News

The small but mighty chia seed has increasingly moved beyond beverages, bars and the bulk bin toward savory snacks and breakfast food as consumers seek added function from everyday foods. But after a temporary boom in attention during the middle of the last decade, under brands like Health Warrior, the Chia Company, and Mamma Chia, the ingredient still hasn’t fully reached the masses.

In this week’s Checkout, Unilever announced it’s stopping Facebook and Twitter ads, The Forest Farmers acquired Parker’s Real Maple, and McCormick reviewed its Q2 sales as at-home cooking surges.

This edition of Taste Radio Insider features highlights from interviews with six entrepreneurs and experts who joined us during the first half of 2020, including TRUFF hot sauce founders Nick Guillen and Nick Ajluni; Anouck Gotlib, CEO of Belgian Boys; Nona Lim, founder/CEO of Nona Lim; GT’s Living Foods founder/CEO GT Dave; Ashley Thompson, co-founder/CEO of MUSH; and Lee Robinson, director of dairy and beverage for Whole Foods Market.

In a webinar last week, health and wellness market insights firm Social Nature outlined how better-for-you CPG companies are adapting to changing shopper behavior as consumers’ focus shifts toward health and wellness products and e-commerce.

Nutrition retailer GNC filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today, and will shutter 800 to 1,200 stores nationwide.

In a letter to President Trump last Tuesday, a group of seven hemp organizations asked the administration to work with Congress to regulate CBD, noting that the lack of progress from the FDA is hindering a young market.

After the FDA last month released temporary guidance to allow companies to make “minor” ingredient substitutions without labeling changes, Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) and other industry groups have advocated on behalf of consumers with allergies for greater transparency.

SprintToSuccess, a 7 week creative process designed to take an entrepreneur-in-need from streamlined strategy to a ready-for-world brand free of charge, has announced its Season 1 subject, chosen from a pool of 107 applicants: Melissa Martinelli’s SuperFrau.

Albertsons files an IPO, IRI reviews center store growth trends, and Doordash announces a $400M series H raise and a new partnership with CVS in this week’s Checkout.

Chuck Casano, founder of Pitaya Foods and HiTouch Distribution, spoke about navigating the food industry on two fronts, how a social mission guided his foray into entrepreneurship, the failure that propelled his decision to launch HiTouch, the elements of successful brand relationships and being on the front lines of food distribution during the pandemic.