Food Industry News, Insights, and Education for the CPG Community

Kids nutrition company PlantBaby is making its first foray into food with the launch of Kiki Butter, a multi-use spreadable and blendable oat and seed butter.

Meati is cutting its workforce by about 5%, affecting about 17 employees of the 300-person company less than six months after the mycelium-based protein company opened a new 100,000 sq. ft. production facility.

In this week’s notable new products roundup, Blender Bites launches its new 1-Step Frappé innovation, Rao’s announces a pop-up in Chicago showcasing five new SKUs and Three Wishes takes inspiration from a classic fireside treat to create its newest flavor.

In this roundup: Texas passes new bill on plant-based product labels; Albertsons consolidates its leading private label line; Kraft launches in the frozen aisle; and Oath Pizza CEO sued by investors.

This week the NOSH team revisits some important lessons and stories shared during NOSH Live Winter 2022 with Suzie York, founder and CEO of The Better Chocolate and Matt Clifford, CEO of CanDo. Both have moved onto their second endeavors in the world of CPG and share how they applied certain learnings from their first businesses, the second time around.

Health and wellness-focused CPG investment firm Selva Ventures announced this week it has closed a $34 million raise for its second fund, which included backing from Unilever Ventures, PagsGroup and Obelysk as well as existing investors.

After announcing a serving agreement for its credit offerings in March, fintech platform Brightflow has acquired the remainder of lender, investor and software platform CircleUp with an eye on further monetizing AI-driven data and insights platform Helio.

Tony’s Chocolonely is looking to set a new corporate standard that legally protects the values of mission-driven businesses.

Community Call is a recurring series of discussions addressing timely topics within the food and beverage industry. This month, we welcome a range of guests covering topics such as demand planning, event marketing, and finding the right valuation of your business for fundraising.

Sonoma Creamery is ending 92 years in the fresh cheese business after selling off the division to The Atalanta Corporation, marking a formal shift toward a snack-focused future.

Campbell Soup Company offloaded its nut and trail mix brand Emerald Nuts to Minneapolis-based, private label manufacturer Flagstone Foods on Tuesday for an undisclosed amount as the legacy soup company prioritizes its more successful snacking labels.

Fly By Jing founder Jing Gao is entering the retail space with Suá Kitchen and Superette, a grab-and-go market of Sichuan-inspired prepared foods and retail goods.

Backed with over $50 million in investment, former CEO of the Roundy’s and Mariano’s chains Bob Mariano has embarked on his latest venture in the Chicago area, Dom’s Kitchen and Market. The retailer hopes to have 15 stores by the end of next year building on an omnichannel, experiential type of food shopping grounded in prepared foods, heavier product curation and app-based connectivity.

In this week’s notable new products roundup, Van Leeuwen pays homage to artist Keith Haring in crafting a limited edition ice cream flavor, Pompeian expands its portfolio of olive oils and Olli launches what it claims to be the first preservative-free salami in North America.