Distribution: Love + Chew Goes Deeper With Whole Foods, Sensei Farms Lands in Weis Markets
Love + Chew Expands Whole Foods Presence
Plant-based superfood cookie producer Love + Chew is expanding from 177 to 500 Whole Foods Market locations nationwide. The natural retail chain carries five of the brand’s flavors: Chocolate Chia, Banana Bread, Cherry Almond, Mint Cacao Brownie, and high-protein Peanut Butter Chip for $2.99 per 2 oz. cookie.
Love + Chew’s relationship with Whole Foods was established in 2021 when the retailer offered the San Francisco, Calif.-based brand a 40-store test. By 2023, Love + Chew had grown to 177 locations.
“Becoming a national brand with Whole Foods has always been our dream. Their customers trust the quality and standards they uphold, banning over 300 ingredients to ensure clean, healthy options. We’re thrilled to partner with Whole Foods and bring delicious, high-quality cookies to even more people,” founder Lauren Chew told Nosh.
Founded in 2018, Love + Chew produces a portfolio of gluten- and dairy-free cookies crafted with simple ingredients like almonds, dates, chia seeds and coffee beans. The brand has embraced an omnichannel approach, and its products are currently available in over 2,000 stores nationwide, including Sprouts, Costco and Gelson’s and online via the brand’s website and Amazon.
The expanded partnership with Whole Foods marks an important milestone for Chew, who has, to date, bootstrapped the business.
Yo Mama’s Locks in Albertsons, Costco.com
Sauces and dressings purveyor Yo Mama’s Foods announced the launch of its 25 oz. Original Marinara, Roasted Garlic, Tomato Basil and 16 oz. Classic Alfredo sauces at 800 Albertsons stores nationwide. The new partnership brings the brand’s total store count to over 25,000.
Additionally, two variety packs of the Clearwater, Fla.-based brand’s sauces are now available online at Costco.com. Yo Mama’s Variety Pasta Sauce Set (SRP $21.99) features one 25 oz. jar each of Original Marinara, Tomato Basil and Roasted Garlic flavors. Yo Mama’s Dairy-Free Variety Dressing Set (SRP $19.99) includes one 13 oz. jar each of Caesar, Ranch and Balsamic varieties.
“This expanded distribution is a natural progression of the momentum we’ve been building at Yo Mama’s,” said David Habib, founder and CEO of Yo Mama’s Foods, in a press release. “We’re committed to delivering clean, delicious sauces crafted from pantry staples, and our continued growth ensures more consumers nationwide have access to our products.”
Sensei Farms Brings Leafy Greens to Weis Markets
Sensei Farms is expanding the physical store footprint of its leafy greens and salad mixes with a new agreement to distribute its Spring Leaf Mix, Green Lettuce Blend, Green Butter Lettuce, Red Lettuce Blend and Romaine Lettuce to 200 Weis Markets locations across the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region.
All Sensei Farms product varieties now feature more sustainable packaging featuring a recyclable, moisture-resistant paperboard tray.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment with Weis Markets to offer consumers higher quality, more sustainable choices in our surrounding communities. The positive response to our new packaging has directly contributed to increased demand for our products. We believe this momentum will drive further growth for our brand as we continue to innovate,” said Jessica Vasisht, Sensei Farms’ SVP of sales and marketing, in a press release.
Stryve Inks Deal with Dot Foods
On the heels of a slate of new retail commitments – including Costco’s Southeast locations and select BJ’s Wholesale Club stores – meat snack maker Stryve Foods has inked a new strategic distribution partnership with Dot Foods, slated to begin this month. The partnership is expected to help streamline Stryve’s operations, allowing for improved service levels, enhanced operational efficiencies, and optimized customer lead times, according to a press release.
“The meat snack category continues to grow, and consumer demand for great tasting, high protein, low-to-no sugar, and zero preservatives in convenient ready-to-eat protein snacks is on the rise,” said Chris Boever, CEO of Stryve, in a statement. “Retailers are continuously optimizing their assortment, and our air-dried meat snack brands deliver on these growing consumer behaviors.”
Additionally, Stryve announced it has secured a “major new retail distribution gain” but did not disclose the retailers. The new partnership with the unnamed nationwide retailer will place the company’s products under the Braiitime, Kalahari, Stryve and Vacadillos brands in “thousands” of new locations in Q1 2025.
Millie’s Sipping Broth Wins Golden Ticket with Walmart
After securing a “golden ticket” at Walmart’s 10th annual Open Call event last year, Millie’s Sipping Broth – which claims to be the world’s first broth in a tea bag – has officially hit the shelves of nearly 2,000 Walmart locations.
“This moment is a mix of emotion and incredibly intense work due to the transformation required to scale up our business. We have reshaped our operations alongside partners to produce more product in a week than we previously made in a year,” said Keep Life Tasty co-founder Llance Kezner in a press release.
Launched in 2014 by parent company Keep Life Tasty, Millie’s Sipping Broth produces a line of vegan, lower-sodium broths in flavors like Delight Pho, Tomato Basil, Spicy Tortilla and Thai Lemon Grass. In addition to Walmart, the brand’s products can be purchased in-store at Wegmans and Food City and on Amazon.
In other distribution news:
- Chicago, Ill.-based cookie dough producer BAKR has landed its first national retail account, Meijer. The retail chain has taken on the brand’s Brown Butter Choc Chunk, Double Fudge Brownie and S’mores flavors.
- Mid-Day Squares, which first launched its functional chocolate in Whole Foods Market in 2019, has expanded to all 517 WFM locations nationwide. In an Instagram post, the brand called the expansion a “full circle moment.”
- Algae Cooking Club announced the rollout of its cooking oils to over 400 Sprouts Farmers Market locations this month. The products will be available in both the innovation aisle and the main oil and vinegar aisle.Ohio-based gluten-free baking mix purveyor Mugsy Bakes has secured a slate of new retail commitments, including Lake Road Market in Rocky River, Meijer Fairfax Market in Cleveland, Bay Provisions in Bay Village, Gingham Market in Lakewood, and more.
