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In a presentation at NOSH Live Summer 2019 in New York City, Heidi Traore, business development manager at National Co+op Grocers, discussed how the structure and ethos of co-ops benefits both communities and small brands.

This edition of Taste Radio Insider features highlights from interviews with six founders, creators and industry experts who joined us on the show during the first half of 2019. This episode is presented by BevSource.

Tony Wrubel is the co-founder of Aveyo Avocado Foods, a company delivering avocados in an easy and convenient format. The spoonable avocado snack is made with 5 ingredients or less and is free from all major allergens.

Halla, an AI company that provides retailers personalized recommendations for food ordering, is helping grocers further explore consumer shopping habits after closing a recent $1.4 million seed round. This will allow the team to scale the app’s offerings, gaining more in-depth personalization and forecasting data.

Although it’s only had product in a limited set of stores since February, Gathered Foods, producers of Good Catch plant-based seafood products, is hoping to avoid the operational bottlenecks that have plagued (and slowed the growth of) other plant-based food companies. The brand announced last week the close of a $10 million convertible note in order to continue building out a factory for its line of high-moisture extruded seafood substitutes.

As natural CPG expands further into conventional retail, are mass channels supportive environments ripe with opportunity? At NOSH Live Summer 2019, BevNET and NOSH editor-in-chief Jeffrey Klineman led a discussion with a panel of revered industry brokers about navigating retailer relationships.

Yogurt maker Chobani is collaborating with Fair Trade USA on a new label that certifies the milk used in its products is sourced from farms that meet “comprehensive” standards for animal welfare and employee rights.

Just in time for the Fourth of July, Upton’s Naturals and The Plant Based Food Association (PBFA) are asserting their own independence against the state of Mississippi with a lawsuit to push back against new labeling laws. “It’s just ridiculous,” Upton’s founder Daniel Staackmann said about the new Mississippi law. “Perhaps the city of Hamburg should sue the meat industry in the United States for using [that term]?”

The latest entrant to the bleed-like-meat substitute category, Conagra, sees a $30 billion opportunity in its Gardein brand, CEO Sean Connolly said during the company’s fourth quarter earnings call last week.

In this highlight episode culled from interviews with six innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs who joined us on Taste Radio during the first half of 2019, we explore the role that innovation plays several for category-leading brands.