Distribution: NotJustCo, Sunnie Land Target Partnerships

Not Just Co Hits The Bullseye With Target

Natural sauce brand not just co are now available in 240 Super Target stores nationwide marking the company’s first pickup in the mass channel. The Boston-based company announced the launch on LinkedIn also telling NOSH that the two SKUs – 10 Veggie Sauce and Creamy Basil Sauce – are also available for delivery via Target.com.

The partnership marks the brand’s largest retail pickup to-date. Bristol Farms, Roche Bros., and Harmon’s are also partners.

“My co-founder Jacqueline and I started the brand five years ago, putting production runs on personal credit cards and delivering to Boston area retailers in our SUVs with our babies in tow – so this is a very exciting and long awaited launch for us,” co-founder and CEO Catherine Smart told NOSH.

Smart said the brand has been “keeping its head down” the last year as it has worked to scale production, increase margins and refresh its packaging. The company is actively seeking a new $1 million investment through a convertible note to help support its retail expansion.

Humble Seed Expands Natural Chain Distribution

Focused on “smart growth,” grain-free cracker brand Humble Seed has expanded in the Southeast, according to co-founder and CEO Sarah Meis. Most recently, the brand landed chain-wide distribution at all 160 The Fresh Market locations as well as 75 Fresh Thyme locations and about 50 H-E-B stores in Texas.

Humble Seed makes three SKUs – Sea Salt, Everything and Garlic Herb – that retail for $5.99 in-store. The brand’s crackers feature a blend of sunflower, flax, pumpkin, sesame, chia and hemp seeds.

“Our focus has always been to find those stores where shoppers are looking for products with our portfolio of attributes and go there first here in the early stages of the brand,” Meis said. “We’re matching the product with the shoppers that are buying it.”

In the coming year, the brand is turning its attention to regions where it doesn’t have as much of a footprint, like the Northeast, Meis said, as well as experimenting with new pack sizes to open up new retail channels for the brand.

Sunnie In Target Cold Cases

Snack dipper brand Sunnie announced this week it had made the move to mass by launching its Jam and Pizza Dipper snack packs into roughly 200 Target stores in Southern California, Utah, Arizona and Nevada.

The grain-free Dipper packs are sold individually in the grab-and-go cold case at the checkout or in the deli set for $3.99 each.

Founded in 2020 by Lisette Howard and Katy Tucker, the better-for-you nostalgic snack brand originally launched with six-SKUs but has consolidated its product mix. Sunnie no longer offers the Guac Dipper, Taco Dipper and Granola Bites + Fresh Blueberries.

The brand still produces its Hummus Dipper product and bag of its grain-free Sea Salt Crackers but these products were not initially picked up for the current Target partnership.

In total, Sunnie’s retail footprint is about 340 stores with distribution in Southern California natural grocers like Gelsons Market, Bristol Farms and Erewhon as well as on ecommerce platform Hungry Root.

Eat Happy Kitchen Builds National Distribution Network

Southern California-based food company Eat Happy Kitchen has grown its retail footprint across 32 states nationwide. The new retail agreements include deals with California-based all 28 California-based Pavilions Grocery locations, plus Gelson’s Markets, Texas-based Central Market and 28 Jewel-Osco stores.

It’s also expanding into the Northeast with 39 new retail locations.

The sauce and seasoning company was founded by cookbook author Anna Vocino to make gluten-free, no sugar added pantry ingredients.

The news comes after Eat Happy Kitchen signed on with KeHE earlier in the month and reported 127% year-over-year growth this month.

“KeHE has been a sensational partner as we aim to reach as many customers as we can. The response to Eat Happy Kitchen has been overwhelmingly positive, but this level of demand can be a double-edged sword for a scaling retail brand,” Vocino said in a press release statement. “It’s essential that we continue to work with our partners at KeHE to choose the right retail agreements that enable us to carefully focus on measured and manageable growth.”

The Pizza Cupcake Makes Gains in Kroger, Target

Savory cupcake brand The Pizza Cupcake has expanded its distribution network to over 4,550 stores nationwide. The company added more than 1,750 Kroger banner stores including retail chains like Ralph’s, Fred Meyer, King Soopers and Harris Teeter. Additionally, The Pizza Cupcake is entering 303 Target locations in the East and Midwest regions.

Founded in 2018 by husband-and-wife duo Andrea Meggiato and Michelle Jimenez-Meggiato, the company makes two varieties (margherita and pepperoni). The cupcakes are sold in six-packs for SRP $9.99.

The Shark Tank alumni company has been built out its distribution network finding partners in Wegmans, Whole Foods, Walmart, Foxtrot and Giant retailers among others.

Other Distribution News:

• Nearly a year removed from shutting down operations at his frozen mac-and-cheese brand 8 Myles, founder Myles Powell announced his rebranded product Myles Comfort Foods is back in northeast Target locations. Myles Comfort Foods has been rebuilding its former distribution network through “perseverance and dedication,” Myles said in a LinkedIn post, as well as a $1 million investment round that closed in May.
• Canadian smoothie and frappe brand Blender Bites is bringing four SKUs (Liquid Sunshine, Power Berry, Mindful Mocha, and Caramel Collagen) to Albertsons’ banner stores including Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Pavilions, Tom Thumb and ACME.
• Starting October 29, health and wellness food company Clean Simple Eats is launching its Protein Powders, Super Greens Mixes and Super Collagen Mixes into over 700 Vitamin Shoppe locations. In celebration of the new distribution partnership, Clean Simple Eats is offering a buy one, get one 50% Off promotion at Vitamin Shoppe retailers through November.
• Paneer maker Sach Foods announced last week its Turmeric Twist and Original varieties of organic, grass-fed Indian cheeses are now available in over 700 Kroger banner stores. The partnership includes distribution in select Kroger, Quality Food Center, Fred Meyer, Smith’s Food & Drug Centers, Ralphs Grocery Company, King Soopers/City Market, Mariano’s or Dillon Stores nationwide.
• Portland, Oregon-based Honey Mama’s announced its 3-SKU line of honey-sweetened, 1 oz. truffle bars now available at select Target stores.