The Checkout: Catalina Releases Post-Pandemic Consumer Trends; SPINS partners with Naturally Network

Welcome to The Checkout: an express lane for the weekly news you need to know, always 10 items or less.

Catalina Publishes Update On Post-Pandemic Consumer Trends

Market research firm Catalina released findings naming the most significant consumer interests at grocery retail in a post-pandemic environment this week. The report named categories including plant-based food, CBD products and adult beverages as the fastest growing consumer interests this year. The report comes over two years since the firm first dove into the retail grocery trends, only weeks before the pandemics onset.

“We regularly take these deep dives into shopping data to help our retailer and CPG customers better understand what makes their shoppers tick, how their purchase behavior is evolving, and what products they are buying across other categories,” said Sean Murphy, Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Catalina. “In fact, our platform contains over 1,700 audiences allowing us to help formulate precise and targeted marketing messages that measurably drive sales.”

Consumers have developed more discerning palates when it comes to the flavor, texture and base ingredients of plant-based products, according to Catalina, which has observed a significant uptick in the category since the pandemic began. The majority of those consumers identify as flexitarians or live in households with a mix of plant-based and conventional consumers.

As for post-covid trends, the report notes that the lifting of lockdown restrictions and less time spent at home aligned with a decrease in yeast sales and less interest in baking from scratch. The report also notes that consumers have becoming increasingly more interested in adult beverages, a trend that was not on its radar prior to COVID-19.

SPINS and Naturally Network Partner to Support Emerging Brands

Naturally Network, a networking community for the natural and organic products industry, and market research firm SPINS announced a partnership this week to support and mentor emerging brands in the space. The network currently has over 5,000 members with nearly 20,000 entrepreneurs, natural and organic employees, suppliers, service providers, investors, and others across the eight chapters it has established nationwide.

“The goal of Naturally Network is to bring together the natural and organic products industry, advance the success of founders and brands, and activate the ecosystem to create meaningful industry change,” said Katrina Tolentino, Executive Director of Naturally Network, in a press release. “We’re excited to have SPINS join us as our newest founding title sponsor as we share a common mission to deliver the highest quality, educational content that will allow the industry to continue to grow and flourish.”

The partnership will also help serve as a hub for SPINS Launchpad, a new program designed to support emerging brands with data and insights. Participants will receive data and expert consultations along with a “Liftoff” bundle which includes full data coverage, application suite access and product attribute overlays.

“Joining forces with Naturally Network is another example of SPINS’ investment in the success of the health and wellness industry that’s growing rapidly as entrepreneurs innovate to meet consumers’ diverse preferences,” said Jay Lovelace, President of SPINS and current Board Member of Naturally Chicago, in a press release. “For decades, SPINS has played a vital role in the success of thousands of emerging brands across the natural and wellness industry. No other company has made such a groundbreaking impact as we have. Now, SPINS is launching a powerful new platform that will allow thousands of additional emerging brands to accelerate success.”

Talenti Partners With Black Food Folks To Support Culinary Experts

Gelato and sorbet maker Talenti is aiming to amplify the voices of diverse culinary professional through a renewal of its partnership with Black Food Folks, a fellowship of Black professionals in food and drink industry.

The Unilever-owned brand has designated grants to four culinary creators including Maya-Camille Broussard, founder of Justice of the Pies in Chicago; Jasmine Macon, owner of North Carolina-based Beyond Amazing Donuts; Felicia Mayden, executive pastry chef at The Emily Hotel in Chicago; and Ashleigh Pearson, of Petite Soeur in Washington D.C..

“At Talenti, we are so inspired by the work Maya-Camille, Jasmine, Felicia and Ashleigh are doing in their communities and sharing their love of food and giving back in meaningful ways,” said Russel Lilly, General Manager, North American Ice Cream at Unilever, in a press release. “We are proud to continue supporting local businesses and celebrating the successes of the Black culinary community, while giving them a platform and resources to amplify their voices and expand their culinary reach.”

FDA Issues Review Of Entire Human Foods Program Operations

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf announced the agency will conduct a an independent investigation of all of its Human Food-related programs over the next 60 days to address the structure, function, funding and leadership within the country’s food system and supply chains. The agency partnered with the Reagan-Udall Foundation to conduct the evaluation.

“The agency has taken many significant actions that benefit the public health,” Califf said in a statement. “Yet at the same time, the agency has confronted a series of challenges that have tested our regulatory frameworks and stressed the agency’s operations, prompting me to take a closer look at how we do business.”

The announcement comes after the agency has come under fire for how its handled challenges throughout the pandemic, including the recent baby formula recall that led to significant shortages across the country.