the brand’s sustainability mission to save the bees, and a portion of the proceeds from each sale are donated to nonprofit organization GloryBee.

Impossible Foods Now Flying On United Airlines

United Airlines added two new plant-based meals to its in-flight and airport lounge menus including an exclusive Impossible Meatball Bowl. The airline is also bringing Impossible Sausage to a range of meal offerings onboard like omelets and breakfast sandwiches. The new products are available to first-class customers on all domestic flights and Polaris lounges in Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark and San Francisco.

“We want our food offerings to evolve and change along with people’s preferences – we’re proud to work with Impossible Foods and think our customers are really going to love these new options,” said Aaron McMillan, United Managing Director of Hospitality and Planning, in a press release. “To many travelers, the quality of food choices at the airport and in the sky are a really important part of the customer experience, so we’re invested in making sure our menu items exceed their expectations. This is the first of many updates we look forward to sharing in the months ahead.”

Other notable distribution gains:

• Plant based meat brand Skinny Butcher announced its Crazy Crispy Chick’n products are now available at Costco, Walmart and Safeway locations across the country.
• Baby and kids food brand Cerebella is now available at 216 Giant Eagle locations nationwide. The new distribution adds to Cerebella’s retail partnership which also includes Whole Foods, Target, Meijer, Kroger, Wegmans and Harris Teeter, among others.